If you have ever hung around after an international cricket match you will see a strange sight: The players will get themselves back onto the field to do even more exercises and stretching.

They are cooling down. You have probably heard about cooling down before but never done it yourself.

In fact, as high performance players prove, the cool down is an essential part of improving your cricket.

The fitter you are the better you play (and the more healthy you are), but where do you start in the quest to getting fit for cricket?

Cricket is a game that requires a lot of skills practice. If you can combine this practice with a workout that will get you fitter and more able to perform when tired then your game will improve. There are a great many fielding drills that can help you do this. Here are a few suggestions. 1. Throw vs. Run This is a good drill for competitive types. Split into 2 team � throwers and runners.

Top coach Duncan Fletcher is a big advocate of making fitness training both cricket specific and fun.

How does he do it?

Combine fielding drills with fitness training.

For example: 'Ten Catches' where the coach hits high and difficult catches until ten are caught. It's designed to leave you gasping but you will be fitter after a few sessions and it's much more engaging that going on a jog.

Questions:

• What do you do if you want to turn a comfortably run 2 into a well run 3?
• How do you reach those chases to the boundary to save a certain 4?
• How do you get more power into your delivery stride?

Answer:

There are many practice drills to improve your running between the wickets. The best drills are hard work, great practice and good fun.

Here are some to try. I welcome your feedback for any other cricket drills that you have found to work.

Run Outs

This drill combines competition, running skills, fielding skills and fitness.

Running between the wickets is both an art and a science. Good alert running not only keeps the score ticking over, but also it upsets the opposition�s rhythm and puts them under pressure. Every player should aim to improve their running between the wickets, even number 11.

Fitness training for cricket is a contentious issue. Should you consider traditional gym work and running to improve your fitness for cricket?

I believe fitness is essential for almost every level of cricketer, but in the interest of balance lets review both sides:

The argument against fitness training