"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." – Ralph Waldo Emerson.

 Being a consistent cricketer isn’t always as good as we imagine.

As decent level players we search for better consistency. We have had good performances in the past. We dream the purple patches will come again. Every shot you play beats the in-field and every ball you bowl finds the outside edge to a pair of safe hands.

The captain is the all powerful dictator of a cricket team. At first glance it’s his tactical nous that makes a group of individuals into a team and wins matches.

Despite this appearance, good teams operate with a collective consciousness that is greater than even the captain. It’s almost like the Borg. Just like the science-fiction hive mind race, when you are all working together, resistance is futile.

Looking, thinking and acting like a batsman will give you the confidence to bat well, whatever your batting skills.

Jonathan Trott averaged 89 with the bat in the 2010-11 Ashes series in Australia, rising to number four in the Test rankings. He's become famous for his pre-shot batting routine, making a mark with his bat, and then marking the same spot with his foot.

Everyone is a bad starter at the crease. Nerves jangle, the feet are not moving as fast as the brain and you are keen to get off the dreaded duck.

But some batsmen are better than others at getting off the mark. Have you ever wondered why players like  Jacques Kallis, Sachin Tendulkar and Jonathan Trott look so composed right from the off?

Here are the 3 main reasons, and how you can employ them in your games:

“Oh, I’ve given up bowling leg spin,” the talented youngster said to me during the first game of the cricket season on a bright April day.

“I took up bowling pace in the winter at University and my coach says I’m pretty good.”

The revolutionary PitchVision Academy Problem Solver has had a major upgrade.

Judging by the number of questions we get here at PitchVision Academy, a lot of players and coaches have a cricketing problem they need solving. Everyone has something; a technical flaw in the cover drive, not quick enough bowling, getting gassed with low fitness levels and a hundred other things.

We also know that there is a frustrating gap for most of us.

For England fans the 2010-11 Ashes win has been a long time coming, but is there anything us humble club players can learn from it?

Clearly, you can’t put in the same time as the full-time contracted professionals. But you still want to do your best.

We all do. It’s more fun when you play well and win.

Why is it that some teams can crush the opposition while others throw away winning positions?

In cricket, things can turn around very quickly. Celebrating one moment, you are frustrated the next.

Some years ago, it was in middle of cricket summer. My college team was competing in a one off fixture. Our team was superior to them and not just on paper; we had dominated much of the game and thought we had the other team nailed down to the floor.

Does this remind you of anything you have seen as a player?

The home team players arrive at the ground at different times, some just before the start.