Can club and school cricketers use the fashionable tactic of targeting certain bowlers?

It’s possible.

Do you worry that batting indoors will ruin your outdoor form? Have you got a game coming up on a different type of wicket from your home pitch?

This is the guide for you.

We are all guilty of the odd discretion from time to time, yet we all want to improve as cricketers. So let's work together to banish the poor habits and replace them with efficient and effective ones instead.

If you are any good, your career might just depend on it.

Have you ever wondered how you can turn a slump in form into feeling on top of the world in one ball?

If you have cricket training options, which is best?

How accurate is accurate?

We all know the stories. The opposition bowler who bowls perfect line and length all day and doesn't give you a thing. The long retired former player who is spoken about in hushed tones because he only bowled one half volley in 17 summers.

We know these are myths, but we like to believe them, especially our team has collapsed, or we bowl badly. We jealousy assume there is nothing we could do. We don't have the bowlers/the batsmen didn't have a chance.

Have you ever suffered from this issue: You turn up to a net, only to find the bowler or batter you are up against is not up to standard?

Sure, Jimmy is a fully paid up member of the club and he has the same right to come to practice as you. However, that doesn't change the fact that you face his 55kph bowling with every third ball in the side netting.

It's also no good for Jimmy, as when he does bowl a decent length ball you smash it. You have just wrecked the confidence of a youngster, you bully.

How do you both get a good practice instead?

Good cricketers are tough in all situations.

You might be on top and in control, or fighting to get out of a jam. The context might change but your ability to fight out stays the same.

Some people are naturals at this mental game: they need no training to stay confident, focused and self-aware. Aside from these genetic freaks, the rest of us need a little more work. Work that no amount of time getting throwdowns or bowling at PitchVision can ever give. Work that happens in your head.

Want the good news?

This work gets real, tangible results in runs and wickets. You don't even need to be at nets, or have anyone to train with. You just need you, and your mind, and some time to think.

One of the more common frustrations we hear at PitchVision is the talented player who is not given a chance to prove his ability.

Perhaps you feel you are the victim of this bias.

The men who make the decisions somehow have it in for you or - more often - favour someone else above you for reason that are not about cricket. You can't prove that corruption is happening, but you hear things said and see lesser players chosen above you and become convinced. The coach might tell you it's because the better man was chosen, but you know politics, money or even race lie at the heart of a choice.

It's enough to dishearten the honest, hard-working and talented player.

Don't give up yet, friend. There is hope.

You are not alone. There are inspiring stories of players in your exact position that have gone on to overcome bias and become a cricketer. We can learn from the example.

We all know how important setting targets is to cricket success, but most of us focus on individual aims and forget that teams can set targets too.

Setting 'team targets' is just as powerful in motivating players to do well because - like individual goal setting - a realistic and achievable target focuses the mind.