In opposition to the traditionalist’s view of preparation, England’s bowlers prepare for the first Ashes Test of 2009-10 by skipping a warm up match.

Critics say that bowlers need competitive overs ‘under the belt’ rather than hours in the nets.

It’s a common quandary for those lower down the scale too.

As you know, we have been running a series of coaching events across England called PitchVision Academy Live!

Along the way I have met many club, school and University coaches/players and shown them how they can improve their game. Today I want to give you a flavour of what that is like by following my day at Chelmsford.

In the 2^nd date of the UK tour, a high intensity, high drama earthquake of cricket coaching hit Chelmsford in the form of PitchVision Academy Live!

The event picked up where Manchester left off, bringing the latest cricket technology to club, school and University cricketers in Chelmsford.

Purpose: A general team warm up that works on picking up and throwing in a competitive situation.

Description: The game is played with a tennis or cricket ball. Players are split into 2 teams with the aim of scoring by rolling the ball into the opposition’s goal (marked by cones 4m apart on a pitch 30-50m long).

This article is part of the “How to use fitness training to make better young cricketers” series. Click here to go to part 1.

Coaching kids under 9 is no different to herding unruly sheep. But a conscientious coach is laying important ground work that is about more than babysitting in a tracksuit.

This edition of Laws of Cricket, in association with the International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring, covers some more tricky questions of the Laws.

This is part of the specialist fielding series of articles, for the full list of fielding positions covered click here

The mid on and mid off are the least glamorous pair of the inner fielding ring. You rarely see great fielders there and often find lesser talents trying to hide.

So can you really be a specialist mid off or mid on?

Local cricketers got a taste of rock n roll cricket as revolutionary coaching roadshow “PitchVision Academy Live!” rocked the Old Trafford cricket ground.

Featuring cricket, music, plasma screens, high energy and intense competition, this was the rock concert of cricket coaching.

A bad butcher with a sharp knife is still a bad butcher.

And for cricket coaches, technology is the same: A shiny tool can make you feel like you are going to make a difference to players. But in reality the best thing technology can do is add to good coaching, not make bad coaches better.

And at worst, technology can become a distraction from the coaching process. You can spend so much time tinkering that you get less done than you would have if you had just set up some cones and balls.

Sometimes you just have to practice alone.

There is no one around to train with but you are eager improve your skills. A bowler can go to a net with a box of balls and practice hitting a target. Batsmen are not as lucky because they need someone or something to feed a ball.