Bowl with personality as well as the ball
Can personality get you wickets?
The former Middlesex bowler Simon Hughes certainly thinks so. He uniquely explains the rise of Graeme Swann from bad boy to first choice England spinner. Swann doesn't get his wickets through vicious turn and bounce. He doesn't get them through a mysterious doosra or carom ball.
Do you make these mistakes when coaching spinners?
Would your club side be better with a couple of excellent spin bowlers? How about your Test team?
They are mysterious, a joy to watch and frustrating to play against. But spinners need careful attention if they are to be developed properly. It's easy for coaches and captains to crush the enthusiasm and confidence of a young player simply by misunderstanding how to handle them.
How win low scoring cricket matches
Low scoring games are an intense mental challenge for players. It's the side who can hold their nerve that come out victors.
It's about a combination of attitude, tactics and effort.
The 5 Immutable laws of coaching kids' cricket
Despite all the recent innovations in coaching, some things remain constant.
I have been a coach since 1994 and have taught kids at almost every age and skill level. Long ago I learned that to be a success you need to do certain things. You could be standing in front of 40 8 year olds or trying to get the most out of an elite group of under 16 Academy players. These are the immutable laws of coaching kids' cricket:
Case study update: Ask the case study subjects a question
This article is part of the miCricketCoach 2009 Case Study. To stay up to date with their progress get the free newsletter.
If you have been following the miCricketCoach Case Studies closely you probably have some questions.
After all, the whole idea of these in depth case studies has been to show you how real players can apply the methods we talk about on the site. I'm sure you have been able to draw from their experiences. But now I want to open the floor to you totally.
Umpires Corner: Confusing over and no balls
Many times on the pitch (and after the game) we have come to discuss whether a controversial situation should be allowed or not. There are precious few players with a deep enough understanding of the laws for our arguments to be resolved, but many times it's the players who also act as umpires.
How to communicate cricket tactics without a time out
I can't see the IPL time out catching on in club cricket. Yet strategy is a key part of the game at any level.
Do cricket teams need multiple captains?
John Buchanan caused a huge stir in the IPL when he said "I see there is scope to challenge the way teams have been run in the past".
The former Australian coach went on to outline that his Kolkata Knight Riders side could announce a formal captain on a game-by-game basis and they would be used in a vastly diminished role:
Case study update: Preseason matches
This article is part of the miCricketCoach 2009 Case Study. To stay up to date with their progress get the free newsletter.
Both Naz and Geraint have begun their pre-season matches. Now is the time all that extra planning, training and organising starts to come to fruition.
The enthusiasts guide to the leg break
Today's guest article is by Dave Thompson, a club leg spin bowler who took up the game recently. He has approached this most difficult of skills with a fresh pair of eyes. Dave is the first to admit he is an enthusiast rather than an expert and still has much to learn, but his enthusiasm and passion is addictive.
