Bob Woolmer once said (at the ECBCA Conference in 2004) that to fail to plan is to plan to fail. Its not a new concept but its true. All players, especially captains, need to do some preparation beforehand and keep on top of the game once it starts.

Here is how:

Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer used a marble slab to recreate a fast, bouncy wicket for the 2nd Test against England.

As a coaching aid it wasnt the most successful ploy ever.

Is there anything we can learn from it at a lower level?

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Cricket is a game of planning and plotting from captains, batsmen and bowlers. Why should your preparation for playing be any different? A good plan will allow you to develop your cricket fitness and cricket skills as fast and effectively as possible. Quite simply: Cricketers who plan and prepare are fitter, faster, stronger and more skilful.

Where to begin?

Do you have a cricket dream? Perhaps it is to play internationally or maybe its just to get more runs than last year in you club side.

One of the most effective ways of improving your motivation and focussing the mind on any task is by goal setting.

Cricket is no different. Goal setting is a powerful tool to becoming a better player.

It helped Richard Hadlee achieve the incredible double feat of 1179 runs and 117 wickets in county cricket in 1984.

Club cricket nets are often wasted opportunities, despite being more popular with players than ever. To make a net more effective for everyone involved, follow my guide to making your cricket nets better training:

Why do you have to ensure you have a proper warm up before cricket matches and training?

• Warming up increases your flexibility.
• Warming up increases your power.
• Warming up improves you coordination.
• Warming up reduces the risk of injury.

A warmup is one of the easiest and fastest ways to make a difference to your cricket.

We can learn much from the Australian attitude to one-day cricket. Bobby Simpson gives an insight.

This advice applies to club games just as much as it does to the top level so it is worth repeating the key advice:

Batting Tips

Butterflies in the stomach, shaking hands, anxiety and lack of confidence are all signs of performance reducing nerves.

While to causes and effects of nervousness are complex, there are certain simple tricks to control your tension and make it work for you.

How to control tension before cricket

You can use a simple technique at any rest point before or during a game. For example: The night before a game, in between deliveries or while waiting to bat.