We all understand how important being strong, balanced and powerful is to a fast bowler, yet we are generally "take it or leave it" when we talk fitness to our spinners.

So, how can being strong benefit a spinner?

Menno Gazendam is author of Spin Bowling Project. Get your free 8 week spin bowling course here

The arm ball.

Or as some like to call it, the floater.

Bowled by the off spinner to either leave the right hand batsman or come into the left handed batsman. Vice versa for the slow left arm orthodox bowler.

Look at Monty Panesar in this video bowling a beautiful arm ball to the great Sachin. You can see the shiny side on the off side in the slow motion, helping him drift it in.

Gary Palmer, the PitchVision Academy batting coach, sheds light on the biggest hoax in batting.

Cricket has advanced in so many ways in the last 60 years. So why do we still hold onto the same ideas when it comes to classical batting technique?

Coaches and players have always called batting a side on game. But I have learned that batting is more front on than side on.

In my experience, when I say this most people disagree instantly and switch off.

Psychologist columnist Karl Stevenson discusses practical ways to understand personality to improve performance.

A watchmaker knows the size and weight of each cog in order to make a watch tick correctly.

Similarly, if each member of a team understands what makes each other tick, they can push the right buttons to get the best out of one another.

Below are three exercises that allow your team to start identifying with each other, and a great way of raising team awareness amongst a group of individuals.

The PitchVision Academy Cricket Show is on a Christmas break, but there is still the archive if you still need advice from the team.

So, here are my favourite episodes of 2012 for you to catch up.

This archive article was published in 2008. Republished today with an edit to bring it up to date.

Whether you aspire to play at professional level or not, there are many things you can learn from first class players.

Professional players rely on their form for a living. Without it they would be out of a job. More often than not that means they are doing everything they can to stay on top of their game. You can apply some of this determination to improve your results.

Menno Gazendam is author of Spin Bowling Project. Get your free 8 week spin bowling course here.

Why is Ajantha Mendis one of only 3 international bowlers to ever use the Iverson style grip?

And why is Graham Swann the only international off spinner to grip the ball using the lower knuckle on the middle finger to impart spin?

Because it's just not comfortable bowling with those grips.

Are you a dreamer or a doer?

The dreamer thinks big. He may be years away, but he sees himself playing for India. He is desperate to pull on the jersey and feel the adulation of the crowd when he makes his first international hundred. It is his passion.

The doer is more granular. He thinks about the simple processes of playing cricket. He focuses on technique and tactical nous. He is thinking about the next physical action.

Neither of these approaches are wrong, but the both also miss a step if they are serious about planning for an international debut.

The last show of the series and the year sees 11 tips for 2013 from all corners of the world.

But we also time to find out about Mark Garaway's tour to Dubai, Burners' plan for Christmas and how England beat India at home. Here is the article on playing spin that Garas mentioned.

The 2012 India vs England Test series was a resounding success for the visitors.

After India won the 1st rubber by a convincing margin, Andy Flower asked for his team to be judged on the whole series. Many questioned his faith, yet Andy could see that the ingredients were beginning to come together. This is how they did it: