The new ODI laws will continue to encourage players and coaches to develop new methods and shots to optimise scoring possibilities in the outer areas of the cricket field.

When the changes come into to your level, you're going to have worked on them already.

Here are some of the boundary fielding options for seamers and the options available to batters:

In my first ever article I wrote about my early coaching influences which started at Ventnor Cricket Club on the Isle of Wight.

On Christmas Day I heard the news that one of those mentors from VCC had sadly passed away earlier that morning.

Malcolm Sketchley was one of my heroes.

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?

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:

In the world of analysts, TV replays, team meetings and data mining it is easy to forget the value of instinctive tactical thinking.

As an analyst in a previous life, it was my job to come up with the plans for our bowling attack that maximises the impact against any given batsmen or batting line up.

We check fast bowling actions, wrist positions and are fastidious with their strength and conditioning.

Yet do we check their shoes?

Many of the leading Cricket nations now use "Talent Testing" for 13 and upwards as a part of their talent identification process. I want to show you how to use some of these tests in your coaching.

Here is the first of the talent test drills that you can use to test players and then provide feedback that improves performance. What's not to love?

A few weeks ago I was asked to do a session with a top class player who had lost his 'mojo' against spin.

When I asked him to tell me about his plans for our time together he said,

"I don't want to feel shotless when the ball spins, don't want to feel as if I am going to nick it to slip or short leg and I don't want to be stuck in the crease".

Slower balls and speed variations are important now more than ever where pitches are so flat that conventional swing bowling has a limited window of impact.

Here are 3 variations, as demonstrated by bowlers who have become masters of the slower ball.

Every day you have people around you whom you could extract some learning that impacts upon your performance as a coach or a leader.

Every day I learn from top-class teachers and coaches. I challenge myself to ask lots of questions and make lots of visits to the different sporting and non-sporting environments where these coaches/teachers operate.