miCoach | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

One fast, simple way to improve your cricket stamina

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Everyone who has played cricket has felt that 'heavy leg' feeling.

You want to keep going, but the body just doesn't give you the same after a long innings, bowling spell or session in the field.

While no one can stave off the feeling forever, there is a really simple way to get more stamina.

Are you sure skipper? Proof batting first isn't what it's cracked up to be

Batting first gives you control. It's the attacking way and its how cricket 'should be played'.

At least that's what the senior pros at my club and TV commentators say.

Except that you are also much more likely to lose.

At least, that's according to Economics Professor V. Bhaskar who studied the results of every daytime One Day International match and concluded that teams who win the toss and bat only win 44% of matches.

Cricket Show 87: Attack or defend?

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PitchVision Academy - PitchVision Academy Show 087.mp3
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PitchVision Academy Cricket Show

David plays another 1st XI match and is surprised by the tactics that seem to be employed at a higher level. Find out why in this week's show.

Plus we talk about the NatWest Pro Bowling game and answer your questions. This week questions include:

Laws of cricket: Run out with an elbow?

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.

Why are bowlers not getting faster?

Fast bowling is the only area in sport that is not getting better.
 
Usain Bold smashed the world 100m record and while waving and almost moonwalking across the line. Marathon runners are closing in on a sub-two hour mark. 
 
We are faster, higher and stronger.
 
But where are the truly fast bowlers?
 
Despite obvious improvements in batting and fielding, fast bowling lags behind.

No regrets: How attacking captaincy breeds confident cricket

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Someone once said the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.

That's certainly true when it comes to captaincy, as Mike Brearley told PitchVision Academy when he noticed a mistake the Bangladesh captain would go on to regret.

Up the anti: Why you need to forget core training for cricket

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Core training is dead.

Ask any power lifter. They don't bother training the core.

Why would you when squatting and deadlifting movements give you abs like iron anyway?

And cricketers can learn from this idea.

The fact is that lower back injuries in cricket happen because the spine is moving too much. The fast bowler with a mixed action has a lot of rotation at the spine and over time this leads to pain and stress fractures.

Cricket Show 86: Notes from the first team

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PitchVision Academy - PitchVision Academy Show 086.mp3
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PitchVision Academy Cricket Show

David talks about his experiences moving up a level last week while Kevin looks on in awe (at least we think that face is awe). Listen to the show to find out how things went in the first team.

Plus we answer your questions based around fitness issues this week, including:

How to bat in the middle order

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Is there really much difference in batting approach between number 4 and number 7?

There certainly is, and if you get the wrong person in the wrong place in the order it will end up costing you games.

For example, at my own club the 1st XI has a strong batting line-up with players capable of scoring runs quickly right down the order to number 9.

Test your field settings knowledge with this quick quiz

Every schoolboy cricketer worth his salt makes sure he learns the names of all the fielding positions with a torch under the covers after lights out.

But just like the alphabet, knowing the letters is only the start. If you want to be able to write you have to know how to use the letters to make words and sentences and paragraphs.

In the same way, if you want to know field settings you have to know when to use positions. Field settings are the