miCoach | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

Innovation or waste of money: How useful is special training equipment for cricket?

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Attend any top level cricket match or coaching session these days and you will see all kinds of multi coloured training aids on show.

A brief search online provides even more options for the budding cricketer to improve their game. Some, fankly, are more believable than others. Marketers know we are desperate to get better and want something to help us. If they can convince us something works so we buy it their job is done.

Can you improve your cricket fitness in 15 minutes?

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Everyone is busy these days. It's tough enough to find enough time to play cricket, let alone train.

But you already know how important it is to be fit for cricket.

How can you do it all?

One simple solution might be to cut back how long your workouts last. If you can get a full workout in a few minutes why bother going into the gym for an hour?

Some miCoach housekeeping

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I want to take a break from new articles for a moment to give you a general update on how everything is going since miCoach was born.

How to stop cliques forming in your cricket club and build unstoppable team spirit (part 2)

In part one we found out the building blocks of trust. Today we tackle the difficult people who want to break it all down again.

Most club cricketers play for the fun and camaraderie they game brings, at least in part.

How to stop cliques forming in your cricket club and build unstoppable team spirit (part 1)

Studies have shown that footballers pass the ball to their friends more than less liked team members. Even if the latter player is in a better position. The real shock is that this can still happen at professional level.

The conclusion? Cliques are not good if you want a successful team.

Practice makes perfect – but what happens when things are less than perfect?

Most athletes arrive at a coaching session enthusiastic and ready to have a good, strong, focused and intense training session.

Sometimes it doesn't work out like that.

Nets are double booked, our training partners are running late or can't get there at all. Maybe the coach is sick. So many little things can and do go wrong all the time.

Experts agree: exercise doesn't work for cricket

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In the last few days, three giants in their fields all made statements about the role of exercise that put together couldn't be ignored.

First, batting great Geoff Boycott found himself agreeing that training in the gym is too disconnected from playing cricket to be effective.

Fielding Drills: Catcher in the middle

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Purpose: To practice flat catches and backing up at various distances

Description: Players line up as per the diagram in groups of three. The coach (c) hits the ball out to the nearest catcher. If the ball goes wide of the catcher the backup catchers must catch or stop the ball. Rotate players every third catch.

Variation: The nearest catcher can simulate bowling before the ball is hit back to them to recreate caught and bowled practice. High catches can also be added for variety.

4 Ways to practice when your club doesn't do nets

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How are you supposed to improve your game when your club has no practice sessions? 

There are many club sides that do nothing but have a good game followed by a couple of pints afterwards. It's more common in English village cricket teams who have no pretentions to league success. 

How 'perfect day planning' can help your cricket (part 2)

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In part one, we found out why planning the perfect day is so important. Today we discuss how to make it a reality.

When you have your perfect day on paper, what happens next?

You need to find out what the practical steps are to making your dreams a reality, and there is a simple process to doing this.