This guest post is by Darren Talbot.

I had a very interesting conversation this week with Chris Hanson who runs a thriving junior section for East Molesey Cricket Club down by the River Thames in Surrey next door to Hampton Court Palace. A former club of mine, we got chatting about the success of their colts set up.

Matthew Hoggard is famous for saying bowling is about running in and wanging it down.

That's nothing but bluff from the Hogster as he knows good bowling at any level requires a constant battle of wits with the batsman.

In close situations it is often the player who reads the game best and thinks the most quickly who wins out.

Here is how you can do the same when wanging that ball.

There is a balance between suggested methods, orthodox and well tried, and the priceless experience of the Masters who know that good cricketers should be able to find their own strengths - Viv Richards

If you ever saw Sir Issac Vivian Alexander Richards bat, you already know what the great man means by that quote from the MCC Masterclass book: Batting to him is about natural expression, not the copybook.

He is right of course. Your own batting is directly related to your attitude.

Yesterday we talked about how you can add bodyweight training to give yourself a boost on the cricket pitch.

Today you can extend that to a 4 week programme. You can get the free Harrowdrive 4 week Bodyweight Turbulence Training Plan by clicking here.

There are a lot of different ways to prepare your body for playing cricket and preventing injury. One of the best is your own bodyweight.

I must admit I'm a weight training kind of guy: It's the fastest and best way to improve your strength and with it your cricket performance. There are a number of reasons you might not be willing or able to head for the gym though. You might be under 18, feel a bit embarrassed about it or not have a lot of time to spare.

No links of interest this week (you can send any you find to me on links@harrowdrive.com by the way) so a question instead.

Cricket writer and commentator Christopher Martin-Jenkins reckons cricket would be a lot better off if batsmen walked when they think they are out. Do you agree?

"The life of the umpires at every level of the game would be immeasurably easier, if it were to become once more the inviolable custom of every cricketer to walk to the pavilion the moment that he knows beyond doubt that he is out.

The faster you can change direction, the better a player you will be. Running between the wickets, catching and chasing all become easier the more agile you are.

How do you gain that extra gear?

Agility training is actually simpler than you may think. The key to it is to make sure you make time to build agility training into your fitness plan. It's not enough to simply do fielding drills that involve a lot of running. That is a key element but there is more you need to do.

There is a critical balance of authority between captains and their bowlers. Good skippers know how to manage this and get the best from their wicket takers.

Generally the captain has authority over the bowler when it comes to tactical decisions on the field. Often this can get a lot more complex. Senior bowlers like to set their own fields or take the new ball, especially with junior captains. Captains are trying to look at the bigger picture and may often disagree with tactics the bowler wants.

Injury and overuse of the the group of muscles and tendons around the shoulder (Rotator Cuff) is among the most common in cricket. Prevention is a simple matter of understanding.

A healthy, strong Rotator Cuff functions extremely well but as we get older the muscle and tendon tissue around this area lose some elasticity and can become damaged through repetitive use, which can cause pain and inhibit movement. Over time, the tendons wear thin and a rotator cuff tear can develop.

The summer change has been made and harrowdrive.com is back with a brand new look. If you are reading this in an email or RSS reader click here to take a look at the spiffing new site.

All the archives are still available for you to go through at you leisure.

I would love to get your views on the new look so please leave a comment in the box below.