These are "Blenheim" bats, you probably won't have ever heard of them before as they started up at the beginning of this year in April 2011. They are very high quality and are made in Cambridge. I have the "Cambridge", they are very nice bats and have a very nice pick-up and a large sweet spot. If you buy the "Pink", £15 of each bat that is sold if its kind will go to the charity "Cancer Research". I will soon put some pictures of them onto the site soon so that you can see what they are like. The company is named after Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and it is run by a friend of mine called Gus Kennedy and a few of his Cambridge University friends. They will soon be releasing a pads and gloves range later this year, hopefully around late June to early July.

Option and Execution

Have you ever got out to be greeted with the question ‘What on earth were you doing playing that shot?’ If so, then this bit of advice will be a Godsend for you.
Some of the time you bat, the ball bowled to you will dictate the kind of stroke you need to play but for the majority of your innings, you will have choices available to you as to the shots you play. These I will call your OPTIONS.
EXECUTION is the manner in which your carry out the stroke – leaning forward, keeping your head still, getting your foot to the pitch etc. This is purely technical stuff.
The essential part here is to realise that the OPTION YOU TAKE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE EXECUTION OF THE STROKE. Here’s an example. In the 24th over, the opposition bring an off spinner on who lands the ball consistently in the same area. He keeps the field up and you sense that your team needs to move the scoring rate forward a bit whilst knowing that you are good at using your feet. You decide to take the option of coming down the wicket to hit him over the top. Regardless of whether the ball flies into the sightscreen or is drilled straight to mid off, your decision making process cannot be faulted and you should not be criticised if it fails to come off – we’re all human after all and even the best players make mistakes of execution.
Another example would be this. A few overs later, you’ve moved the scoring rate to a healthy 6 runs an over which is more than adequate for the game situation. The fielding captain brings on an occasional leg spinner to bowl round the wicket into the rough with men scattered all round the boundary. He is incredibly inconsistent landing balls all over the place but spinning it hugely, particularly with his standard leg break. Despite the amount of easy runs on offer, you decide to take the option of coming down the wicket to hit him for 6 over deep midwicket and end up being stumped by 3 yards.
Even if you’d executed the stroke perfectly was this a good option? Did you need to do it? Here you should quite rightly be criticised for poor batting and throwing away your wicket without thinking about your innings. Learn to choose good options when you bat based on the situation you find yourself in. There are a number of different scenarios to think through – often when you’re facing spin and find yourself tied down – when choosing good options:

What does the situation of the game require?
Do I need to take a calculated risk to get my innings going?
What possible stroke options are available to me?
Which of them do I play well?

Other factors might be more specific:

Is the keeper standing up or back?
How big a boundary is it?
Have we got the required rate from this over?
How many overs has their best bowler got left before we can find easier pickings from the change bowlers?
What players do we have to come in the batting order? If they’re big hitters perhaps we can launch an assault in the last 5 overs to make the target.

There are many factors to evaluate when managing your innings but make no mistake the best players in the world put a great deal of mental effort into deciding how they’re going to play and what options they choose when they bat – watch Shivnarine Chanderpaul or Kevin Pietersen for a session and you’ll see what I mean.
Talking of KP, some people might criticise him for getting out playing the reverse sweep/switch hit. Why? He plays it better then anyone in the world and against bowlers packing the leg side field with no one behind square on the off side he is assured of at least 4 runs if he makes good contact. Answer the 2 following questions. Does Pietersen play the switch hit well? Absolutely – he’s the best in the world at it. Does he practice the stroke making it more likely he’ll execute it well? You bet he does, hour upon hour in the nets until he plays it as well as he possibly can.
Technical improvements can always be made in your batting through repetition and practice but if you can learn to compile your innings choosing the right options both in the strokes you play and the situation in the match that you play them, you’ll be a far more successful batsman.

Being Positive When Batting

Cricket wise, the most important thing I've always believed is to get your mind right: relaxed yet alert, focused but also calm. Have a gameplan but be prepared to adjust to the conditions and the quality of bowlers. Play vertical bat early on with a narrow V (tight between Mid off and mid on) off front and back foot then you can expand your V as you get yourself in.
One crucial thing - be positive in the way you play. Let me explain that as too many people misunderstand it:

Being positive is not playing loads of shots as that can be reckless and inappropriate.
Being positive is being 100% committed to the manner in which you are playing and the strokes you choose to play.

If you decide to take the short ball on, every 1% of doubt you have thinking "this might get me out or I might not clear the fielder etc." is 1% of your energy and commitment that you remove from the stroke. The same goes for a time when you're battling it out at the start of your innings and the ball is zipping around and beating the bat. If you start to think "this is difficult, I'm not sure I can stay in" or you worry about the sledges of the fielders when you play and miss, you're wasting mental energy, of which you only have a finite amount.
Be committed to what you're doing by saying "I do not give a toss if I play and miss. I'm going to play straight, leave the wide ones and hit any bad ball bowled to me for four. I will not doubt myself for a second."
Examples of players with complete conviction? Adam Gilchrist, Kevin Pietersen, Ricky Ponting and Shiv Chanderpaul. Do you see themselves doubting themselves for a moment? No way.
Back yourself – no one else can do it for you.

How To Approach Your Batting

Batsmen often look for technical changes if they are out of form or not achieving the consistent scores that they feel they can when in fact the real key to being a successful batter is your mental approach.
The key factor in being a successful batsman is knowing what you are trying to do when you walk to the wicket.This may come through experience but the sooner you as a player work out what it is you're looking to do when you bat, the sooner you will realise your potential. Underneath are a number of possible approaches to batting with an example of a famous player who typifies that style.
1. Looking To Attack
Defending only when the ball requires you to do so. Attack is the first option and your intent is to dominate the bowler.
Example – Kevin Pietersen
2. The Accumulator
Looking to bat time and collect runs as they come along. This requires patience and concentration.
Example – Alastair Cook
3. Ones And Twos
The batsmen goes out looking to run quick singles and turning ones into twos through aggressive running between the wickets, particularly at the start of his innings.
Example – Michael Bevan
4. You're not getting me out
Batting with the intention that the bowler will get you out 'over your dead body.'
Example – Rahul Dravid
5. Shot Gameplan
A pre-arranged plan for how you intend to score runs on a particular wicket or against certain bowlers such as looking to play off the back foot on wet wickets or use your feet to a spinner.
Example – Brian Lara
6. Just Bat
Simply focus on the ball and let your natural reactions and batting brain do the rest. (Works well if you are in good touch).
Example – Sachin Tendulkar
7. Looking For A Certain Type Of Bad Ball
Batter decides he is looking to score off a particular type of delivery be it short ball, half volley or leg side etc.
Example – Ricky Ponting (Pull) Paul Collingwood (Leg stump)
8. Be There At The End To Cash In
The batter decides he'll score what runs he can before upping the tempo at the end of the innings when he's seeing the ball big and the bowlers are tiring.
Example – Mike Hussey
This list is not exhaustive and there are many occasions when players combine different approaches with great success. What all the great players will do however, is engage in self-talk and concentration cues to help them get through the difficult stages of their innings (especially the beginning). Here is list of possible pre-delivery thoughts and other ideas to assist your concentration.
Pre- Delivery Thoughts/Self-Talk

Watch the ball
C'mon
Play Straight
Wait for the ball, don't lunge
Let the ball come
Relax and focus
Stand tall
Keep your head still
Line it up
This ball is not getting me out

Concentration cues
Verbal:

Focus, switch on

Visual:

Focus on a specific spot on the ground, stare at a space and let your mind clear

Physical:

Wipe your hand on your shirt
Relaxed and deep breathing
Adjust your box or gloves
Re-mark your guard
Do some 'gardening'
Go for a walk between deliveries
Twiddle your bat
Hum or whistle a tune

Get nervous before you bat?

Most players experience nerves before they go out to bat - they just need to be controlled. The following steps will help you keep your nerves in check and use them positively when you play.

First things first - go for a jog or have a practice hit before the game starts, either will make you feel more ready to perform. If you know you're going to be batting, have a gameplan - an idea of how you're going to play but don't play your innings before you go out to bat.

If you're next in, watch the game but not TOO closely - just because the batter in is playing and missing it doesn't mean that you will. If there's a fast bowler on, see if you can sit behind him, the ball always seems much quicker sideways on.

Nerves are greatest at the start of your innings so keep things nice and simple. Be prepared to play yourself in and get used to the conditions and remember that you'll feel a lot better having got off the mark, so look for a single as your first objective.

Finally, always visualise succeeding. Remember past performances when you have played well - you've done it before so you can do it again. Good luck!

Batting - Improving Your Technique

The key to technical improvement is REPETITION. Good quality repetition of the right habits is crucial to developing any skill in life and cricket is no different. When looking to improve a particular stroke - for example the straight drive - the best method is to build from a simple base until you attempt the more complex aspect of the shot.

Such a philosophy would see the following method for developing the straight drive:

Hit a stationary ball placed on a batting tee or plastic cup. Repeat 50 times.
Now move to hitting a drop feed - a ball dropped from next to you into the ideal position for the stroke. Repeat 50 times.
Now move to hitting a ball thrown underarm at you from a distance of 10 - 15 metres. Tennis balls are excellent for this as they can bounce twice and still be at the ideal height to drive which is a very good way for children to learn. Bowling machine balls are also very good for this drill. Repeat 50 times.
Now graduate to hitting balls thrown overarm which brings in the need to judge the line and length of the ball from a higher release position. Repeat 50 times.
Lastly, you can have a proper net session with bowlers releasing the ball from 22 yards. When a the straight half volley or full toss presents itself, check to see if you're still doing the right things.

This method uses common sense progression and is far better than just heading into a net against a bowler. If done properly, this technique should take you no more than 20 minutes so long as you have a healthy supply of balls and a net or wall to hit into.

Good technique is desirable but don't disappear into a world of constant self-analysis and fault finding which I see far too often with players. The ball is there to be hit and the intent and conviction you put into the stroke are just as important as the technical merit of the shot.

To help you play the straight drive, or any drive for that matter, try thinking about the following simple phrases which will help you hit the ball better:

Watch the ball onto the bat
Let the ball come
Hit it under your eyes (particularly the on drive)
Let your hands go through the ball
One simple movement - hit the ball from a solid base
Lean into the stroke and let your weight go into the hit

One more thing... Don't just practice the check drive. Look to master the full follow though (where the bat finishes over your shoulder) which is just as important a stroke, even more so when hitting through the off side.

Playing The Pull Shot

One of the most important strokes in establishing dominance over bowlers is the pull shot. Whether a batsman is looking to counter attack against a seamer or disrupt a spinner by hitting him off his length, the pull stroke is a vital weapon in a batsman's armoury.

Realistically, there are 2 ways to play the pull depending on the type of bowler:

Pulling quick bowlers:

Key points

Take the hands high in the backswing allowing you to hit from high to low

Move your back foot outside off stump onto the ball of your foot

Watch the ball like a hawk

Extend the hands out and strike the ball with a horizontal sweep of the bat (the key is to fully extend the arm of your bottom hand - the pull is a bottom hand stroke)

Pivot on the ball of your backfoot and hit the ball at arms length for maximum power

Pulling spinners (variations to pulling quick bowlers) :

Take the hands high in the backswing

Move your backfoot outside off stump and square your feet up so your are as fully chest on as possible to the bowler (chest on with a wide base is the ideal position)

With your weight loaded up on the back foot, hit from high to low as your weight moves onto the front foot

With both shots, it's important to be able to hit the ball down which can only come from a high backswing allowing you to hit down on the ball. The alternative, which so many batsmen do in the nets, is to hit a great looking aerial shot in the region of deep square leg forgetting that there's often a fielder there who will gleefully accept the catch offered.

For a visual aid, check the photos above for the ideal positions for both the pivot pull and pulling spinners.

Batting When You're Out of Form

Being out of form with the bat is an experience that all cricketers go through whether they are test players or club amateurs. With each low score that comes, the batsman disappears into a world of self-analysis and negativity which creates a vicious circle of lack of confidence leading to even more low scores.

It's important to realise that just as it's easy to have a bad run of form, it's just as simple to get back into something like reasonable nick. Here are some tips to help you do it.

Most bad trots come from mental rather than technical issues. You have the same eyes, same legs, same body all round so how you're thinking must be playing a part. Remove negative thoughts and steel yourself to get runs the next time you play. You've scored runs before, you can score them again.

Time in the Middle – A run of low scores usually indicates you've spent a short time batting out on the pitch. For your next innings, make a conscious effort to relax and bat some time to help re-learn some of the good batting habits you used to do. If it means you're a bit slow so be it. Andrew Strauss's 177 against New Zealand in the winter is a prime example of a player batting conservatively but for a long time to get back in form.

Not Playing Well? Accept that fact and bat accordingly. If you've had a run of low scores you won't feel that confident so it's essential to play in a simple, lower risk manner. Watch the ball as closely as you can and look to play the ball in a narrow 'V' between mid-off and mid-on with a vertical bat. Leave the higher risk horizontal bat shots like the pull and cut until you're 'in' or feeling back in better nick.

Run some singles – Bad form leads to lack of scoring and tension at the crease. Don't just look for boundaries to get you out of the slump. Quick singles are an excellent way of creating momentum and are absolutely priceless at the start of your innings so actively look for them and let your partner know you're ready to run.

Practice – The mental side of a bad run can be challenging so take positive action to get your game back on track. A good net session will do you a lot of good and some throwdowns during the week will help you feel that the bat is sitting better in your hands. You may have developed a technical fault which could be magnified by a lack of form so ask a team mate or coach to have a look at you when you're batting.

As a guide, I think there are 4 very common faults that can creep into a player's batting which you might find yourself doing:

Not Watching The Ball – Singly the most common problem in batting and one that's often overlooked. All the information you need to play the correct stroke is in the ball delivered so ask yourself 'Am I really watching the ball all the way from the bowler's hand onto the blade of the bat?' If not, you're asking for trouble.

Head Falling Over To The Offside – So many batsmen do this because the weight of their head causes them to fall over their toes. Ensure that at the point of release, your head is in the same position as your stance and not falling over outside off stump. I use a simple technique to help with this based on stance – Head/Hands/Feet – make sure that in your stance, your head is above your hands which are above your feet. Jacques Kallis & Sachin Tendulkar are great examples of this.

Planting – Most batsmen have a pre-delivery movement but if you're planting your front foot down the wicket, particularly if you've planted it over to the offside, it can cause all sorts of problems. Planting to the offside will cause you to play around your front leg because your head and body position will tell you the ball is heading down leg when in fact it's hitting off stump. If you feel the need to move your front foot, move it in a controlled manner straight down rather than across your wicket.

Backing Away – This is particularly prevalent against faster bowlers and is something most batsmen don't know they're doing. As the bowler releases, the batters back leg slides away to square leg taking the body away from the line of the ball. The result is a greater chance of getting an outside edge to the keeper or slip. The backfoot should never go away to square leg during release. Instead, it should stay still or move back and/or across keeping you in line with the stumps and ensuring you can 'line the ball up' which is essential against fast bowlers.

Even if you're in terrible form, you will start to score runs again one day so the question is how can you assist that happening sooner rather than later. You may require a little break from the game to clear your head of distractions but if that's not the case, keeping your game simple, playing straight, batting for as long as you can whilst being positive and running singles is definitely your best option.

Bowling - Looking After Your Back
A sore back can be a common problem for cricketers, particularly if you're a young seam bowler. Bowling fast or even medium pace is a very dynamic activity, and even the best professionals in the world such as Glenn McGrath and Andrew Flintoff suffer from back soreness from time to time.
For young and developing seam bowlers, looking after your body - especially your back - is the number 1 priority, more important than whether you can swing the ball or bowl a good line and length. Though bowling quick can be hard work on the body, there are a number of steps you can take to minimise your chances of picking up a back injury.
1. Good Bowling Technique - It's vital to reduce the twist in your spine that occurs when you bowl a delivery. Ideally, you should have the hips and shoulders in line when you land after jumping into your bowling position. If you haven't, the chances are you may have a mixed action and this is likely to cause problems. Seek the advice of a good coach and get your action videoed to see what changes you may have to make to your bowling action.
2. Don't Bowl Too Much - For young quickies whose bodies are developing, particularly during the growth spurt years 12-16, bowling places a lot of stress on the body. If you're a good young bowler, you might find yourself practising with your school, club side, county, representative XI etc. all in the same week. This can be especially tough on your body if the training is taking place indoors, where the hard surfaces have very little give, meaning all the force generated when your feet make contact with the floor goes straight back into your legs and back. Adopt a sensible approach to how much bowling you do, particularly if you're practising indoors.
3. Get Fit - Fast bowling is a very dynamic activity and as such places great strain on your body, particularly in the 'core' region of your back and stomach. Try to develop a good base of aerobic fitness by running, swimming, cycling, rowing etc. whilst strengthening the vital muscles around your body's core. Ask your sports teacher or coach for advice on how to improve your core stability - there are lots of simple exercises that will really help you prepare your body for the rigours of fast bowling.
4. Good Equipment - So often young bowlers turn up for a practice session wearing a pair of fashion trainers, thin socks and a flimsy t-shirt. Footwear is the most important item of clothing in a fast bowlers kitbag, whether you're training indoors or playing in a match. During the off-season, use a strong pair of fairly new running or cross trainers. If you can, rotate the shoes you bowl in indoors to prevent wearing out a particular part of them. For bowling in outdoor matches, buy a good pair of bowling shoes or boots.
Get some good, thick cricket socks and wear them every time you bowl. In addition, it's a good idea to buy some absorption inners to put in your trainers. These are excellent at reducing the amount of force returning into your body when your feet land. Have a spare t-shirt handy if your original one gets wet with sweat, and try to wear a sleeveless sweater when you bowl. Both will help you keep your back warm.
5. Warm up, Stretch, Cool Down - It's very easy to arrive at a training session eager to start bowling straight away. If you do this, you'll be bowling without having prepared your body for the activity ahead. Just 5 minutes of warming up can reduce the chances of you picking up an injury. Go for a light jog or do some shuttles, making sure you're mobilising parts of your body needed for bowling such as your shoulders and legs. Then, do some core stretching, loosening your back and stomach. These exercises are best done on the floor - ask your teacher or coach for some advice here.
All of the above are commonsense ideas that are easy to implement. Remember, it's no use being a fantastic fast bowler in your teens if by the time your reach 20, you've injured yourself to the extent that you can't bowl any more. Follow these guidelines and you can be a great bowler for the rest of your cricket career.

Practical On-the-day Solutions to Bowling Poorly
Checklist
Here are a range of measures or ideas that can help you if you’re not bowling as well as you are capable of. There will be times when for whatever reason it just isn’t happening for you but on most occasions, you can try things which may help improve your bowling performance:
Change ends

Run up faster

Run up slower

Change grip

Focus on line and length

Specific technical focus ie: more front arm, standing taller, looking where you’re bowling

Vary angle of run up

Bowl round wicket

Bowl to more defensive field

Break time bowl-downs

Are you trying to do too much with the ball?

This list is not exhaustive but provides some food for thought in trying to bowl better and there’s certainly no harm in giving one or more ideas a try.

Catching Practice
Practising your catching is a fantastic way of improving your hand/eye co-ordination and will help improve the rest of your game.
Try throwing a tennis ball against a wall from varying distances. If you can catch it easily with both hands, see if you can repeat the success using one hand only. Catching as little as 50 balls will make a real difference to this vital skill.
Catching is a one handed game
Catching is one of the most fundamental skills in cricket. There is an old adage that if your catching is good, your batting is good and there is definite merit in such a philosophy since both batting and catching involve movement of the hands towards a ball travelling towards you.
Cricketers are rightly encouraged to catch with both hands as it gives a greater chance of creating a large catching area. However, it’s vital to understand that although you catch a ball with two hands, it actually settles in one. Try it now – and you should find that the ball, although surrounded by both hands, actually sits very firmly in one hand whilst the other acts as a support.
Therefore it’s essential to make sure your dominant hand does the work as it will be the stronger of the two. For most people, their dominant hand will be the right just as most cricketers throw right handed. To ensure you catch correctly, make sure the little finger of your dominant hand overlaps the little finger of your non-dominant – you can do this simply by throwing a ball into the air and catching it with the emphasis that the dominant hand little finger is on top whilst the non-dominant is underneath.
For correct hand technique when catching, learning to catch one handed is an excellent idea and throwing a tennis ball against a wall is a very sound method of practising this. Throw 50 balls against a wall catching only with your right hand then do the same with your left – the position of your hand when catching one handed should be with the fingers pointing to the sky and the hand out in front of you, exactly as a baseball catcher would do.

How to Throw
Throwing is a vital part of a cricketer’s armoury and one that is often neglected. Good technique is essential and with it you’ll be able to throw with accuracy and power regardless of your athletic ability. Here’s some tips plus accompanying photos on how to perfect your throwing style:
Gathering the ball – Throwing is best done sideways so the ideal is to collect the ball with your body in a low, sideways position allowing you to release the ball quickly with your feet already set in a good position. The wider your feet, the lower you are to the ground and the better placed you’ll be to pick the ball up cleanly. (See Gathering the ball 1 and 2 photos).

Grip – Cricket balls will swing if thrown with the seam up and this can affect your accuracy. Hold the ball cross seam with the top of your fingers just over the seam and touching the leather. This will enable you to throw the ball straighter whilst imparting backswing which keeps the ball in flight longer. (See Throwing Grip photo)

Stand sideways – After collecting the ball align your feet sideways to your target. This will allow you to use your body and hips in the throw and not just rely on your shoulder. Point your front elbow at your target. (See Sideways front elbow photo)

Backswing – As you prepare to throw, swing your throwing arm backwards with the ball pointing away from you. This will give you greater leverage to really swing your arm through the throw and generate greater power. (See Throwing Backswing photo)

Use your arms – Point your front arm at your target then pull through using your body to create a strong rotation of the hips and shoulders. As you do so, transfer your weight from your backfoot over your front foot. (See Use of Arms photo)

Follow through – As you throw the ball, your weight should drive over the front leg and your arms sweep behind you as your back leg finishes in front of you. If you’ve done that, you’ll know you’ve utilised all your body in the throw. (See Throwing Follow Through photo)

Practice and repetiton are the keys to developing a good throwing technique. Against a wall, with a partner or to a wicket keeper or baseball mitt man are some training methods you might use.
For added quality, throw flat and hard to the keeper – don’t worry he or she will have gloves on and aim for the ball to reach the keeper at head height, there’s nothing worse than trying to collect a ball arriving around your shins. For ideal role models, try copying Paul Collingwood, James Anderson or Andrew Symonds.

How To Become A Better Cricketer
A simple 10 point checklist showing common sense ways to improve that any young or aspiring cricketer would do well to follow.
Talk to experienced players - So many young players leave as soon as a game finishes. Instead, make a beeline for the older players at the bar and listen to what they have to say about the game - you'll hear a wealth of knowledge and sound advice all for free.

Individual tuition - Get some high-quality individual coaching where there's nobody for the coach to worry about apart from you.

Play as much as you can - All the nets in the world won't prepare you for the reality of a match situation. Learn how to play cricket by playing in matches - you'll find out a lot about yourself as well as making mistakes that will teach you valuable lessons.

Practice as you play - Take your practice sessions seriously and make them as close to a real game as you can. Be strict on your no-balling at nets and during fielding practice, attack the ball as if your life depends on it.

Work by yourself - You don't need anyone else to practice certain cricketing skills.
Bowl sets of 6 balls in a net by yourself or work on picking up balls and throwing down the stumps.
Learn from the best players at your club - The best cricketer in your club or school 1st XI will likely be a good role model for you. If you have a first class player or top batsman at your club, watch how he goes about his net sessions.

Don't let fitness hold you back - Regardless of your ability to bat or bowl well, every player has it within themselves to be physically fit. Keep working at your fitness - it's far easier to become a good cricketer if you're an athlete than the other way round.

Work out what you do well - Trial and error will tell you what your cricketing strengths are. Once you've worked out what you do well, stick to it and improve your weaknesses so they don't cause you as many problems.

Practice & repeat - The more you do something the better you become. When you're learning new skills such as bowling an outswinger or playing the straight drive, you'll only get better by doing it. Mistakes are part and parcel of the learning curve.

Watch the professionals on tv- Spend a day watching the best players in the world go about their business. You'll pick up a host of good habits and technical help.

Improving Your Mental Toughness
It's often said that cricket is all in the mind; indeed most experienced players will tell you that 90% of the game is in your head. Yet as cricketers, we spend the vast majority of our time practising technique when we should be working at mental toughness - conditioning the mind to deal with the situations we are likely to face.
I've listed some training methods that will help improve your mental strength based upon the sort of game scenario you might come across. Your aim should be to replicate match conditions as much as possible, to practice as you play. The British Army have a philosophy which sportsmen would do well to follow "Train hard - fight easy." It's good advice...
Creating pressure to replicate match situations
Most of the routines listed involve the presence of pressure. Pressure is the single biggest factor in failing to achieve a cricketing objective - not technique. Imagine being asked to catch a ball in fielding practice, a task you fulfil with no dramas. Then, the coach asks you to catch the same ball but tells you that if you drop it, he will drop you from the team for the rest of the season. The technical aspect of the catch is no different but the outcome certainly is.
Without resorting to such drastic measures, there are incentives/pressures you can introduce yourself to help you increase your mental toughness. Here are some examples: Physical training - 1 lap of the ground for every catch you drop. Financial - You decide to give £1 to charity for every wide you bowl during a channel bowling drill. Treats - Every time you get out in the nets, you offer to buy the successful bowler a beer. Be careful here... if he's any good he could spend the whole season intoxicated.
Mental training: Batting
Nets - when you're out, you're out. The easiest thing in the world is to go in and look a million dollars in the nets in the knowledge that you'll have your 20 minutes of batting regardless of how many times you're dismissed. Be hard on yourself. Tell the other players if you are out in the nets to a genuine dismissal, you'll be coming out it - will definitely concentrate your mind.

Target setting. Set yourself a target to win the game off your own bat. If it's 32 not out, play until you achieve your target, altering the field realistically as the fielding captain would.

Playing the field. With a minimal amount of bowlers in your net, ask each of them to set you a field. This is excellent practice, particularly against spin, where you will need a clear idea of how you are going to score your runs.

Runs per over. Set yourself a scoring rate during nets in runs needed per over either in setting or chasing a target. If you fall too far behind, or get out, another batter padded up comes in and takes your place.

Mental Training: Bowling
Channel bowling to a keeper or mitt. Excellent practice away from the nets. For every wide you bowl (put out 2 cones as your channel that the ball must go through being very strict on leg-side wides), impose a penalty on yourself.

Bowl with a new ball. Ever bowled with a new ball in a match and it just didn't feel right in your hand? Or asked not to bowl with the new ball because you don't like the lacquer? If you always practice with your favourite net ball which feels lovely and comfortable when you grip it, you're making life very hard for yourself when it comes to bowling in a match and you have no choice over which ball you use. Spend Â£6 and buy yourself a new ball to bowl with - then try the channel bowling drill with penalties.

New ball for spinners. Most spinners only ever bowl with an old ball, but there are many times when a spinner is brought into the attack very early, and sometimes opens the bowling. Practice using a new ball to prepare yourself for this eventuality.

Death bowling. Bowling at the death is a challenge to most bowlers. Set a field and ask the batter to try and hit you for boundaries. Include an incentive for him for every 4 or 6 he hits.

Mental Training: Fielding & Wicketkeeping
Pressure catching. Ask your coach/teammate to hit you a range of different catches. Every one you drop is a penalty.

20 catches. You have to catch 20 balls on the trot, if you drop 1 it's back to 0.

Clean collection. Have a series of balls rolled towards you, if you fail to collect any of them cleanly, you suffer a forfeit.

10 throws. You are thrown or rolled 10 balls, all of which have to be caught or collected cleanly. All 10 of your throws must reach the keeper/mitter on the full.

Stumping chance. Keeping wicket up to the stumps, a batter faces 6 balls knowing one of them will see him leave his crease and offer a stumping opportunity. If you fluff it, fitness penalties of 1 minute non-stop press ups or sit ups.

Timed fielding. You agree with your coach a reasonable time frame to complete a fielding task, for example, retrieving and throwing a ball in from the outfield. If due to misfielding or a bad throw the task is not completed, you suffer a penalty.

There are many variations on these ideas but I hope they will allow you to train the most important part of your cricketing set up - your mind.

Dealing With Nerves & Pressure
Below are some simple ideas to help deal with your nerves when playing cricket.
It's good to have some nerves before playing - but they need to be controlled.
People you play against are just as nervous as you whether they are batters, bowlers or fielders.
In nets be hard on yourself-get used to pressure, don't slog and get out 5 times then find in your next match you need to make 20 not out to win the game with the last batter in. Prepare how you're going to play.
If waiting to bat don't play your innings before you go out there.
Watch the game but not too closely. Just because those in are playing and missing or getting out doesn't mean you will.
Try to sit behind when quicks are on they seem a lot faster sideways on.
Bowlers prepare your run up before the game starts, find out which end you are likely to bowl from.
Your nerves will be increased by drinking tea, coffee, lucozade and coke/pepsi - they all contain caffeine and will increase your heart rate.
Remember to breathe deeply, nerves can be reduced by relaxed breathing when feeling under pressure.
Your Captain says to you "You've got to win this game for us" - a potentially daunting task awaits and nerves might get to you. Instead of focusing on winning the game (the outcome), focus on what you need to do, for instance scoring 30 not out (the process).
Nerves are greatest at the start of your contribution so keep it simple. If a batter, look for a single as your 1st objective. If a bowler, look to bowl a decent length on off stump rather than an inswinging Yorker 1st ball.
If you arrive feeling nervous go for a run or warm up. You'll feel physically more ready and mentally sharper
Visualise succeeding. If necessary think of your best performances, even on a particular ground or against a particular team. Remove any negative thoughts.

What Winners Think
If you're looking for some inspiration from a range of legendary figures on what it takes to win, the following quotes will help:
'The commitment to seeing something through, to see it through right to the end, is the difference between greatness and mediocrity.
British Cyclist Jim Rees - who completed the Race Across America, cycling from San Diego to Atlantic City , a distance of just over 3000 miles in 11 days and 8 hours (31 hours better than his 2007 effort).
'Everyone has a will to win; very few have the will to prepare to win'
Dave Reddin – England Rugby Team's Fitness Coach World Cup 2003
'Know what to expect, prepare for it as much as possible and don't lose focus'
Jurgen Grobler – Coach of GB's champion rowing team
'The price of achieving greatness is responsibility'
Winston Churchill
'There are plenty of good players out there who have an abundance of talent and all the shots in the world, but at the end of the day it's the committed, focused, honest, courageous & selfless players who tend to make the grade.'
Justin Langer
'It's not necessarily the amount of time you spend at practice that counts, it's what you put into the practice.'
Anon
'Learn from the legends – watch the top players and apply tactics that work for them to your own game.'
Anon
'I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you're a musician, writer, athlete or businessman…there is no getting around it. If you do, you'll win. If you don't, you won't.'
Bruce Jenner – Olympic Decathlete
'My strongest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight till the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called inevitable defeats into victories.'
Bjorn Borg – Tennis Legend
'Resolve never to quit, never give up, no matter what the situation.'
Jack Nicklaus – Golfing Great
'Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is.'
Vince Lombardi – NFL All-Time Great Coach
'Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.'
Muhammad Ali
'Winners never quit….and quitters never win.'
Anon
'People who win don't get more opportunities, they create them.'
Anon
'Don't rely on other people to prepare you to perform, take responsibility for it yourself.'

Fitness & Conditioning
Preparing your body for cricket
Simple steps to enhancing the performance you get from your body

What foods should you eat?
The food you eat 24 hours before a game is the fuel your body's engine will run on during the game. The night before look to eat a meal rich in complex carbohydrates such as wholewheat pasta, vegetables or a baked potato. On the morning of a game eat a sizeable breakfast that will provide you with energy for the whole day such as porridge, cereal with fruit, or beans on toast. If you gulp down a McDonalds 30 minutes before a game as your main meal, you've left it too late.

Hydration
Water is second only to oxygen as the body's most important requirement.
On the morning of a game you should look to drink 1-2 pints of water 2 hours before the start. During a game, look to take regular sips of water or diluted squash throughout the day. In hot weather you can lose up to 6 pints of fluid an hour which can have serious consequences if you don't rehydrate. If you wait till you're feeling thirsty to take a drink, your body will already be dehydrated and your performance will suffer accordingly.
Remember it's vital to rehydrate after a game with plenty of water before you hit the beer. Tea, coffee, coke and most fizzy drinks are diuretics - they force water out of your body so don't rely on them to do the job.

Warming Up
By now you should be aware of the value of warming your body up before you play. A jog, some catching practice and some stretching will help:
Increase bloodflow and prepare the body for physical activity

Reduce the chances of injury

Sharpen your mental state

Recovery
For some recovery will be reaching for the paracetamol and a strong coffee after a heavy night spent celebrating a good performance the day before. However you can do an enormous amount to enhance your recovery from exercise, particularly if you have a game the next day.
As soon as the game finishes, try to drink some water and get some decent food inside you within 2 hours. If you have the courage, an ice bath can make your recovery 20 times faster than normal, preventing the 'heavy legs' that follow a hard game. Failing that, a cold bath or even splashing cold water on a particular body part will help remove the lactic acid build up that causes stiffness. A gentle jog and stretch will also help your body recover more quickly.

Cricket Fitness and Conditioning for Young Cricketers
Some ideas for young cricketers during the winter
There is an increasing amount of evidence indicating that developing better fitness levels improves cricketing performance. Many young cricketers involved with county or state sides now undergo regular fitness programmes and testing to see if they're as fit as they should be.
At the elite level, sides like Australia and England are now extremely fit utilising various fitness techniques to enhance the athletic abilities of their squads. From my own personal experience, working at my fitness has helped me play at a high level as I have got older and helped me cope with playing in the oppressively hot conditions you might sometimes experience in South Africa and Australia.
An interesting question to ask is does your fitness hold you back? Do you run out of steam when nearing a century because you haven't got the stamina or do your last few overs always go for the most runs because you've nothing left in the tank? All cricketers have experienced those feeling at times. The bottom line is this. What advantage do you gain from being unfit? You know the answer already.
Keeping things as simple as possible is important since hi-tech, complicated fitness programmes only end up confusing young cricketers. With that in mind, and with the focus on what your individual fitness needs are, here's some basic ideas. (Very important note – before undertaking any fitness programme, it's a good idea to have a check-up your doctor, particularly if you have a history of certain ailments).
Your Fitness programme should include:
Endurance

Sprint Fitness & SAQ

Muscular Strength

Flexibility

Cricket specific training

Endurance
Without setting specific days that you should be doing certain exercises, here are some activities that you should start to integrate into your training routine to improve your base level of fitness:
Jogging/Running

Cycling

Swimming

Rowing

Step/Elliptical machine workouts

If you make time to do any of these at least 3 times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes, it will raise your cardio-vascular fitness level whilst burning off calories. There will be some of the above exercises that you prefer to others and whilst advising you to have a balanced approach that doesn't rely on just one thing, it's important that you enjoy the training enough to want to do it.
Doing regular aerobic exercise (where the body is working at an increased but sustainable rate allowing the activity to be done for an extended period) will make you less likely to get out of breath and also increase your endurance. One important thing – Fitness professionals generally agree that running should feature prominently in your training because running is load bearing and gets your legs used to standing up for sustained periods much the same as cricket. Swimming, rowing etc. will not do this so make sure you do run.
Sprint/Interval/SAQ Training
Sprint/interval training is essential for building up your anaerobic fitness level. Put simply, anaerobic training can only be sustained for a limited period – 10 x 50m sprints for example – and will enable you to recover from exerting yourself more quickly. Rugby player Jonny Wilkinson would be a great example of someone who has fantastic anaerobic fitness, running and tackling on one side of the pitch before doing exactly the same 40m away. Shuttle sprinting, running or cycling uphill, sprint swimming, interval rowing etc. are all good examples of anaerobic training.
SAQ (Speed-Agility-Quickness) will help you develop more athletic movement patterns allowing you to run better and move in a more balanced way in the field. It's also a very good workout so try and do as much of it as you can whether it be hurdles, ladders, cones, evasion drills etc. There's also strong support for the idea that energetic running training builds up your leg muscles giving you a stronger base to work with and preventing injury.
Muscular Strength
The next step is to undertake regular strength training in the form of resistance workouts or weights.
If you haven't weight-trained before, please ask for advice from a qualified source either at school or your gym should you use one. You don't have to do excessively heavy weights and can even start using only your body weight alone if you'd like to get used to resistance work. Bodyweight exercises include:
Press ups

Tricep dips

Lunges

Back raises

Squats

Calf raises

Bar pull ups

Abdominal work

When doing these, concentrate on the correct technique since doing them in a rushed manner with poor form reduces the effectiveness and can cause injury.
If you are ready to start using machines or free weights, look to do a balanced routine covering 6-7 different exercises in a session lasting no more than 50 minutes. The areas of the body you should work on will include both your upper and lower body meaning you'll train the following body and muscle groups:
Chest

Back

Shoulders

Arms

Core (Abdominal, lower back and obliques)

Quadriceps (thigh muscles)

Hamstrings

Groin

Calves

Abductors

Glutes

A simple way of approaching resistance training is to do 3 'sets' of each exercise (eg: bench press) and to do 8 – 12 repetitions during each set. If you train with a partner it's useful for assistance when lifting and also for motivation. I would advocate you doing resistance work at least once a week and preferably twice, with a gap of at least 3 days to allow your body to recover. Another good idea is the push/pull split where you do push weights one session (bench press, shoulder press etc.) and pull weights the next (lat pulldowns, seated row).
Most personal trainers will tell you that good core strength and stability is the most vital area of strength training and I'm inclined to agree, especially for fast bowlers who place great strain on their core region when playing. You can do regular core exercises after any training session whether it be weights, aerobic or even a stretch and it's a really good idea to do abdominal and lower back exercises as a matter of course throughout the week.
Flexibility
Flexibility will also be crucial to your improvement as a cricketer and you should pay a lot of attention to stretching the whole of your body as regularly as you can. Before you engage in physical activity, look to do a dynamic stretch involving movement whereas at the end of sessions, it's an ideal time to do your longer flexibility work on key parts of your body holding each stretch for 15 seconds at least. Don't underestimate the importance of flexibility in allowing you to stay injury free.
Cricket Specific Training
All cricket training has some fitness benefits and the best option is to try and make your cricket training as functional as possible. Bat for a long period in a net (helping your concentration skills), bowl to one side of the wicket (improving your discipline) and do some running between the wickets practice.
Tips for making the most of your fitness training:
Seek advice – trying new fitness ideas can seem a little daunting. If you have access to a gym instructor, teacher, personal trainer or even an ex-professional player, ask them for advice and tips on how to get the most out of your training.

Eat well – junk food does your body no good whatsoever. Eat plenty of fruit, lean meats, vegetables and you'll have more energy and recover far more quickly from exercising.

Separate resistance days from cardio days to allow your body time to recover.

Drink plenty of fluid – especially water – when you're exercising.

Do another sport in the winter – not just cricket. Even if you've chosen cricket as your number 1 sport, it's essential to try other sports to gain a wider range of skills and face different athletic challenges. Contact sports such as rugby will toughen you up and help your anaerobic fitness whilst racquet sports such as badminton or squash will improve your hand eye co-ordination and balance immeasurably.

Don't bowl for a couple of months after the season's finished. Bowling is hard work on the body, particularly if you're a young, developing fast bowler. Indoor surfaces are very unforgiving so take time out to let your body recover. If you must bowl in October/November, go steady rather than all out.

If your body feels genuinely tired then rest. If you're set on doing some training, swimming is by far the best option to get a good workout whilst regenerating a tired body.

Tailor your programme around your individual requirements. If you're very strong but lack flexibility resulting in tight hamstrings, work at your flexibility. If you run out of puff running a 3, focus on interval training.

Pool Recovery Sessions
Recovery sessions were rarely incorporated into sports specific training programs, except in Eastern Block countries. Yet the benefits of structured recovery periods are well documented both in terms of improved performances and decreased injury rates. Coaches and athletes alike need to be more aware of the importance of restoration and regeneration following heavy workloads, and of how to use the options available to facilitate recovery.
Training hard for any sport is a pre-requisite for success but training smart will lead to greater success. Making time for recovery sessions whether it be de-loading training, hydrotherapy, massage, relaxation methods or just resting are vital in a program.
Water/Pool sessions are a great means of allowing the athlete to recover from competitions/training and injury. Training is not only physically tiring but also psychologically draining.
Water recovery training is an excellent method of restoration not only physically but also mentally. When an athlete is tired and muscle sore, the mention of a pool session immediately brings about positive and relaxed thoughts.
Doing a recovery session in a pool after a game and before the next practice , or even after a fitness session, has proven to be beneficial to players.
Below is a sample program:
Water has a greater capability than air which increases the pressure and massage action on the muscle. Players will complete a series of exercises at a slow pace and covering small distances.
The player may begin the recovery session with a couple of slow relaxed laps (freestyle, sidestroke, backstroke)
The following exercises can then occur:
Cycling on your back holding the side

Lifting heels out of water (still on your back)

Straight leg deep kick (on your back)

Stretching (hamstrings, adductors, gluteus, calves)

Trunk twists

Heel flicks

Scissors

Lateral leg lifts

Leg extension

Hip rotations

Arm pulls

Light running

ALL EXERCISES ARE TO BE DONE AT A SLOW PACE; 30-40 SECS ON EACH EXERCISE WILL BE SUFFICIENT.
Notes to the above:
The text above gives a lowdown on pool work to regenerate tired bodies. I know from personal experience that cricket can leave the body very sore and incapable of performing at the level that you'd like to, especially if you're a seam bowler.
I now make a Pool Recovery Session a weekly part of my cricket season routine heading to my gym on a Sunday or Monday morning (depending on whether I've played both days at the weekend) without fail. I swim 10-20 lengths of different strokes at a moderate intensity allied to running in the pool forwards, backwards and sideways with a variety of heel flicks, high knees, calf raises, tipitoes etc. I then finish with some core rotation exercises using the entry ladder and if possible a cold shower on my hamstrings, quads and lower back.
Undoubtedly this speeds up my recovery time getting rid of muscle soreness and helping to loosen the body's joints. If you're serious about your cricket then pool work is an absolute must. Sussex CCC, arguably the most successful side in England in recent years, only book hotels for their players that have a pool - such is the importance they place on swim recovery work. All the test sides' fitness trainers use water to aid regeneration with some fast bowlers like Dale Steyn and Mitchell Johnson swimming twice daily both before and after the day's play.
Remember - Take responsibility for your own preparation so make it your New Year's resolution to get in the pool and enhance your chances of staying, alert, fresh and injury free.

3 Ways to play swing bowling
Good swing bowling can literally be unplayable. If a ball swings late enough nobody, not Sachin, not Lara, not Bradman, has ever had good enough reactions to counter the movement. It's a physical impossibility.

Yet somehow great players manage to build epic innings when the ball swings. How do they do it?
While science has no answers yet, there are some interesting theories to explore.
1. Watch the ball
A reaction time limitation means that it's impossible to watch the ball right onto the bat. What distinguishes the good players from the average ones is their ability to correctly predict where the ball will be and move into the correct position.
In practical terms what does this mean?
Greg Chappell says that it's all about watching the point of release from the bowler. If you see the ball released late it will be short, if you see it released early it will be full. Additionally, the bowler can give you subtle clues in their grip, run up and delivery stride that can help you. If you see an angles seam you know the bowler is at least trying to swing the ball.
Those blessed without a great talent for this can improve their ability by practice. This is one reason why facing a bowling machine is less beneficial than facing real bowling: You don't get the clues from the bowler.
2. Get to the pitch of the ball
Swing bowlers are usually going to pitch the ball up to you. Without doing that they will not get the swing they need. This means you will usually be playing forward to them.
If the ball swings later than you ability to react you will be more likely to miss it or edge it. To reduce this risk, it's important to get as close to the pitch of the ball as possible. This will reduce the amount of time the ball has to deviate. It might be enough to stop you catching the edge.
The idea is not to over step. You still need to lead with your head and shoulder while having your weight over your front foot. You should be trying to get in as big a stride as possible though. The closer you are to the pitch, the safer you are.
3. Play with soft hands
If you are facing a good swing bowler there will be times you will be beaten. You can reduce the chances of getting out either nicking off to the slips or bowled through the gate by playing defensively with soft hands.
In modern limited over cricket it is often beneficial to push the hands and bat towards the ball so you can hit the ball into a gap and steal a single. While this is an excellent tactic, against a late swinging ball edges will carry comfortably to the slips or gulley.

Simple answers to common cricketing problems
Q & As

What in your opinion is the correct sequence in an action for a left arm fast bowler? E.g. run in, left leg into air, right leg into air, land, right arm goes up...etc...
The best way to bowl is with the body in balance. Thus if you're left arm is forward your right arm should be back, much the same as walking. The simplest method for left arm quicks is to take off on their right foot and land on their left as they bowl and I would suggest Ryan Sidebottom's action as a good role model.
My main problem in terms of getting pace is that my jump is mainly up and not forward enough, when I attempt to jump forward, the action is rushed and the ball comes out slower. I feel the problem is with my back leg not powering through enough, do you have any tips or drills to help with this?
Many pace bowlers do this. Try to jump up and forward at the same time. The projection of your front arm is crucial here since if you take it directly up, your forward momentum will be slowed. Alan Donald was brilliant at getting through the crease by jumping up and forward at the same time. When trying your new method, give yourself that extra fraction of a second 'hang time' so you don't feel rushed.
How does one become a Level 3 coach? I have heard that for Level 2, you have to be able to bowl an out-swinger and in-swinger for demonstrations among other things, what must one do for Level 3?
Level III is a tough proposition but not an impossible one. I did mine 7 years ago with a host of international coaches so I can't tell you what they do now but it did involve looking at the whole package of creating a good cricketer, not just batting, bowling and fielding skills.
What muscles are most important for fast bowling?
I would not advise developing any particular muscles to the detriment of others but in terms of assisting an easily repeatable action that has a good chance of remaining injury free (the most important thing in bowling fast), I would pay specific attention to these areas:
Lower back

Hamstrings

Groin

Latissimus Dorsi (side muscles)

Triceps and shoulder muscles

Flexibility is absolutely fundamental - without it you will struggle to remain injury free.

Does having a side on or open chested bowling action make a difference to swing bowling? Which is the best for accurate bowling?
I don't believe it has any great difference and if you look at bowlers like Malcolm Marshall and Simon Jones, you'll see that open chested or midway actions can still produce superb swing bowling. The key to swing bowling is your wrist position, nothing else.
In terms of accuracy, the 2 most accurate bowlers of the last 20 years are probably Curtley Ambrose and Glenn McGrath, both of whom had their back foot pointing more down the wicket whereas 2 very accurate medium pacers such as Terry Alderman and Angus Fraser were side on bowlers. If you want an action to copy, I would look at McGrath and you can see that Stuart Broad is trying to do just that.

When batting, I defend with a waved bat. It's successful a lot of the time but I keep getting told to go in with a very straight bat, like Vaughan, is this the best way?
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by a waved bat. The best defensive shots look like a wall of wood and the best defensive players have an incredibly broad look to their defensive play - Jacques Kallis is a very good example.
If you want to know further, my defence is a little like Kevin Pietersen's, where he swings his bat across.
I think Pietersen has an excellent defensive technique because he meets the ball with a full blade with his head right behind the ball.

When batting, I struggle to score quickly.
Early in the innings, I try and just get my eye in by blocking, and seeing how things go, but after I get my eye in, I just keep blocking. I don't know whether it's that I'm scared to have a go at wide balls because I might go out, or I'm just a really defensive player.
I've batted many times, and I only get like 5-10 runs from 10-20 overs. My highest score is just 13.
In the nets, I can hit the ball fine, but when I get out to the middle, I've got no idea why I just block.
Many cricketers have struggles with this problem with is part mental, part technical. If you go into bat with the mindset just to block, that's exactly what you'll do and importantly, your backswing is likely to follow suit in that it will be restricted and tight meaning any scoring opportunities that do present themselves will be harder to take advantage of.
If you watch Ricky Ponting, he picks that bat up from the word go with the toe of the bat always pointing to the sky. That gives him tremendous leverage to create the required bat speed to hit the ball hard and is also a subconscious statement of intent - he's going in there to hit the ball.
You also need to remove the fear factor of getting out, which is inhibiting your strokeplay. Next time you bat, pick an appropriate stroke to the type of bowler you're facing and when he bowls a ball in that area, commit yourself 100% to the shot. For an example, you might be facing an off-spinner landing the ball consistently with the field up, preventing you pinching singles. Wait for a full or flighted ball and use your feet to hit him back over his head.
If successful, your calculated risk will result in a fielding change creating more gaps in the field enabling you to take more singles. It's all about the intent you have when you go out there - don't worry about getting out as it will hold you back.

I tend to struggle with length on my bowling. What drills can I do to make sure I can hit where I want? I bowl right arm medium fast.
Length is more important than line when bowling seam. The best bowlers are the ones who land the ball in a consistent place making it difficult for the batsman to score. Work out which is your ideal length - if you're a swing bowler it will be fuller than if you're a hit the deck seamer - and tape an A3 piece of paper to it. Then keeping things as simple as possible, use your full run up and aim at that spot ball after ball until it becomes your natural length. The best bowlers in the world still do this.

Now I have found my accuracy what is the best way to get the pace or speed up?
It's not easy to go from medium pace to fast but rhythm and timing are the keys. Some bowlers use power to generate speed - Andrew Flintoff for instance- but for most bowlers developing a good rhythm is the answer.
Improving your overall fitness will help but one tip I would add from personal experience is the technique of 'loading up low' with your bowling arm, in the manner of Brett Lee or Simon Jones. Most bowlers will put the ball in their bowling arm next to their head or chin as they gather to bowl. Try keeping it just above your hip instead - right hip for right arm bowlers and vice versa. Brett Lee does that and I tried it 3 years ago and found it did help me bowl quicker.

How do I play spin without popping the ball up?
Lunging at the ball with your front pad is the biggest cause of this. Watch Kevin Pietersen play spin defensively and you will see him place his foot in the desired position and play with soft hands rather than pushing both hands and feet at the same time. You also need to make sure your bat face is pointing down at an angle of about 70 degrees.
How do I read spin better?
Watching the wrist and fingers of a spin bowler gives a batsman an enormous amount of information concerning what delivery is being bowled. To read spin better, ask a spinner to bowl some balls at you and call out what he's bowled before the ball pitches - you don't even need a bat for this and can stand at the side of the net.
What can I do to make me better at being aggressive towards spin bowling and not popping it up every second ball?
Work out what shots you play best against spin, integrate them into your game plan then positively look for those scoring opportunities when they present themselves. I've written some methods of scoring against spin bowling below:
Sweeping

Moving down the wicket to drive

Hitting over the top from the crease

Dummying to make a spinner drop short

Working the ball around the wicket for singles

What do you think about middling bats? (Made by Fusion, basically narrow coaching bats which are made to retain a normal weight)
I haven't used them that much but England batter Ian Bell swears by them. They certainly concentrate the mind into playing with a full face.
I've seen some of the England players use them and they have said very positive things about them. Do you think a batsman would have a significant improvement in their game by using one?
I think that if you have the opportunity to use one in practice then take it and it will undoubtedly help your batting.

How do I bat on a horrible wicket where the ball is moving off the seam a lot and there is a variation of bounce?
A very common predicament in the UK. You have to be realistic in your outlook and accept the fact that the wicket is not a shirt front and you won't be able to score as quickly as you might like. Work out what a par total on that wicket is if batting first or be there at the end if batting second and you will do well.
Your defence will need to be good and I would look to play forward because the danger ball is the straight delivery which keeps low. Look to hit any half-volleys or full tosses, place a premium on running between the wickets and be patient.

I have a question regarding off spin. I can play leg spin very well but I am puzzled against off spinners. I am a right hand top order batsman.
The ball turning into you presents different challenges to the one that goes away. Practice will be your best instructor and if you have a colleague who can bowl off spin or anybody who can throw it to you, a few good nets will help you work things out.

I'm a part time leg spin bowler and I want to improve my bowling. What would be the best line and lengths to bowl at and how to I improve my accuracy?
Leg spin is hard work but immensely rewarding. The best bowling practice is done away from batsman and flying balls. Get 6 balls and bowl over after over on your own in the nets (or better still to a keeper out in the middle) until you find an easily repeatable stock delivery.
I always feel that leg spinners should threaten the stumps and risk being driven. Bowling short is the real killer for leggies so avoid that at all costs. If you can get hold of the ECB Wings To Fly 2 DVD that would help you an enormous amount.

What's the best way to overcome pressure? How can I, as a cricket player, control my game without getting pressurized?
Pressure is the biggest single factor in reducing performance in cricket. There are many ways to help you control pressure but some simple methods would be:
Practice at the same intensity that you play in the nets or during fielding

Work out your gameplan

Decide upon your role in the side

Keep breathing in a relaxed manner when things get tight. Poor and shallow breathing increases tension in the body resulting in an effect on physical performance.

When batting, keep a cool head when you feel the need to do something rash because you feel you're not scoring quickly enough. Work out a way to get 1 or decide on a 'get out of jail shot' which is a good boundary option for the way you play.

When batting right handed do you think it is easier to bat to a right of left armer?
I have no doubt that the hardest seam bowling to play for right hand batsmen is left arm inswing. Most professionals of the past 20 years will say Wasim Akram was their nightmare bowler. Good left arm inswing, even at medium pace, will always get wickets because quite simply, batsmen miss straight balls.

Do you think the weather and pitch conditions matter as much as professionals and commentators say, or do you think that factor is overestimated to cover over a poor performance from a team?
They definitely do have an effect but if that were always the case, the Australian team of the last 15 years would not have done as well as they have. Steve Waugh used to be asked whether he would have liked to bat/bowl on losing what seemed to be a crucial toss in a test match. His standard response was:
'I'm not fussed. Whichever side plays the best cricket will win the game.'