Coaching | Cricket coaching, fitness and tips

More Spin With The Helesfay-Dewer Spin Bowling Drill

I know you love a drill, so here is one from one of our recent coaching additions at Millfield School, Dan Helesfay. Dan has recently been shortlisted for the ECB Young Coach of the Year and has made a really strong impact within our programme since joining us in the 1st week of the January.

Dan took the drill from another ex-work colleague of mine, Ross Dewar. Ross is the Strength and Conditioning Coach at Worcestershire. Dan adapted it and worked it into a session that was concentrating on the role of the hips within a spin bowling action.

You may recall a recent article which featured the research taken from the ECB's Spin bowling department. This drill is a good way of building a bowling action which promotes increased body rotation, increased revolutions on the ball and a more advanced release position: All good things for a spinner to have in their technical tool box.

Batting Technique: Who Knows More, Players or Coaches?

CCM Academy Director and former first-class cricketer Gary Palmer has some thoughts on how cricketers can learn perfect batting technique.

Coaches spend time and money on courses to learn about technique.

Coaches know more than players, so they need to exercise knowledge on what they have learned so the players can benefit. Otherwise what are we doing?

Big Bash Lessons: Rebalance Your Coaching in Twenty20 Cricket

Sam Lavery has been talking about changes in the modern game, and how to apply them at club, school and academy level.

Lately, I've spent some time talking to first-class coaches about T20 cricket. I'm aware that what we see at the pinnacle of our sport will filter down. I find it gives me a direction of my own, as to how my cricketers at Portsmouth Grammar School can develop skills that are current in our ever-evolving game.

One of the main points I picked up on was the ever-increasing emphasis put on bowlers to be Twenty20 match winners.

Two Big Lessons from the Big Bash League to Create a Whole New Ball Game at Your Club

The Big Bash League has been magnificent from start to finish: The quality of the cricket, the size of the crowds and the production on the TV has made it a spectacle.

Here are some things we can learn and take back into our clubs, academies and cricketing associations.

EXCLUSIVE: First Class Fielding Course from Mark Garaway out Now, Buy Today on Pitchvision Academy

PitchVision Academy is delighted to announce that Mark Garaway's online coaching courses First Class Fielding is out now, exclusively on PitchVision Academy.

As you know, a few weeks ago we announced the ex-England Analyst and current Director of Coaching at Millfield School was revealing his methods in his first ever online coaching course. And since then it’s been a feast of fielding action on the site as a preview to the main event.

Now the wait is over, First Class Fielding available to purchase on PitchVision Academy. Get it now.

Click here to buy the online coaching course.

Combine Fielding Technique with Fun to Take Home Trophies

When I watch coaches take fielding sessions I see excellent activity, movement and enjoyment. Yet I would like to see this backed up by some coaching work.

It's great to see youngsters enjoying fielding drills. Fielding is a hugely important part of the game and we do it for the longest time within each game of cricket. Team drills all help towards facilitating better performance.

Technical Jargon Busting: Kinetic Chain

What is the kinetic chain, and what has it got to do with cricket?

In the coaching world, we often talk about the kinetic chain. It's a good shorthand term for a something that can get complex, especially when we discuss how to improve your bowling action. So, this article will give you a quick idea.

Make This Simple Change to Improve Slip Catching Drills

This video is a free sample of the online coaching course - First Class Fielding - from Mark Garaway

In this final preview video, Mark Garaway gets real about slip catching. In this video about slip catches from the seamers, Garas shows you how you could make a simple change that instantly improves realism.

Click the link to view Garas at work:

Use "Punch Yourself in the Head Moments" to Become a Better Coach

Have you ever had one of those "punch yourself in the head" moments?

I do. A moment like this comes when someone explains something so clearly that it completely blows your present way of thinking out of the water.

Steffan Jones delivered an excellent session at Millfield School last week on fast bowling. His approach linked his extensive knowledge of physical training with technical principles underpinned by the 4 Tent Pegs, as well as Steffan's own experiences as a bowler and bowling coach.

Steff spoke about a load of things that I have heard and implemented over the years, yet there was one thing that knocked me for six.

Learning Is a Skill, so Teach It

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Sam Lavery is Cricket Professional at Portsmouth Grammar School, Director of Cricket for Burridge CC and Head of PitchVision Jobs.

How much do you help learners to be adaptable?