Batting coach Gary Palmer passes on his observations about how the great batsmen play, and how you can copy them.

All of these men are greats of the game. I've seen them bat over the years, often standing at the non-strikers end, and I have noticed several common technical points with them and other exceptional batsmen.

This is a guest article from an anonymous coach with many years experience at club level.

Every week during the cricket season an army of volunteers go out to do duty in running junior club cricket.

Without them clubs could not function. However, not all of these helpers are helping.

If you need proof that cricket is changing, look no further than English fast bowler's Stuart Broad and Steven Finn.

The pacemen were the first to openly miss competitive cricket to improve their strength and conditioning, showing how important fitness has become, especially to young fast bowlers.

If you have lofty fast bowling ambitions, should you follow their lead?

It's the ball that either takes a great deal of skill or a total lack of it.

And it's been banned in English county cricket, but crucially not by the Laws making it a legal ball in club and school cricket.

Origins of the double-bouncer

93. A batsman has to be fit to make big hundreds. Run the runs into your legs. Do it with pads on.

Due to last week's epic fail we felt guilty enough to extend this week's edition of the Cricket Show to 41 minutes to try and beg your forgiveness.

92. Even if you pick a change-up ball - and you should always be on the look-out for one (but not premeditating!) - it is wise to think first of absolute defence. Do not be enticed by arrogance into trying to dispatch the ball just to prove you picked it. Also, some change-up deliveries (like flippers for example) disguise themselves as bad balls. Don’t be lulled; wait for the real bad ball.

This is a guest article by Daniel Maddocks of T20Kids.com: Promoting Cricket for Kids. Daniel is an ECB Coach with experience in coaching young cricketers in the North West of England.

Kids often play adult club cricket. But how do we make sure they enjoy it and do well?

91. Batsmen can sledge too. A timely comment from a batsman can break a bowler’s concentration, even distract a whole fielding side. “Too slow” or “poop” or “hack” are easily mumbled to bowlers as you are turning for a second run. Only do this if you know you can handle all the consequences and still never premeditate the next ball. Stick to your routines but distract the opposition’s.

Everyone agrees: You can't set a field for bad bowling.

Like a lot of one-line advice, it's more of a guideline because there are always exceptions. It's the cricketing equivalent of "I before E, except after C".