Recently we had a question posted on PitchVision Academy asking this:

“I am trying to increase the speed of my bowling. I am already a keen gym goer and quite strong. I bench 150kg, deadlift 180kg and squat  170kg. So what can I do now to become faster?”

It’s a great question because, as we already know, strength is a crucial element in bowling fast.

The team get back together to discuss Irfan Pathan’s poor IPL form, and how to manage impact players (or in lower level cricket; the slogger).

Karl Stevenson, a sports psychologist who specialises in skill development, joins the show on the phone to talk about modern, practical ways to use cutting-edge research at your next net session. Plus your questions are answered on getting noticed by selectors and the importance of technique compared to tactical nous, fitness and mental strength.

I have been lucky enough to spend a significant amount of time around some incredible people and cricketers over the years. Yet that time would have been wasted if I hadn't learnt the benefit of asking questions.

Questions allowed me to gain and develop my understanding of cricket, coaching and life skills essential for peak performance.

How many runs could you save for your team if you have the reactions and technique of Suresh Raina?

Many people will write of an ambition like this as far-fetched. They will say he has a God-given talent that few can emulate. But in reality the truth is that Raina’s “talent” is the result of hard work and passion for the most selfless cricket skill; fielding.

So if you want to get the edge over your peers, use these tips to become the best fielder in your team. It will give you a clear advantage.

Cricket is a game of inches. Imagine playing in an Academy trial game when you push a ball to cover and set off on a risky single.

It’s on, but only if you can get up to top speed in a couple of strides.

You have worked on your power, speed and acceleration all winter and you fly out of the blocks, you are in by the smallest margin and go on to make a huge score, get that Academy place and on into the cricket stratosphere.

Had you been half a second slower - as the old pre-training you was - then you would have been run out and missed your chance.

This week’s winner of the Cricket Show podcast question competition is Paul. He wins a free coaching course from PitchVision Academy.

"I'm coaching an U12s team and have one boy who has an excellent technique, is well balanced and in the nets looks really very good indeed. However, he had a bad season last year when he got out early (and cheaply) several times and I'm unsure how to advise him other than to take more care at the start of his innings. Do you have any advice on how he should try to structure his innings? Should he set goals or targets e.g. see off the opening bowlers, 'x' runs in the next 5 overs.."

Listen to the panel’s answer to his question here.

To enter your own question for the chance to win your choice of online coaching course send your questions in here. 

Martin Gleeson from Cricket India Academy is on the show this week to talk us through the work he is doing in Mumbai.

Meanwhile David Hinchliffe, Mark Garaway and Burners talk IPL, techniques, coming back from injury and what to do if you keep getting out early in your innings while looking good.

The better we as coaches become at hitting balls, the quicker our fielders will move to elite in the deep. So get out there with your high catching coaches kit and practice your hitting.

Picture the scene; its cricket practice day and you pull back the curtains to see the rain tumbling down. It’s natural to shrug and call the session off.

But you don’t have to be so hasty. There is plenty you can do in the rain to practice your game. It’s tough to motivate players at the best of times. When rain makes practice irregular it gives people an excuse to “forget” to come. So tell players that practice is on every week come rain or shine and then use these four wet weather cricket tips for something to do.

The more you practice, the better you get. That idea is well established: but many bowlers with ambitions of bowling fast fail even when they do practice hard.

The problem is you are doing the wrong kind of practice. You turn up to nets and bowl. The coach offers useful advice while the batsmen go about their business at the other end. You finish with a vague sensation of having done well or badly, but you don’t know exactly why.