Cricket Drills

The practice should be setup as shown. Have one player as a wicket keeper and another as fielder. The bowlers take it in turns to bowl, with the fielder calling if the ball was a good line (pitched in the cones) or a good length (pitched level with the red hoop). If the ball pitches in the hoop then the ball is both a good line and length.

The index and middle fingers are placed either side of the seam with the thumb gripping the bottom of the ball. The index and middle finger joints wrap around the ball to keep the ball away from the palm. On release ensure that the seam is kept vertical and that the hand stays behind the ball to create backspin.

A Right-armed bowler bowling outswing will move the ball away from a right-handed batsman. The 1st and 2nd fingers are placed on the top of the ball and spread either side of the seam. The side of the thumb is placed on the underneath of the ball directly on the seam. To make the ball swing, ensure that the seam remains vertical and angled away from the batsman.

Players work in groups of 5, in a grid with 5 cones set up in a zig-zag formation, roughly 7 metres apart. Each player stands on a cone. All players, except for those queueing behind the first cone require balls. On the coach's call player 1, on the first cone, aims to get to collect the ball that has been dropped from shoulder height by the player on the cone in front of them, before the ball bounces twice. This is one pick-up. Player 1 then gives the ball back to the player on the cone, and sets themself before the coach gives the next call. Again the working player aims to get to the next ball before second bounce. This process is repeated until all players have performed 4 pick-ups.

10-18 players required. (Note diagram for accurate lay-out of drill.) Five stumps required for drill. Three stumps are set up on a diagonal line, 10m apart from each other. The other two stumps are 20m away from these, again on a diagonal but this time they are 20m apart. The Coach stands at the top on the middle stump. The drill begins when coach rolls the ball out as shown. Player 1 must sprint around the first stump, change direction and then underarm pick the ball up, aiming to hit the third stump. Player 2 must anticipate the ball coming towards them, and moves forward off the cone to back the ball up. Player 2 then throws overarm at the base of the next stump. Player 3 anticipates this happening, and backs the throw up, before throwing the ball over the top of the final stump. The next player now returns the ball to the coach, and then continues to run around the first stump. Drill continues, and players follow the ball, moving clockwise to the next station.

Player 2 throws. Each batsman has 3 consecutive balls, then goes to the back of the queue. If you leave a ball you get another go. The ball should be a slow high underarm feed.

To play this defensive shot properly players will need to think about their whole body's position in order to avoid popping the ball up for an easy take.

Player 1 starts on the middle cone, and aims to collect all 4 balls in as quickly as possible. Player must go out to retrieve the ball and back to the middle, before moving onto next cone. Once all the balls have been collected in, player then reverses the drill, putting all the balls back out onto the cones. Player 1 has now finished set 1, and returns to the back of the queue to recover. Player 2 begins and so on... Players perform 3 sets each and then change over.

For this game you need two teams of between 6-10 players on each side. One team tries to see how many catches they can do in a specified time, whist the other team sees how many people they can get to run around the cone and back.

The player at the front of the 2 players runs to the middle to collect the ball on the cone and roll it to the player on the opposite side. This player collects the ball and runs to the middle to put the ball on the cone. The next player then runs to collect the ball and rolls the ball for next player waiting.

5-6 fielders and batsmen will be needed for this circuit. When the batting side is ready they must try and run to the other end before the fielding side have caught the ball behind the wickets. When the batting player (1) shouts YES the fielder (1) rolls the ball out to the next fielder (2) and then runs behind the stumps to back up. If the ball reaches the wickets before the batting players then those players have been run out. Fielder (2) then throws ball to the fielder behind the stumps and Fielder (2) goes to Fielder (1)'s old position on the cone. Fielder (1) throws the ball to fielder (2) before joining the back of the fielding queue and the drill starts again.

With between 5-8 players on each team. Each batsmen must drive on one out of 3 deliveries and run on the driven one, then complete two runs. The fielders must stay behind the boundary until the ball is hit. If a boundary is hit the batsmen gets an additional 3 balls. If the ball is hit out of the grounds then 6 runs are awarded. 1) Bat until all out or 2) Bat until teams wickets are used up i.e. 4 wickets per team.

The Coach feeds 6 balls to each batsman, who have to drive the ball through the set of cones.

The drill starts when the batsman calls Yes . At this point the batter must run with the bat in hand and try to complete two runs. However, the batter is racing against the fielders. Fielder 1 rolls the ball out to the player waiting in line who must then use a two handed pick up before returning the ball over the stumps to the wicket-keeper. After the ball is thrown player 1 joins the back of the queue and player 3 takes their place on the cone. After this the race can start again, this time repeated on the other side for the fielding team.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set up two cones half way down the wicket, one central and one leg side. Feed from a bobble feed. Batter to hit from the front foot drive set position, knees and feet facing down the wicket, and aiming for one of the two cones.  If the shot is an on drive (towards left cone), batter to hold the shape, and take small steps towards the direction of the shot to the cone.  If the shot is a straight drive (middle cone), batter to simply hold the shape.