Nicks, Flicks and the Odd Big Six

  This is going to be something of a controversial post as I'm going to start with a statement that a lot of people won't like "There are lots of bad coaches out there who are poorly educated, fast tracked as a "coach" into community cricket which is where many young bowlers learn the basics. Fast bowling, one of cricket's most demanding skills, has seen a worrying rise in injuries, particularly stress fractures and back problems. Young bowlers are being pushed to deliver results without being taught proper biomechanics. Poor actions, and weak bodies, combined with low intensity, lack of recovery etc. are leading to: Long-term injuries: Persistent physical issues like stress fractures are sidelining promising bowlers during critical development phases. Reduced career longevity: Many bowlers face recurring injuries, forcing them to retire or change their role early in their careers. Months of recovery time: Extended recovery...

The old saying catches win matches certainly still rings true today. Whilst we see more brilliant athletic fielding/catching in club cricket than we did 20 years ago has the overall catching efficiency dropped? Personally, from experience I think there has been  a definite decline in catching skills in club cricket over the last few seasons. Looking at the teams I've been coaching and their catching efficiencies 2023           62.74%   Taken 64 Missed 38     14 matches 2023/24     60.34%    Taken 35 Missed 23     12 matches 2024          73.13%   Taken 98 Missed 36      19 matches 2024/25     49.01%     Taken 25 Missed 26      8 matches So why have standards declined? The way we practice catching is one. How often do you see drills where the ball is hit straight at the fielder, that doesn't really replica...