This is the first series of troubleshooting to repair inefficient or physically dangerous fast bowling technique.

The bowling action is complex and prone to breaking down. While we want bowler's to bowl with natural actions, in many cases when we see a flaw we will be quick to try to iron out. This is because injury, and reduction in pace and performance is often associated with the flaw.

One of the most common of these flaws is; as a bowler comes out of her bound and into her back foot contact (BFC). We often see the back leg sweeping underneath the body and then land in a position towards the return crease. As the action is a chain of events only one thing can happen: A misalignment between BFC and front foot contact (FFC).

A common error is to work with the the bowler to concentrate on where their back foot lands at the crease. This is laborious and non-effective. Instead we find that the root cause of this deficiency comes further back in the bowling process; In the approach to the bound. If we deal with the root cause, the symptoms right themselves without direct interventions being applied to the "problem area".

We use video to confirm that most bowlers who sweep their back foot under themselves in the bound are people whose feet fall underneath their bodies as they run into bowl.

So do we need a high tech solution to this issue?

No. The technical toolkit for the remedy couldn't be easier or cheaper for that matter: A piece of string!

Lay the piece of string on the floor between the start of the run up and the point on the crease that you wish for the feet to align in the delivery stride.

Ask the bowler to run up placing their feet either side of the stride and not to step on the string or cross the string with their feet.

This will train the bowler to maintain an appropriate gap between the feet as they run in. This is really important as the action of sweeping the feet under the body in the approach is one of the main reasons why the back foot wants to come under the body in the bound.

Retrain the body in the approach and often, you will see the body continue towards its target in the bound and into the delivery stride. All this without having to explicitly coach or work on that phase of the bowling action.

So there you have it: A bit of knowledge, one long piece of string and all of a sudden you become a more effective fast bowling coach.

In in this article on how to bowl faster, Ian Pont explains how his methods at the Ultimate Pace Foundation in Bangalore will help you bowl faster. Click here to book now.

No fast bowler should substitute pace for accuracy. If you do it right, you have both.

Accuracy is essential for all bowlers from spinners to really fast bowlers. Accuracy is a given. If you are not accurate as a bowler you will be playing for fun on a Sunday afternoon in the park. But when we get to any decent level, you need pace too. At top speed the batsman has less time to react.

If you bowl a yorker at 160kph, it doesn't matter what the pitch is like, no one is keeping it out!

That's where my coaching at Ultimate Pace Foundation comes into play as you learn to bowl fast and accurate.

Bowl Faster: 4 Tent Pegs

Improving bowling technique is an art, not a matter of copying a template. My structure for fast bowling is based on "4 Tent Pegs" or the 4 points in the action that generate pace and accuracy.

Additionally, there are 3 ways to generate pace, so we need to establish which method is best for each bowler too:

1. High Rotational Force - fast arms
2. High Ground Speed - fast run up
3. Arm Pull - like a javelin throw

Mike Proctor - the great bowler from the 70s - had number 1 and 2 but didn't have 3. He was quick. Shaun Tait is the opposite, he jogs up and uses number 3 to generate as much pace.

Some bowlers will look picture perfect at tent peg 2 (front foot landing) and tent peg 3 (ball release) but finish badly. Others might have a lean on tent peg 1. If you have all 4 tent pegs in place you are going to be an incredibly talented bowler who is quick. However, these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules.

Cricket is littered with bowlers who have strange actions that do well. So you need to work out what is the best action for you.

Fast bowling as a process

Not all errors need correcting.

If a bowler takes 5 wickets but they were all caught on the boundary with long hops, we still say "well bowled". We are focusing too much on the outcome. That means fast bowling has a mystery around it like it's hocus-pocus because not everyone understands it. The skill of the coach is to break this with good technical understanding and - this is key - know what to correct and what to leave alone.

Knowledge isn't power. The application of knowledge is power. Imagine a coach who simply told you everything that was wrong with your action then drove off at high speed at the end of the session! You would be left scratching your head wondering how to correct the issue.

So, at Ultimate Pace Foundation over 7 days, we identify what is wrong as a first step, but then we show you how to correct those problems so you can keep the plate spinning long after we have finished the camp. A week is plenty of time to go through this process with no excuse or distractions to avoid the work. It's a kick start where you can focus for a week, then go away and keep doing those drills: Getting faster and more accurate.

This is for those serious about bowling faster, not a cricket crèche. We have everyone from 11 year old's to IPL contracted professionals.

The camp is set up to be flexible enough that you can come from your already establish programme and bolt on work with us to speed up your progress. Or, if you are a young player, you can get the basics locked in. Is there anything better than an 11 year old being able to see IPL heroes at the same camp? Talk about inspiring!

This isn't a big brand name sponsored camp where you need to be a professional to have access. This is a genuine attempt to create a place for any budding fast bowlers to come and train and bowl faster.

In other words, this is your one chance.

Click here to book now and take it. Places are limited so don't delay.

Every bowler needs a plan.

For most, especially the inexperienced, it doesn't get more complicated than "hit the top of off stump". Of course, there is nothing wrong with that plan. It often works. But batsmen are canny. They don't always do what you want.

That's why the really good bowler is able to bowl to a plan that goes beyond the basics and into the wicket-taking stratosphere.

This series - Streetwise Bowling - is about helping you make bowling to a plan a reality by giving you the tactics of success. Of course, it's all nothing without pinpoint accuracy and high skill levels. But with dedicated practice you can achieve that ability.

Here are the tactics. Don't forget to subscribe or check on this page as we add new ones over time.

Leg Spin

• The Warne Rounder

More to follow, stay tuned...

This article is part of the "Streetwise Bowling" series from PitchVision Academy. To view the full list of tactics click here.

As a seamer, you lack the subtle variety of seam and swing. You are probably not that quick. You are McGrath, relentlessly hitting your length and relying on the seam for variety.

But even the metronome needs something else.

Batsmen get well set on a flat pitch. You come up against a player who you know is a little sluggish to get forward early in his innings. The ball gets old and worn at the end of an innings.

It's time to take a wicket through subtlety.

• Name: The Seamer's Subtlety
• Bowling Type: Any seam up bowler
• Difficulty Level: 6/10
• Success Level: Moderate

The Over

Your over is spilt into two distinct parts: the setup and the pay off. First, in the setup you bowl an orthodox line, ideally back of a length to make the batsman play back rather than forward.

The subtle part of this is to slow your pace slightly and vary it within a range of about 5-8kph. You are not bowling slower balls, but you are not bending your back. Bowl within yourself but still get through your action.

After 3-5 balls it's time for the pay off.

When you feel the batsman is used to you bowling at slightly below normal pace, and has assumed that's what you are doing today, you apply the coup de grâce: a top pace yorker at the toes.

The increase in pace combined with one of the hardest balls to play should be enough to get you your man bowled or LBW.

It's a simple, yet well disguised variation for all seamers from military medium to searing paceman.

The tactic also has the advantage of being a way to get out of an expensive over for you. If you have gone for a few runs in the over, the well executed yorker is a way to get a dot, wicket or single only.

Give it a try and let me know how you go! And by the way, if you have a suggested field for this tactic has worked for you  in real life, leave it in the comments.

This article is part of a series, to get the latest in the series, click here to subscribe to the free PitchVision Academy email newsletter.

We now know that the most significant cause of spinal stress fractures in fast bowlers comes from excessive side bend, or "lateral flexion" in scientific speak. This is often caused as a result of the body compensating in the delivery stride for things that have not worked correctly further back.

This could be the angle of approach, the angle of bound or misaligned back foot contact.

However, we sometimes get a situation where all of the above are OK and the bowler is still displaying excessive side bend at point of release.

So what can we do about it?

Here is my solution:

1. Reduced height intervention poles

The poles can be placed in a position through the crease that is right up against the body of the bowler at point of release. If the bowler bends to the side, then his front arm, or a part of the upper body on their non-bowling side, will touch the intervention poles giving kinaesthetic feedback. This feedback will inform the body of adaptation that needs to be made.

If your supporting language is appropriate, then the bowler will start to develop strategies to solve the problem without you having to coach the action.

2. Theraband pulls

Theraband is a physiotherapy and rehabilitation resource that is used significantly with throwers and fast bowlers in cricket.

Look up images and video on the Internet of Theraband exercises. Here's a great drill:

1. Loop the Theraband around the bowler’s chest (under the arms) and hold both of the ends of theraband in your hands.
2. Always stand on the non-bowling side of the bowler when holding the Theraband ends.
3. Ask the bowler to have a couple of running steps into their bound, you move/run with them as they go through the bowling action.
4. As you move with them, take up the tension in the Theraband and pull gently towards yourself. This will force the bowler to resist the pull by using their core (transversus abdominis in particular) and this will start the process of training the body to stay more upright at point of release.
5. Take it slowly at first and pull with just enough tension to feel the Theraband become tight at point of release.
6. As the bowler gets used to the drill, you can increase the pull to increase the challenge.

As with any drill, the aim is to remove the coaching intervention and place the bowler back into an open environment. Test if the bowlers technique can stand up to the rigours of full pace.

If not then revert to one or both of the drills above, if all is good then crack on as normal.

If we can reduce the incidence in side bend with our bowlers then we will be giving them more chance of a healthy & positive experience when bowling fast.

With 2013 drawing to a close, it's time to give you the best content on PitchVision Academy from the last 12 months. It's been another stellar year.

Of course, the year wouldn't be complete without thousands hitting the site to learn how to become a cricketer, so we published our complete guide in May, then added even more advice with a rant about all the things that people do wrong.

And for the guys who wanted to be a pace bowler we published a guide to becoming a sensation with the ball. That's because the year was all about speed.

How to bowl fast

The hunger for speed we bigger than ever, and we brought in some of the finest minds on pace bowling to help you add a yard or two using cutting edge methods.

Steffan Jones was busy, producing articles and videos on the link between the gym and the pitch:

• The Surprisingly Little-Known Way to Boost Your Bowling Speed
• Bowl Like A Warrior
• Gym to Nets: Structure of a Session
• What Type of Bowler Are You?
• Exercises to Bowl Faster

Plus we sneaked in some advice from Zaheer Khan about building up stamina.

And what would a year be without the awesome power of Ian Pont's tips. Here he talks about the 4 Tent Pegs and his coaching camp.

Plus we examine some top level fast bowling tactics with no less than Aussie one-day hero Nathan Bracken, including the secrets of outsmarting a batsman with the art of swing bowling. You can sign up for more on Nathan's page.

Finally we looked at speed psychology: We taught you how to start using a snarly face to develop a fast bowler's attitude to go with that pace. Plus we showed you how to improve your accuracy with a simple mental trick.

World-class basics

We also gave you plenty of drills and ideas to boost your run scoring. We started with the idea that batting didn't require mythical skills, just an ability to be world-class as the basics.

Then we used examples for batting like Dhoni and Michael Bevan (who also filmed an exclusive video series with us that is still available to budding finishers).

Gary Palmer was as reliable with his batting advice as always, but certainly never sticking to the book. He told us about the great batting hoax and the new science of playing straight this year.

And speaking of myths, we also busted the idea that batting style is an excuse for poor judgement. Plus we looked at some new shots that have arrived in the last few years and advised whether you should learn them.

Best of the rest

Of course, it's not just about improving your speed and your batting. We looked at just about every other cricket-related topic, including:

• Bonding as a team
• Training your mind
• Managing memory
• Becoming a rock star spinner
• Technology for spinners

And to top it all, the leg spinners at PitchVision Academy got to sample a 3 month free membership of Harry Shapiro's Leg Spin Association.

Tomorrow, the best of the podcast and coaching tips, so come back to get the skinny!

As young cricketer I remember facing up against a number of talented young quicks trying to break into to the professional game. I distinctly recall listening to coaches talk about getting their front arm high; "reach up to the sky" they would say, and then once they had done that, "...now pull the chain!"

At the time I didn't think anything of it, apart from, what's this chain they're talking about? Why does it have to be up so high. And why is pulling it going to make them any better? If anything I remember thinking that the harder they tried to pull down with their front arm the less control they had.

Over the past few months this idea of "reaching up high" and "pulling down", or "pulling the chain", has cropped up again in a number of different scenarios. So let's clear up the feeling that pushing up and then pulling down with the front arm, adds any pace, or a great deal else to a bowlers armoury for that matter.

To begin, what is the benefit of pushing upwards?

• In simply pushing straight up there is none. Given the range of movement most people hold in their shoulders, chest and back, it will send your head, torso and subsequently your body weight backwards. Not a good start.
• To follow, part of the role of a bowlers front arm is to help with direction and aiming. Pushing upwards is going to be very little help in shifting line from leg to off.

So what about pulling downwards? Surely this up and down motion can't be all bad, can it?

• It's likely that "pulling the chain" is one of the most significant contributors to lateral flexion (or side bend) in your action. Lateral flexion is the primary cause of injury in fast bowlers.
• Just try it out standing still; push your left arm up to the sky, then pull it down fast. What happens? Unless you have an extremely strong and well developed core you will feel yourself beginning to fall to the left. Now imagine doing this whilst moving at high speed, probably without an established base, and still on only one foot when the pulling begins.
• Simply put, short extra cover should look out, because the bowler's follow through is heading their way following the sideways snap of their body at release.

So if this up and down motion doesn't work, what should you quick bowlers do?

Actually its obvious.

Fast bowling is a skill based around straight lines moving back and forth from the target. That's exactly how our arms should move: Pushing forwards and then pulling back.

So rather than reaching for the sky, and putting your arm in a position where simply what goes up must come down. Try pushing forwards towards the target with you front hand and arm. Not only keeping your body weight moving forwards but also allowing you to direct it towards a specific target point.

Having extended forwards, you're now putting yourself in a great position from which you can pull back.

And the benefit of this?

To start, now that your not pulling down, there's dramatically less lateral force being placed on your body. The benefits of this alone are massive, but injury prevention and better balance at delivery can do for now.

Secondly, and more excitingly for some, is added pace. When you pulled down with your front arm, your left shoulder would drop, elevating your right shoulder; something that's of very little benefit. In pulling back with the left arm, the right shoulder gets driven forwards, adding an additional element of forward movement towards the target.

So if you want to find a simple way to improve stability, control and pace, just have a look at your front arm and ask yourself, is it pushing and pulling for you or against you?

The first in this series used a piece of string as a guide for foot placement in the approach. This is one of the major causes of the back foot sweeping under the body and causing misalignment at the crease.

However, if the feet are landing nicely in the approach and you still note that BFC (Back Foot Contact) is misaligned then the following drills, placed on top of the string based run up drill, will close the deal.

1. Mirroring

It is vital that the bowler has a comprehension of what she looks like when her BFC is misaligned and the knock on effect taken into her delivery stride. In order to do this, you can use a mirroring approach.

This can either be demonstrated by simulating the bowling action towards a mirror or get the to bowl over the top of a camera on a low tripod placed a 2 metres beyond the crease.

I have started what I call the "stuntman" camera position by filming from a prone position on the floor with my iPad (again, 2 metres in front of the bowling crease). This gives a great angle.

If you don’t feel confident that the bowler will be able to bowl the ball over the top of you then use a tennis ball instead of cricket ball.

This image will give the bowler awareness of their present position and she will be working her own solutions to the problem even before direct intervention.

2. Intervention pole work

Intervention poles are brilliant. They train the bowler towards their back foot and front foot target at the crease by blocking the movement that you don’t want to see (in this case, the sweeping of the back foot under the line of the body).

The great thing about intervention poles is that you can start them in an unobtrusive position to build up bowler confidence of the drill intention and then bring them in gradually to up the challenge at an appropriate time.

Once the drill has been practised for a while then you can take the poles away to see how the new technique stands up in an open environment. If it stands up then crack on, if not then it's perfectly OK to revert back to the drill until the bowler feels confident to test the skill under open conditions once more.

Here is an example of some intervention pole based work from Simon Francis (a brilliant ECB Level IV Coach) who works out of Warwick School in England:

Intervention poles can be used for a number of bowling drills (both spin and pace) are relatively inexpensive and highly portable (Indoor and outdoor use).

If you build athlete awareness by showing the Stuntman video angle and support the bowler's learning through use of the intervention poles- which train the intention to stay aligned from take off to follow through - then a misaligned BFC can soon become a distant memory.

This article is part of the "Streetwise Bowling" series from PitchVision Academy. To view the full list of tactics click here.

I'll be honest with you about this one, it's disgustingly simple. So much so you might shrug and go "so what?". Yet year after year I see young fast bowlers make this mistake in the early season and miss out on a bundle of wickets as more canny seamers take full advantage.

So, this edition of "Streetwise Bowling" is more of a story than a set of balls.

Imagine the scene; you stand at the top of your mark at the first game of the season. Early conditions favour the bowler, especially if you are in the UK.

You have spent the winter bowling in indoor nets, you know the batsman has done the same.

And here is where the mistake happens.

• Name: The Preseason Bounce Pounce
• Bowling Type: Fast, Medium, Swing and Seam Bowlers
• Difficulty Level: 4/10 (with the right prep)
• Success Level: High

You and the batsman are used to hard, flat indoor conditions with the ball coming on to the bat for the happy batsman to hit through the line. Yet this pitch is low and slow, the ball is likely to swing and seam.

You bowl a back of a length ball because your muscle memory has been used to making the batsman play back to stop those booming net drives: It pops up and the batsman gratefully pulls it for a boundary.

The captain shakes his head, it's an awful start to the season.

Rewind to nets

Meanwhile the canny old medium pace bowler at the other end knows to forget the nets and to pitch the ball up, hit the stumps and watch the fun.

Rewinding to the net sessions in the winter, that canny bowler got a battering from batsmen in practice. It seemed like he was bowling far too full and the batsmen were driving away full of the confidence of nets. It looked rubbish.

It was actually streetwise bowling at it's most pure: It was exactly the right area to hit the stumps with a bit of swing or seam on a bowler-friendly slow early season pitch.

So the lesson from this edition is simple: Give yourself a chance to use the early season conditions from the first ball. Bowl in nets the way you would bowl in the middle, even if it seems like you are getting smashed. That way you can pounce on the bounce and mistiming you get from batter's used to indoor practice.

This is the first in a series of autobiographical articles from former-professional cricketer Steffan Jones. Steffan took himself from a 120kph to 145kph (90mph) with blood, sweat and tears.

I signed my first contract in 1990 and was a professional cricketer for 20 years. The average career of a seam bowler these days is 5 years. In that time I increased my speed. How did I do it?

Here is my story.

We start in 1997. After years of being mainly a rugby player, I started playing for Somerset. I needed a county that was close to Bristol; where I was signed as a professional rugby player. Somerset fitted the bill perfectly. Even though I had a sports science degree and PGCE in Physical Education from Cambridge University I still abided by the old out dated belief that cricketers, especially bowlers;

"shouldn't lift weights, it will make you bulky and muscle bound."

It wasn't until Mike Ruddock at Swansea RFC told me that I needed to get stronger, and I was embarrassed in a bench press test that I decided to lift weights.

From that moment onwards strength training became a stable part of my preparation for the rugby and cricket seasons.

Initially it was basic: 3 sets of 10 reps on the big compound lifts: Squats, bench, military press, pull ups and so on. The initial gains I got from this program were massive. I was always big on my speed work and plyometric jumps as I was a fullback/winger in rugby, but the gains I made in my bowling speed were evident in the 1997 season.

I could bowl quite quickly but nowhere near what was needed for 1st class cricket. I could trouble a batter with a bouncer but my full deliveries were quite "floaty". Anyone can bowl a fast bouncer but a sign of a quick bowler are the ones who bowl quickly pitched up!

My first mistake

After a tough season for Bristol RFC and Exeter Chiefs I decided to retire from rugby and focus on cricket.

In the winter of 1998 I continued doing exactly the same as I did the year before, lifting weights running on treadmills and hill sprint work. The only difference was the introduction of supplements.

However, this was a mistake.

What happened that winter was I added weight without getting stronger. I added body kit to the car without increasing the size of the engine! The 1999 season was relatively successful where I played a key role in 1 day cricket with 32 Sunday league wickets and helped Somerset get to a cup final. I was left out of the final against Gloucestershire because the coach and captain believed I looked tired during our previous championship game against Essex. Stuart Law did think I was bowling throw downs to be honest!

Looking back I added to much body weight to my frame and my performances suffered when I got tired.

By adding "non-functional hypertrophy" but not getting stronger I simply made it harder to get to the wicket, and in turn I could not bowl long spells. I needed to evaluate my program. It's worth noting at this time Strength and Conditioning Coaches weren't employed in professional cricket. So I was on my own.

After the massive disappointment of being left out of the 1999 Lords final I decided to become the fittest cricketer in county cricket.

I was always pretty quick - I had an 11 second 100m sprint time - and well conditioned. What I was missing was upper body power.

In the year 2000 I was to make an astounding discovery that would solve my power problem: A discovery that I still coach with young bowlers today.

To find out what it is, read part two of my story. You can get it by subscribing to the free the PitchVision Academy newsletter here.

James Faulkner turned certain loss into monumental victory in the 2nd ODI against England in 2014. He was brilliant but - it has to be said - England were poor in the last gasps of that game.

One TV expert commented in review that "Surely England can’t be practising their yorkers." An easy assumption to make based on the outcome of the game.

However, the bottom line is that all International teams do practice bowling yorkers a lot. So, why couldn't England land them?

I watched the game again and they did land their yorkers at certain points in the game. Ben Stokes delivered 3 in in the 43rd over of the game (score 236-8) when the game was seen as dead and buried.

The next question that came into my head was "why can someone bowl yorkers at will in dead rubber situations yet not access them when under intense pressure?

Then came the ultimate question; "How can we simulate intense pressure in our yorker practices?"

Here are a few options:

1. Fatigue and heart rate

One of the practices that I have seen former England coach Peter Moores do in the past is to simulate pressure by exhausting the body and mind before trying to execute a fine skill.

Peter would get a bowlers heart rate up beyond 150bpm through exercise and then ask them to deliver a yorker.

This is brilliantly relevant. Imagine where Tim Bresnan's heart rate was when delivering those final 3 balls that all went for 4. It was likely to be around 180bpm based on research.

If the only time most bowlers experience this is in matches, then surely we aren’t preparing them optimally?

2. Testing/monitoring

Have you ever felt and noticed what happens when a doctor takes your pulse or monitors your blood pressure? It's called "white coat syndrome". We get nervous, our heart rate raises and anxiety builds effecting our physiology and therefore, impacting on our cognitive processes.

Regular testing, monitoring, comparing of results - yorker league tables are great - will increase the intensity in practice and simulate the pressure of execution under pressurised conditions.

3. Eye Patch target bowling

Get your bowlers to cover one of their eyes with an eye patch and bowl at a yorker target. See which covered eye has the most detrimental effect on performance. Then get them to practice on a regular basis with that eye covered.

This puts the body into a pressurised mode yet the intention is the same: Hit the Yorker.

We are then building a pressurised situation that leads to the body adapting in order to come up with a solution: Exactly what England weren't able to do in the last 8 overs at the Gabba.

What other ways can we help our fast bowlers to execute Yorkers in highly pressurised situations?

Let me know.

In part one of this autobiographical training guide Steffan Jones, professional fast bowler, told us how he discovered the power of strength training to bowl faster. But he was about to take things to another level. Here is what happened in 1999...

The winter of 1999 in preparation for 2000 English season was my first attempt at training specifically for cricket. This is the winter where I began to take things seriously. I began to research more on performance training and spent hundreds of pounds on training books.

At the time I was bowling 78mph. I was hoping to add a yard onto my bowling.

During the winter I followed a basic weight training program. It was nothing intense, simple basic training focusing on body parts. The gym facility we had at the time was machine based so athletic training wasn’t really possible.

Yet, I still managed to increase my pace.

How?

Moving beyond the gym

My pace increase in the 2000 season wasn’t down to weight training primarily. My training that winter revolved around "SAQ" based training (Seped Agility and Quickness).

As part of my research I contacted Alan Pearson at SAQ international in 1999 and explained what I was looking to achieve with my winter training. Immediately, he sent me a program which focused mainly on speed.

I was doing:

• parachute sprints
• fast feet ladder drills
• various plyometic jumps
• Sidewinder drills
• medicine ball throws
• weighted ball bowling

I learned so much at this time, becoming a case study on what worked and - more importantly for when I became a coach - what didn't.

For example on thing I realised is that conditioning drills where you flog yourself are pointless. I simply did SAQ work with some shuttle running. It worked. During the 2000 season I bowled 2422 balls in Championship cricket and 953 in One day cricket. I was fit to bowl that is for sure. When everyone else was injured I ran in all day. I realised that Running in to bowl is a straight line. It's simple to get specifically fit for that purpose: Do it lots of time and decrease the rest periods every week.

Weighted balls for fast bowling

The main reason for me bowling a lot quicker at that time was a 12 week weighted ball bowling program I received from Alan.

Nothing else changed massively during that winter preparation. I was bowling with a 1000g small weighted medicine ball. That is about 300 times heavier than recommended! However my view differs from most: when the ball only has 20% additional weight to normal (as the expert will tell you) it doesn't feel different. For the method to be effective the heavy ball has to feel heavy enough to make the normal ball feel light.

In hindsight, 1000g was a bit too heavy and I no longer prescribe anything heavier than 400g (dependant on strength levels of the bowler) but it worked and gave me a great foundation. I believe I coped with the excessive workload and strain of a very heavy ball because I was robust from my rugby background. I wouldn’t give a 1000g ball to a young bowler these days as I know most have been sat by the computer for years and want to jump straight into my arm speed program and expect results.

The good and bad results of speed training

As you might expect from my focus on increased speed and stamina, I became a better bowler. That season I took 40 championship wickets and 30 Sunday league wickets. I was powerful at the crease and causing problems to first-class batsmen.

Speed had won the race. My love for trying to bowl quickly began. With the help of Alan Pearson and SAQ International I had found the most beneficial method of training for me as a fast bowler.

But things were far from perfect. I faded in the last month of the season and only took 4 wickets in 4 games.

I was motivated to stop this from happening and moved into the next off-season determined to become a 90mph bowler who took wickets from the first to the last games.

I actually became obsessed with it. This would also cause me problems during the next 10 years of my career.

If you want to find out what they were so you can avoid the same pitfalls, read the next part coming up on PitchVision Academy. Get the free newsletter to stay right up to date.

This is part 3 of and autobiographical training guide Steffan Jones, professional fast bowler. Can he achieve his aim of reaching 90mph through innovative training methods? For part one click here

My main aim for the 2001 season was to bowl 90mph (145kph). I had developed a close friendship with a young Joe Tucker who also played for Somerset. We were very competitive and started competing against each other.

During the winter I spent a huge sum on turning my garage into a gym. I had a power rack, leg press, barbells, and dumbbells; the full range that I needed to build on the 2000 success. Once again I was in full control of my program even though Somerset employed their first ever strength coach: Andy Hurry. He fully trusted me and could see my programs worked. I knew he was smart; he would go on to become one of the clubs most successful coaches.

Joe and I were also competing over who could get to the lowest body fat. This was mainly due to the fact we were doing the "Body for Life" challenge. To this day I genuinely believe we both could have had a good chance of getting in the top 10. We were ripped! I was 8% body fat.

Our program was simple:

• 2 upper body days
• 1 lower body day
• 2 High intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions done on alternating days.

We performed the HIIT on empty stomachs and performed weights and sprints with med ball throws on the other days.

The weight training session was based on a pyramid loading protocol with 6 reps being the lowest. We then had one back off set for a "lactic pump". However simple it looks, it worked.

I think it worked because of the diet. To lose fat we used portion control and a focus on post workout nutrition using protein shakes. It was a really simple diet that gave me the best results. I did become obsessive and wrote everything I ate down but it was what I believed was needed to help me be the fittest cricketer in the county game.

The heavy ball bowling was still a stable in my program during the off season in February and March. I commbined it with SAQ circuits (which I still use now but under a new fancy activation circuit name). That was it, nothing fancy. No Prowler pushing, strongman circuits or Olympic lifting: Just bodybuilding weights, 10kg sled sprints, HIIT, Jumps and Throws and Weighted ball bowling.

Without doubt this was the best condition I had been in to play cricket.

I won the majority of the clubs fitness tests during pre-season and was ready to bowl 90mph.

That season I took 59 wickets in championship cricket bowling 3360 balls and a massive 36 wickets in one day cricket bowling 1193 balls; the second highest tally on record in a one day campaign.

I did also bowl 90mph in the Lords final against Leicestershire CCC. My targets were achieved. 50 wickets in a season and 90mph.

Where would I go from here?

Beyond speed

What lessons did I learn from the previous winter?

• Heavy ball bowling was still the best training method for a fast bowler.
• Running is still the best way to get fit to bowl.
• Fancy strongman circuits aren’t needed for a bowler.
• Weight training was essential
• Diet was key to staying lean and being light enough to bowl long spells over a summer.

The stats don't lie. The correlation is unbelievable.

However, this next phase in my career was not my happiest and most successful. Looking back there was a lot of contributing factors. I asked myself the question after the success of 2001; how could I improve?

My training was good at the time so the only direction I could go was with technical modifications. Brett Lee was bowling express at the time and I was desperate to copy his action. Foolishly thinking if it works for him it must work for me!

How wrong I was!

Find out what happened in the next instalment on PitchVision Academy. Get the free newsletter to stay right up to date.

Dr. Deepak Hiwale is "The Fitness Doc", a medical doctor, sports scientist and cricket lover with a special interest in preventing fast bowling injuries. In this article, The Doc tells us about the pitfalls of bowling fast, and how you can stay on the park.

Fast bowlers have always been thought of as unintelligent by batsmen. However, nothing can be further from the truth. Fast bowling an intelligent art but it is also downright hard work. What's more is that more intelligence and planning go into the making of a fast bowler compared to a cricketer with other skill sets.

This intelligence and planning is not only to make a fast bowler but to also increase his shelf life.

The sheer physical effort involved in fast bowling coupled with the fact that fast bowling is such an unnatural act, it doesn't come as a surprise that fast bowlers are constantly at risk of getting injured. Fast bowlers are the only breed of cricketers that are likely to get seriously injured both at a younger age and when approaching the 30s.

Comparatively, batsmen, bowlers and wicketkeeper are relatively safe from the injury risks.

How realistic is the injury risk when bowling fast?

Fast bowling injuries are career threatening - especially those that occur early on - yet research has show that most injuries are likely to be missed by physios and clinicians during the initial stages. A high degree of clinical and diagnostic suspicion is required to prevent further worsening. Injuries missed in the initial stages, therefore, may go on to become chronic and may severely hamper performance.

For example, injuries to lower back do not heal completely. A residual component of disc degeneration and nerve root compression is a very likely scenario.

Fast bowling is risky!

So, what does all that suggest?

Fast bowlers need to be fitter and stronger than other players. And, how do you get fitter and stronger than the rest of the guys in the team? The answer is by following a stringent fast-bowling specific strength and conditioning (S&C) program and a diet plan that complements it.

This kind of S&C and prehab training should be done off-season; which brings us to the next crucial question.

How do you prevent fast bowling injury?

With fast bowlers, a double peak (or J curve) for injuries exists. Younger fast bowlers are prone to injury on account of two principal mechanisms:

1. Immaturity of the skeletal and cartilaginous components
2. Bowling overload

So, strengthening the musculo-skeletal system (muscle strength and power included) and working on endurance – especially sprint endurance over shorter distances - will prepare the body for the rigours at hand.

A progressive S&C program consisting of a mix of strength training exercises (like squats), power movements (like high pulls), sprint intervals and exercises to strengthen fast-bowling movement pattern will not only see you progress in the pace department but also enable you to bowl long spells without risking injury.

Take home message

If you are aspiring to be a fast bowler, hitting the nets most days of the week isn't enough. In fact, there is a risk of over-bowling as a youngster.

If you are targeting bowling quick, long spells and lasting for many years in the international arena, you have to get top-notch strength & conditioning (and nutrition plan) under your belt.

A physically weak fast-bowler – no matter how quick or good he is – will have a very short shelf-life.

Reference List

• Bali, K., Kumar, V., Krishnan, V., Meena, D., & Rawall, S. (2011). Multiple lumbar transverse process stress fractures as a cause of chronic low back ache in a young fast bowler - a case report. Sports Med Arthrosc.Rehabil.Ther Technol., 3, 8.
• Dhillon, M. S., Garg, B., Soni, R. K., Dhillon, H., & Prabhakar, S. (2012). Nature and incidence of upper limb injuries in professional cricket players a prospective observation. Sports Med Arthrosc.Rehabil.Ther Technol., 4, 42.
• Dr Dennis, R. Evidence-based injury prevention for repetitive microtrauma injuries: The Cricket Example. 20-8-2007. Univeristy of Ballarat.
• Orchard, J., James, T., Kountouris, A., & Portus, M. (2010). Changes to injury profile (and recommended cricket injury definitions) based on the increased frequency of Twenty20 cricket matches. Open.Access.J Sports Med, 1, 63-76.

We stood in silence. Blinking at each other.

I had just called a break in Twenty20 training and brought all the 1st XI boys in to see how they thought they were doing.

"So then, it looks like we're set?" I offered to them, hoping that it would draw a response. Nothing was followed by more nothing. Which was then followed by a long silence.

I tried again, hoping this would be identified as a question, rather than an exclamation that we were perfect and training was cancelled for the next 10 weeks.

Suddenly one of the seamers spoke up, "I'm not ready to hit my yorker in a game, occasionally I slip it towards leg stump and I don’t want to give away an easy 4 if I have fine leg in the ring."

It took a push, but we were getting to the root: Appreciation that there can be a difference between training and a competitive, pressurised match situation.

So if are skills are set in practice, but we're not sure we are ready for a cup final yet, what can we do?

Create a pressurised net situation

Everyone's had a net where the coach has called the last six, "12 to win!" It may get players thinking about the shots they're going to play, but there’s no real realism, pressure, or consequence.

Try this instead:

• 7 over batting. Any batsman facing 40 balls or more in a T20 will be making a significant contribution to the game one way or the other, so lets give them 7 overs bat.
• Increase heart rate. Scientific studies have shown that a batters heart rate will be pounding in a high pressure T20 match. get your batters to sprint a two before every shot they play, while the bowlers have to complete 5 burpees each time they get to the end of their run up before they bowl; bowlers can work in pairs, alternating overs to give themselves some rest time between each set of 6, as well as offering the realism of over by over play.
• Overload brains. It's clarity of thinking - the ability to make the right decision at that crucial moment - that separates those who get close to the line, from those who get over it. So, write down a field. Show it to the bowler for 5 seconds, and then show it to the batsman for 5 seconds immediately after they've completed their sprints and burpees. Then set them off.

Do the same thing every ball working through each over, awarding and noting the amount of runs that are scored each delivery, allowing them to chase or defend an agreed target that you would have set at the start of the session.

We've created physical and mental challenges that mimic a game, but we still need to factor in some form of consequence.

The prize or can be anything you like. Make sure it's something that your players are really going to push for, yet not going to completely ruin their week.

This is where you come in. What are the best consequence’s you can come up for your team?

Let us know your ideas along with your teams, age and ability level. It would be great to hear what puts you or your players under pressure.

Sam Lavery is a PitchVision Academy monthly columnist: A coach with wide experience in the UK, Sam is Academy Director at Portsmouth Grammar School as well as a coach at Hampshire CCC and Burridge CC.

This is a guest article from former professional bowler, and current Strength, Conditioning and Fast Bowling Coach Steffan Jones.

How do you train to bowl lightning fast?

Sorry to all the traditionalist out there, but you can't "just bowl". Not if you want real pace.

Neither can you expect to do endless conditioning session that don't replicate the energy systems and effort of bowling. The sessions I'm seeing in some indoor schools and gyms are great for any other sports but not fast bowling!

So what do we do?

We can get clever: take training advice from similar technical skills like javelin throwing and baseball pitching. While we also remember that bowling is unique. You run in a straight line and perform a skill at the end of it with maximum pace and effort. You walk back and repeat.

Bowling is vital, but it's just one element in a chain:

1. Build specific muscles to lay foundation for the next phase.
2. Develop maximum strength relative to your bodyweight, especially in the lower body.
3. Develop maximum power in the "pushing" muscles.
4. Use that new found power to transfer to game-specific speed.
5. Be able to perform that speed a number of times.

That's it, job done.

Save your Cross fit sessions, your strongman circuit, your 400 metre runs and your high rep Olympic lifts for another sport. I've tried them all and they don't help to develop fast bowlers.

Bridging the gap between gym and pitch

You can see that as you get closer to the season your training goes from more general to more specific. We do this to bridge the gap between being "gym fit" and match fit".

Most training plans are "general". They train strength without regard to cricket. An athlete with a 2x bodyweight squat may not bowl as quickly as an athlete with a 1x bodyweight squat who has a higher level of specific strength. The stronger guys strength is not usable because he has not transferred it.

But it is important to start here to use it as a base to get more specific.

"Specific strength" is the bridge between the gym exercises, like deadlifts and chin ups, and the sports field. When I was younger and doing weeks of, unknown to me, specific training I took over 200 professional wickets in 2 seasons!

Fast bowling has 3 special considerations that ultimately affect training. In general, power for the fast bowler is generated from

1. Leg extension
2. Hip rotation
3. Trunk flexion

Training emphasis should be placed on the quadriceps, hip flexors, gluteals, pecs and abdominals.

Bowling speed is generated by momentum from the run up and rotational power in the trunk.

So it makes sense to focus on running speed. Strength development in the legs allows you to overcome the stresses on back foot and front foot contact.

Fast bowling training year

To do that a program needs to be carefully planned. A periodised program needs to have:

• general preparation phase
• specific preparation phase
• pre-competition phase
• competition phase

Each phase leads into the next, moving from general to specific and building on the last.

Early on, you will perform more work in the gym. Generally speaking, these exercises are very all-purpose and used whatever sport you play: Deadlift, rows, chins, bench press, overhead press, lunge, press up and so on.

When you have build a foundation, you move into special prep exercises. Or to get explosive!

These exercises use the same systems as fast bowling but through a different movement pattern. They stimulate the same major groups and physiological systems used in fast bowling. For example, Olympic lifts, jump squats, prowler drags and smith machine throw.

Towards the end of the 2nd phase, we get more specific again.

Special developmental exercises use the same systems as fast bowling but not identical. They duplicate part of the movement but not the whole movement. The speed and the joint angles are the same as a key part of fast bowling.

You are now using medicine ball drills, resisted sprints and jumps. For example:

As you can tell, these are getting close to the season and should be performed around 4-6 weeks out from the first game.

Where does bowling fit?

No plan is complete without bowling.

Bowlers bowl using various weighted balls, both overweight and underweight. All other training methods are no longer used or at best used in small volume for maintenance purposes. I would have bowlers bowling every day to transfer their new found general strength to competitive strength.

These exercises ware performed around pre-season games as practice and skill transfer in a competitive environment. This allows you them to peak for the first important game.

Plus, as you get closer to the season, now is the time to bowl a lot in the nets at 70-80% effort. I don't say that just to keep the old-fashioned coaches happy, it works.

It's then a case of taking a lot of wickets and scaring a lot of batsmen!

For complete training plans that fit this model for fast bowlers, check out Get Wheels and Advanced Speed Demon on PitchVision Academy.

 Wouldn't you like to know a way to get miles in your legs without 10 rounds of the ground?

While, most ex-cricketers and coaches will tell you that stamina is good for bowlers, a long jog just isn’t the way to do it. Long jogs are sure recipes for disaster.

Still sceptical? Have a look at the stats.

A study of lower limb injuries in long distance runners, reported that those who ran more than or equal to 5 Km per training session, up to 92.4% had injuries. Knee was involved most frequently; injuries to the shin, Achilles tendon, heel, calf and the foot were also common.

Sound painful? That's not all. Another study said, "middle and long-distance running were associated with a greater number of long bone and pelvic stress fractures".

But we are talking of long-distance running; how does it translate to cricketers?

Well, let us consider a cricket ground where the boundary is 80 metres from the centre of the pitch (or a batting end). That means one round of the ground should be around 500 metres. So, 10 rounds makes 5K, doesn’t it?

Now, do you recognize the connection?

In a nutshell, your coach wants you to double up as a cricketer and a long distance runner!

Given, that all that running will put extra stress on your joints – without adding much to your sports specific movement patterns – it doesn’t make sense to prescribe "10 rounds of the ground" on top of the all the ground fielding drills and the nets.

So, what other ways can you safely improve your cardiovascular fitness while protecting your bones and joint structures?

Cricket alternative to jogging

Researchers investigating injuries during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, reported that injuries of the lower body during bowling had the greatest loss of playing time. So it can still be argued that lower limbs need to be preserved for bowling. Taxing them during cardiovascular training will only increase injury risk!

An alternative is sprint interval training (SIT) rather than jogs or long-distance running.

One of the main differences that set sprinting apart from long-distance running is the little amount of time that each foot is in contact with the ground. This means, the forces working on each leg (and, the back), should be a lot lesser than in long-distance running.

Plus, bad biomechanics has been suggested to play a role in stress fractures. Improvement of movement patterns while sprinting can further reduce injury potential.

Here’s what your sprint interval routine should look like:

• Dedicate 2 days of sprint interval training in a week.
• Spend the initial few weeks learning the techniques and the drills for sprinting or pose running
• Build up speed over a few weeks. Never start at 100%, but once you feel confident look to give it your all.
• Warm up well.
• Mark out a distance: 35 to 60 metres for speed and 400-800m for endurance. Sprint the distance then rest.
• Rest period between sprints should be more than 5-10 minutes – allowing for regeneration of phosphocreatine (anaerobic energy system). Use this time for putting in some stretching.
• Do 5-10 intervals; build up over weeks
• Reduce the rest intervals to 4-8 minutes

Take home message

Cricket isn’t strictly an endurance sport. It typically warrants short bursts of energy followed by a few seconds to a more than a few minutes of rest (more so if you are fielding in the deep or at the non-striker’s end in a test match). It makes sense to ditch the ‘long-distance running methodology’ in favour or more short-burst, intense anaerobic activities.

Sprint interval training is likely to be most effective in improving fitness without undue risk of injuries.

What’s more – as opposed to long-distance jogs – sprints will improve your body composition as well. That is, it will reduce body fat while packing on lean muscle mass.

All in all, everything is stacked in favour of sprint compared to long jogs.

So, isn’t it time you considered switching over to SIT?

References

• Bennell, K., Matheson, G., Meeuwisse, W., & Brukner, P. (1999). Risk factors for stress fractures. Sports Med, 28, 91-122.
• Bennell, K. L., Malcolm, S. A., Thomas, S. A., Wark, J. D., & Brukner, P. D. (1996). The incidence and distribution of stress fractures in competitive track and field athletes. A twelve-month prospective study. Am J Sports Med, 24, 211-217.
• Ranson, C., Hurley, R., Rugless, L., Mansingh, A., & Cole, J. (2013). International cricket injury surveillance: a report of five teams competing in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Br.J Sports Med, 47, 637-643.
• van Gent, R. N., Siem, D., van, M. M., van Os, A. G., Bierma-Zeinstra, S. M., & Koes, B. W. (2007). Incidence and determinants of lower extremity running injuries in long distance runners: a systematic review. Br.J Sports Med, 41, 469-480.

Dr. Deepak Hiwale is "The Fitness Doc",a medical doctor, specializing in sports medicine and a cricket lover with a special interest in helping fast bowlers bowl quicker and in preventing fast bowling injuries.

This is a guest article from former professional bowler, and current Strength, Conditioning and Fast Bowling Coach Steffan Jones.

Why is Mitchell Johnson so unplayable at the moment?

What has made him change from a guy that struggled to hit the cut strip to now being the quickest bowler in the world and a genuine game changer?

It's not technique.

His bowling arm is slightly higher. but lets be honest, there is nothing drastic.

What has changed is this: The way he is treated. Johnson is now a finely tuned Ferrari. He sits in the garage until he's taken out and when he's out he gets absolutely floored! He's not taken out to get the bread from the shops. The Ferrari comes out when things need to be done quickly and impressively. The Head Coach believes in him and the value he brings. Like that sports car, Johnson is loved and cared for!

That's the way it has to be because you cannot physiologically keep the speed and intensity up for long periods of time.

Don't make a racehorse a workhorse

However, I've played in cricket teams where the valuable resource of the fast bowler is misused. They make the racehorse into a workhorse.

Unfortunately, physically it is impossible.

A bowler cannot bowl flat out for longer than 4-6 overs. Usain Bolt can't keep his 100m pace over 400m, let alone 1500m.

In fact, bowling long spells is a way to lose pace, and make bowlers bowl within themselves. You then get out of the habit and the mindset of bowling quickly. I'm convinced through 20 years of experience that bowlers become slow when they work at less than 100%.

So by using a gun bowler effectively and efficiently you have more chance of that bowler getting you a crucial wicket at the crucial point of the game. Pace frightens people. Fact. No one likes batting against a genuinely fast bowler.

That's just not happening right now. But you can see how important it is through the example of Mitchell Johnson.

If you look at how Australia are using Johnson the longest spell is 5-6 overs. That way he can keep the pace up and constantly unleash thunderbolts at the batters. His runs per over are irrelevant because he knows, the coach knows, Australia as a country know and the team knows his role. The Australian bowling attack has combination to back him up. Two bowlers hit line and length very effectively at a lively pace while a spinner wheels away to give the seamers a break at one end.

Then, when he's recharged and ready to be unleashed, Johnson is let loose on the opposition.

Why are you bowling long spells?

If you are being made to bowl long spells then ask the question "why?". Ask the coach and captain your role in the side. Get clarity so when you're asked to bowl you now what to do.

Every bowler has a role: A medium pacer or the all-rounder has the role of run rate control. Your job as a fast bowler is to make things happen, get wickets, rough the batter up.

In short: Bowl fast!

It's your future you deserve to know what teams expect of you. If clubs want you to slow down and hit areas, my advice is to find another club, a Darren Lehman type coach and be used as the strike bowler you deserve to be.

For complete training plans that fit this model for fast bowlers, check out Get Wheels and Advanced Speed Demon on PitchVision Academy.

This is part 4 of and autobiographical training guide Steffan Jones, professional fast bowler. For part one click here.

In 2002 I learned that hard work wasn't the secret to success.

My gym work was spot on. I was training harder and better than ever. I could see no room to improve (remember this was a few years back, and at the time you could not have found a better programme or a more motivated trainer).

Brett Lee was bowling express pace at the time and I was desperate to copy his action. I foolishly thought that if it works for him it must work for me! All I had to do was to work hard and emulate my hero.

How wrong could I be?

During the summer of 2001 John Buchannan, Australian coach at the time wrote that I was the hardest working fast bowler they had seen on tour. I believed I could use this hard work to enhance my performance by making technical changes to my bowling action. I believed my limiting factor was my action and it was holding me back in my quest to bowl consistently 90mph.

Bowling technique

My current action had too many moving parts. I wasted energy with my bowling arm circle being fully circle as opposed to a 'reverse figure of 6'.

What I tried to do was drop the bowling arm straight down by my side, like Brett Lee, and replicate a javelin throwing position.

I did bowl really quickly that winter. But it wasn't my action that scuppered my plans.

The cost of missing training

On April 14th 2002 I got injured in a pre match fielding drill through no fault of my own. This effectively ended my 1st stint on the staff at Somerset CCC. I was not the same bowler for at least another 3 winters.

Why?

My injury meant I couldn't bowl for 3 weeks during a phase where I would have built my repetitions up and made my new action automatic. After I changed my action, I had to think about every ball I bowled. I was totally confused, with no time to break the confusion and settle into my new action.

I take full responsibility for my failings as I didn't bowl enough during the winter and ended up having to re learn my new action in a short space of time. It just didn't work.

For the next 3 years I battled with my performances. Due to my technical modifications I was no longer "Mr Consistent". I regularly bowled too wide and missed the seam 3-4 balls every over.

This meant that our swing bowlers had a roughed up ball when they tried to bowl. My whole team was suffering.

I had my moments of success, but the 2003 season was to be my last at Somerset for some years. In the winter of 2004 I signed for Northamptonshire CCC and began my journey to rebuild my career.

I had learned my lessons the hard way. You can benefit from my experience by learning these lessons before you make the same mistakes.

Remember that your action is crucial, but not everyone has the body and mind of Brett Lee or Mitchell Johnson. Take ideas from those guys but don't copy mindlessly.

Know that if you are making changes you need plenty of time, and you can just rely on your natural strength to help you.

Train hard, of course, but also train smart by being aware of your body and the time you need to make changes.

Find out what happened in the next instalment on PitchVision Academy. Get the free newsletter to stay right up to date.

Jarred Opperman was on a path to fast bowling glory. He was in the Natal team, and the speed gun was showing the high 130s. He took pride in knowing that the batsmen were afraid of his speed.

“There is no better feeling in the world. The battle is already half over.”

He told me when we caught up over Skype recently. So why isn't Jarred the next Brett Lee? What happened to stop him becoming an international superstar?

It wasn't anything to do with his talent, his pace or his accuracy. It was the one word all quick bowler's fear;

Injury

Thanks to a stress fracture at 18, Jarred had to retire. At the time, there was no fast bowling coaching that was aware of injury prevention. Coaches were told not to “tinker” and the left Jarred alone with a natural action that was doomed to fail him.

The new rules of fast bowling

This set Jarred on a mission. The young man had lost one passion, but he gained another: To stay in the game and help other bowlers reach their potential for pace.

He turned to coaching fast bowlers, learning the lessons from his own short career, he soaked up ideas from innovators like Ian Pont and Steffan Jones. He started coaching bowlers to be fast, accurate and - most importantly - injury-free.

Back to the present day, and Jarred has learned plenty about express pace. As we spoke, he revealed 7 of his methods to ramp up pace without breaking your back. Methods he has used to great success with the young players that he has coached.

1. Tinker with confidence

A natural action is not always the best action. If your “natural” technique inclines you to injury then you will end up broken. You can't take wickets with a stress fracture.

So, be prepared to compare yourself to a template that works. The 4 Tent Pegs is the place to start.

Work out where you can improve, then spend time “reverse chaining” until the movement feels natural and gets you closer to the template.

This is not about becoming a robotic bowler with an unnatural action. It's about learning what movements work best for your body. This is where a good bowling coach like Jarred can make a huge difference. He is an extra pair of eyes with experience. He can show you how to drill, for example, a back foot drag that indicates a powerful action.

This takes time. Some people take one session, others take months. But there is no shortcut.

Persist along the right path, and you will be rewarded.

2. Video is vital

Jarred video's every coaching session because video provides crucial feedback. There is nothing like seeing yourself to quickly understand your action.

When you have video of yourself, you can instantly see things externally that you only feel before. This takes your technical game to a new level. It provides a feedback loop that is one of the secrets of deliberate practice.

You can use PV/VIDEO, a video camera or even an iPhone, but use something if you are serious about making positive technical change.

3. Avoid props

Video might be vital, but too many cones and poles are counter-productive.

The closer to a game you can make practice, the better, so that means leaving the external guides behind. You see many coaches using cones to show run ups, follow-throughs, ,target areas on the pitch and so on. While there is a place for that, the more you use external guides the less you are self-reliant in a match.

Use the guides like stabilizers on a bike. Start there to stop yourself falling off, but once you know how to ride, throw the stabilizers in the bin.

4. Pace is strength

You have to be strong to be a fast bowler. You can't have power or speed without strength as a base. That's where strength and conditioning comes in.

But fitness is not a separate component of your fast bowling speed plan. You must understand how S&C crosses over to cricket. That means having a basic understanding of the fundamentals of athletic training and putting them into your practice sessions.

This is about quality of movement, recovery, mobility, coordination and strength. It's easy to achieve these things, even if you are under 18, but if you passion is to bowl fast you must learn how the two world integrate together.

It's no longer enough to do a few crunches for core training, run a couple of miles for endurance and then bowl.

5. Be simple, but not too simple

We can all improve pace, but everyone has limits. Most people cannot achieve 90mph. However, you can work on the simple things that have the greatest effect.

So, get really good at the basics (like the 4 tent pegs), it will take longer than you think, and avoid over-thinking. That way you will avoid jumping around different methods and stay focused on that ultimate prize.

Overall, you can learn from Jarred's experiences. He has had the pain of injury and loss of a cricketing career. He has had the joy of ramping up young bowlers pace and this article has given you some practical steps you can take to your next session.

Jarred Opperman originates from Durban, South Africa where he represented Kwa-Zulu Natal High Schools. He is now a Pace Bowling specific coach based in England. He specialises in developing pace, safe bowling actions in bowlers, as well as improving tactical performance.