Cricket involves three main skills -- bowling, batting and fielding. Each has its own mental and physical demands. However, all three require good balance, concentration and sudden bursts of pace. Cricket games can last for up to five days, so you also need high endurance and all-round fitness. Improve your overall game with general fitness and flexibility exercises. Specific cricket exercises will help develop your core playing skills.
Running With the Bat
Cricketers run with the bat between wickets to score runs. Measure a distance of 66 feet on a grass pitch and leave markers at each end. This is the distance between two cricket wickets. If you're on your own, try timing how long it takes to run between these points three times in a row. If you're training with friends, divide into equal teams and form a line behind one of the markers. The first person runs to the next marker and back with the bat, then hands it over to the next person. The winning team is the one that finishes first. If possible, wear your full cricket pads to help you get used to them.
Stomach Muscle Core Training
Core muscle strength plays a big part in all cricket skills, from bowling to wicket-keeping. Craig Smith, Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club's physiotherapist, suggests an easy way to work the core. Suck in your stomach muscles as though you were hollowing out your belly. Your ribs should stick out as much as possible. Hold in your stomach for five seconds, then let it out gently. Try increasing the duration to 10, then 15 seconds and longer until you can comfortably hold in your stomach for minutes at a time.
Long Catching Exercises
All cricketers, whether batters or bowlers, need to learn how to catch. You never know when the ball might arrive near you when fielding. Practice standard long catching with a friend. Spread your fingers wide and touch your hands together, with your little fingers crossed over, according to former England cricket captain Paul Collingwood. Keep your knees bent and legs in a wide, solid stance. Ask your friend to throw the ball at head height or higher. Reach to catch the ball. As it hits your palms, close your fingers around it and bring your hands into your chest, cradling the ball and cushioning the impact. Start throwing close together, then walk one pace back after five catches in that position.
Heavy Ball Bowling
Bowling a heavy ball is a good way to increase bowling speed without too much focus on weight training. Practice in cricket nets, if possible. Use a heavy training cricket ball, available from many sports stores. The Pitchvision cricket skills website suggests bowling four bowls with the heavy ball, then two with a light tennis ball, then two with a standard cricket ball. Take two-minute rests between each set of bowling.
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