Taxi driver, bank manager and hotel owner.

Three jobs every parent of young cricketers feel like they have. Is good sporting parenting is about more than this? Whether you are a kid, parent or coach the answer is probably yes.

This doesn't mean parents need to be heavily involved with the cricket club their kids play in. Most teenagers might even cringe at that thought. There are certain things a good mum or dad can do that won't go that far.

Underlying all these tips is the idea that parents exist in a young players world to offer support.

photo credit: xgretsch

Today's coaching tip is from guest poster Matt Homes.

Currently I am coaching a lad of county age group standard who you would say is primarily a bowling all rounder. He has good hand/eye co-ordination and general tactical awareness.

Even at his young age he has been through a number of development and county age group courses during winter programmes and therefore would have been drilled technically in many areas of the game.

photo credit: Spoungeworthy

Back in the mists of ancient history (the 1980's) the Soviets were kings of sport. Their state funded athletes became a huge experiment in maximising performance.

This included the development of periodisation: the planning system that most sports follow to this day, cricket included.

According to the ECBCA, the ideal number of people in a net at any one time is 6. I don't know about your club but on a busy practice day where I play we have way more than that jostling for a bowl and a bat.

The simple answer is to incorporate some fitness work into you practices too.

Of course, we want it to be fun as well as beneficial to our game, so how would you structure a session to meet these needs?

The first thing to do is ask yourself the following questions:

photo credit: Tc7

Bowling faster is the holy grail for many seamers. One method that has been borrowed from field athletics is using a heavier ball to bowl with.

Does it work?

The theory behind heavy ball bowling is simple: Using a heavier ball should overload the muscles you use to bowl with. When returning to a normal ball you will be stronger and therefore able to bowl with more pace.

Today's coaching tip is from new guest poster Matt Homes.

photo credit: jnxyz

"You are an athlete in your approach to the wicket, until you hit the crease when you become a bowler."

I hear that phrase a lot from various coaches to fast/medium paced bowlers. It's very true as this maintains the momentum to work in straight lines towards the target with a good arm drive.