I'm betting it's sore. More bowlers are reporting to their coaches with a niggle or problem, especially in the lower back. Fast bowling coach Ian Pont says he has never seen so many young players with so many problems.

What's worse than having a bad cricket technique?

Chances are you know someone who plays with niggles in the shoulder, hip or back. Chances are it is caused by improper technique. Injury rates are up massively in recent years but it's not because players have stopped trying to bat and bowl with proper technique, it's because their bodies are not letting them.

Would your club side be better with a couple of excellent spin bowlers? How about your Test team?

They are mysterious, a joy to watch and frustrating to play against. But spinners need careful attention if they are to be developed properly. It's easy for coaches and captains to crush the enthusiasm and confidence of a young player simply by misunderstanding how to handle them.

In recent years a new criticism of a player has entered the vocabulary of cricket: That of 'slavishly following the coaching manual'.

They have a perfect off drive that goes straight to mid off every time: A great shot for none. They are typified by slow scoring and a lack of power in their shots. They may even be described as a player from another age.

Every fast bowler knows that a 'mixed' action is a recipie for lower back injuries. If you don't have a video camera, how can you tell if your action is mixed?

In this video, filmed at Activate Cricket Centre in Sydney, we look at how a simple piece of chalk can be just as effective if you know how to use it. Learn how you can find out if your shoulders and hips are properly aligned in your action and reduce your chance of injury.

In the art of swing bowling, subtle and minor adjustments can make major differences to the amount and type of swing you get.

It's easy to see what the grip looks like for inswing and outswing. It's also easy to see if you are making chances of swing improve by having an upright seam position as the ball travels towards the batsman.

Picture the scene. You are at the end of your run up. Conditions are in your favour and the ball has been swinging. Slips, gulley and the wicketkeeper are waiting.

You have been pitching the ball up a little further to encourage it to move but so far the batsman has been on top of you, hitting three drives through the gap at cover. He’s 12 not out.

You are not worried.

This post is inspired (with permission) by Ian Pont's Fast Bowler's Bible. Click here to pick up a copy.

Just like smoking, you shouldn't bowl front foot no balls.

Ever.

Neither habit is very good for you. That is scant consolation if you do find your foot stepping over the line though. Like a nicotine addict you find the harder you try to stop the harder it becomes. It starts to become an unbreakable habit.

Nobody understands how difficult it is.