miCricketCoach reader and cricketer is a 14 year old all rounder who has already played for the UAE Under 15's, Young Talent Cricket Academy and Talent Cricket Club. In the future he plans on a long and illustrious International career. You can follow him on twitter.

My injured left wrist allowed me to attend only two of the coaching sessions held during the weekdays. I didn't attend school coaching sessions at all this week.

I attended the U.A.E. U-17 coaching. We did lots of fielding: High catches, long distance flat catches and fielding. We were told to avoid using traditional methods that require us to place some part of the body behind the ball (e.g.: long barrier). Our coach told us that having such a backup plan shows that we aren't completely confident that we can hold the ball. Most of us succeeded at charging at the ball, and fielding it without problems.

I couldn't attend coaching, but I did lots of throwing practice. I placed the stumps in the middle of an open area, and threw the ball at it from different distances and angles. I experimented a lot, and tried out techniques that I had watched in a Paul Collingwood masterclass video. A few of the important things I changed were:

• I began using my wrist more.
• I became better at transferring my weight onto the front leg while throwing (even though nothing was said about this in the masterclass, I could see that Collingwood's right leg was in the air after throwing).
• I practiced the jumping start technique we had been taught at the U.A.E. coaching. Usually, before a long distance, most of us do a little dance - where we take the left leg forward and across to the right, then drag the right foot behind the left foot and then plant the left foot in front in order to throw. What we were told to do, was to take the left leg forward, and then drag the right leg forward in as straight a line as possible, only touching the ground for a short time as we took our left legs forward again to plant it and throw. The feet are placed in a straighter line for the second technique, and is used by various international players (I've seen most Australian players do it).
• While throwing we had also been told to keep the upper part of the arm (biceps, triceps) at least parallel to the shoulder and if possible, higher up for injury prevention.

We did more fielding drills on Wednesday and had another much needed rest day on Thursday.

I attended coaching at the academy in the morning. However, I had to play a match for my school on short notice. It was a 30 over game, and we were bowled out for 149 in 27 overs. I opened the innings, and was out for 14. My partner was out for 3. With two of our main batsmen down, we were struggling. An excellent partnership between our 5th and 6th batsman ensured a better score. With some reckless, see-ball hit-ball slogging by the tail-enders, we managed to put up a reasonable score. However, one of the batsmen in the other team, began swinging the bat at every ball - and he was successful. He even hit a chest-high delivery to long off for six off one of our fast bowlers (it was a smaller ground though)! Even though we had a good team, they finished the match in 19 overs.

Right after that match, we had a 'birthday special' 10 over slog against the same team.

We put them to bat and got them all out for 59 in 9 overs. We bowled a tight line and length, and bowled body line to the batsman who had hit us all over the place. I managed to get one wicket only.

After lunch, I opened the batting once again - and this time we played better. Starting with a six of the first ball, we finished the match in 4 overs. I scored 30 of 13 balls and my opening partner played a few excellent shots too. We took more risks in the second innings - since most of us were tired and wanted to finish the game fast. We weren't outcome dependent; we played one ball at a time.

I attended my academy coaching. My coach at the academy is a bowling coach, and he told me that he would start 'fine-tuning' my bowling technique for optimum results. Even though I was reluctant at first, I decided to trust him because he believed that I had lots of potential, and wanted me to have a good future. He told me he would only change one thing at a time, and this week it would the most important aspect of my bowling: my run-up.

My coach thought my run-up wasn't rhythmic enough. He blamed my run up for my recent poor bowling performances. Before changing it, he threw a ball 20 to 30 yards away and asked me to run normally and pick it up. He told me that my run up should be natural, just the way I had ran to pick up that ball - I shouldn't have to think much about running up to bowl. He asked me to start slowly and build up speed with every step. I finally ended up with a rhythmic and easy run-up. I wasn't tired after two hours of bowling, I was bowling at a reasonable pace without any extra effort, and I had a lot more control over my line and length. He asked me to practice running up to bowl in this manner over the week.

Later that evening, I played a friendly match for my school against another academy. The venue was one which most of us had very little knowledge about, and most of us reached late. The match had to be reduced to 15 overs a side. The coach asked us, the openers, to stay for the full 15 overs but score runs whenever possible. After watching what the ball was doing for a couple of overs, we started pushing the ball harder. The other team had a few weak fielders whom we targeted. We played extremely powerful shots their way, and we got lots of runs.

My partner got out in the 12th over when we were 115. I got out in the next over for 66, when I mistimed a shot that was intended to be my third six. In the remaining two overs, we couldn't score much. The other team had to chase 129 in 15 overs. They turned out to be a good batting side, and were cruising until one of our bowlers turned the match around with two crucial wickets in one over.

Off the last over (which I bowled), they required 4 runs. 2 runs were needed off the last ball.

A misfield from one of our players ensured their victory.

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