Ask any power lifter. They don't bother training the core.

Why would you when squatting and deadlifting movements give you abs like iron anyway?

The fact is that lower back injuries in cricket happen because the spine is moving too much. The fast bowler with a mixed action has a lot of rotation at the spine and over time this leads to pain and stress fractures.

Why then, would you train the core to flex, extend and rotate even more?

Wouldn't it make more sense to go the other way and learn to do it less?

For me there are three ways that broadly link back to the three movements you are trying to prevent.

And to make sure your core is stopping you getting injured you need to be doing some variation of all three:

If you have ever tried to pick a heavy box off the floor you know that you have to brace your stomach muscles. If you didn't your spine would rip itself right out of your back. Uncomfortable at the very least.

This is the anti-core version of doing crunches. Instead of flexing your spine you are preventing it flexing (and it's why those power lifters are so strong in the abs).

So, get in the gym and start working on those big anti-flexion movements.

Squat and deadlift. It's not as meat headed as you think (click here to find out why).

Also, to train the anti-extension part of the core, you can add standing overhead pressing. May as well while you are in the gym, right?

Chucking a big ball against a wall or the floor is just plain good fun. It gets all that aggression out.

And it also trains your core to resist extension (overhead throwing) and rotation (side throwing). They key points to remember are:

• Use a ball of suitable weight. 1-2kg for overhead and 2-4kg for side throws is plenty.
• Do 3 sets of 10 reps and progress by throwing the ball harder, not adding reps (this is not cardio work).
• Throw and catch the ball. Use a 'bouncy' med ball rather than the old fashioned sand filled ones and catch the ball off the wall or floor between reps.

Finally, you can fill in the gaps of anti-core training with a few exercises some might consider 'basic' but really do a smashing job.

Press ups and their variations don't just train the chest, when done right they force your core to stabilise your body (like a plank with benefits).

The pallof press is just awesome. Need I say more?

And finally, if you have access to a cable machine, chop and lift movements are always parts of any decent cricketers warm up before strength training.

But that doesn't give you a free pass if you want to prevent injury.