First Innings is an innovative, all-round cricket resource for junior coaches, teachers, and young players designed to develop both their cricket skills, and their enjoyment and understanding of the game. This online coaching manual was formulated by Queensland Cricket’s top coaches and development managers, and features a huge array of exercises and tips from XXXX GOLD Bulls and Konica Minolta Fire players.

The video and audio tips are broken into 10 separate sections, showing exactly how techniques should be taught or learnt: 

TIP : The Tapes take about 2 minutes to download. Click on three tapes at a time and they will download quicker

1-2-3 = Basic Coaching - Level 0 Coach / Beginner Player

4-5-6-7 = Level 1 Coach / Club / School Player

8-9-10 = Helpful Tips - Ideas and Games for All Coaches

Here's a list of the 10 videos : ( Not Hyperlinked )

OTHER TIPS FROM THE PROS

Playing spin with Marcus Trescothick

So the cat is finally out of the cricket bag. In a spirit of generosity, ISM batsman Marcus Trescothick has revealed the technique which has enabled England to combat the world's top spinners.The so-called forward press was devised by coach Duncan Fletcher after studying the way Indian batting stars Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin coped with spin bowling.

It is based on the premise that a batsman needs to be quicker on his feet when when facing spin, rather than seam bowling.

In his column for the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Trescothick said: "The cricket coaching manuals are full of important information about how to play the cover drive, the pull, the hook and even the reverse sweep.

"But I doubt whether you'll find anything much on the forward press, a new term that will probably be meaningless to most cricketers, unless they happen to be members of the England squad."

Initial movement

Trescothick credits the technique with having made a "huge difference" to his game.

It's hard to argue with that, as two of his three Test centuries so far have come against Sri Lanka and Muralitharan has yet to dismiss him in either Test or one-day cricket.

Indeed it is more orthodox Sri Lankan spinners like captain Sanath Jayasuriya and Dinuk Hettiarachchi, who have enoyed success against the powerful left-hander.

So what does the forward press involve?

"In simple terms, it means addressing a delivery from someone like ISM Bowler Muralitharan, by making an initial half-step onto the front foot as he bowls.

"It gives the batsman a solid base from which he can either push further forward if the ball is of a full length or back if it is short," Trescothick revealed.

Fred's Fast Bowling Pointers

Here are 5 important tips from Fred about the art of Fast Bowling:

1. Try to develop a comfortable & rhythmic run up . A longer run up does not mean that you are going to bowlany quicker.

2. Accelerate through your run up so you explode into the crease and your follow through.

3. You will gain more control by having a steady wrist behind the ball, this is an important element to fast bowling, it is difficult to learn but the more you practise the easier it will become.

4. Bowl at 90% of your normal pace for the majority of your spell and save the extra 10% for the big effort bowls i.e. Yorkers and Bouncers. This will help you to bowl longer spells and with more accuracy.

5. Develop variations to your bowling so you can become a bowler a captain can call upon in all conditions.

Michael Vaughan On The Pull

1. When playing the pull shot it is important not only to pick the right length of ball, but also the right line.

2. Ideally the perfect ball should come through at hip level.   Although  playing back keep your weight forward and into the shot and try to play the pull with your arms fully extended away from the body.

3. Always try to keep your eyes over the ball and don’t try to hit it too hard.   Timing is the key.   If you master the pull it is a very destructive shot and will force the bowler into changing his length. 

Improving your mental toughness.’

It's often said that cricket is all in the mind; indeed most experienced players will tell you that 90% of the game is in your head. Yet as cricketers, we spend the vast majority of our time practising technique when we should be working at mental toughness - conditioning the mind to deal with the situations we are likely to face.

I've listed some training methods that will help improve your mental strength based upon the sort of game scenario you might come across. Your aim should be to replicate match conditions as much as possible, to practice as you play. The British Army have a philosophy which sportsmen would do well to follow "Train hard - fight easy." It's good advice….

Creating pressure to replicate match situations

Most of the routines listed involve the presence of pressure. Pressure is the single biggest factor in failing to achieve a cricketing objective - not technique. Imagine being asked to catch a ball in fielding practice, a task you fulfil with no dramas. Then, the coach asks you to catch the same ball but tells you that if you drop it, he will drop you from the team for the rest of the season. The technical aspect of the catch is no different but the outcome certainly is.

Without resorting to such drastic measures, there are incentives/pressures you can introduce yourself to help you increase your mental toughness. Here are some examples: Physical training - 1 lap of the ground for every catch you drop. Financial - You decide to give £1 to charity for every wide you bowl during a channel bowling drill. Treats - Every time you get out in the nets, you offer to buy the successful bowler a beer. Be careful here…if he's any good he could spend the whole season intoxicated.

Mental Training: Batting

1. Nets - when you're out, you're out. The easiest thing in the world is to go in and look a million dollars in the nets in the knowledge that you'll have your 20 minutes of batting regardless of how many times you're dismissed. Be hard on yourself. Tell the other players if you are out in the nets to a genuine dismissal, you'll be coming out it - will definitely concentrate your mind.

2. Target setting. Set yourself a target to win the game off your own bat. If it's 32 not out, play until you achieve your target, altering the field realistically as the fielding captain would.

3. Playing the field. With a minimal amount of bowlers in your net, ask each of them to set you a field. This is excellent practice, particularly against spin, where you will need a clear idea of how you are going to score your runs.

4. Runs per over. Set yourself a scoring rate during nets in runs needed per over either in setting or chasing a target. If you fall too far behind, or get out, another batter padded up comes in and takes your place.

5. Batting Practice For Childern. For junior cricketers learning the skills of batting, the best type of practice is for someone to ‘feed’ balls of any type for them to hit. However many parents or helpers will often throw balls overarm to small children, causing the ball to bounce up around the childs waist, forcing them to play the pull shot which is the stroke most junior players find the easiest to play anyway. To help them learn to hit the ball with a vertical bat, throw UNDERARM from a distance of around 15 metres and encourage them to ‘hit the ball back where it’s come from.’

This can be done in the nets, a garden, field etc. and is best carried out using non-hard tennis balls or plastic kwik-cricket balls. For really young children who may struggle to hit a moving ball, try placing it on a plastic cup turned upside down and get them to ’step and hit’ - they’ll find it much easier to hit a stationary target.

6. Buying a Bat. One of the biggest problems young cricketers have is self inflicted - they are given a bat that is far too big and heavy for them. As a rule, children should reach the age of 16/17 before they use a full size bat. Below that age, make sure they can pick a bat and hold it comfortably in the back swing position, with one hand if necessary.

Children often want to have a heavy bat to hit the ball harder but if a bat is too heavy they won’t be able to generate the bat-speed required to really give the ball a good whack!

Mental Training: Bowling

1. Channel bowling to a keeper or mitt. Excellent practice away from the nets. For every wide you bowl (put out 2 cones as your channel that the ball must go through being very strict on leg-side wides), impose a penalty on yourself.

2. Bowl with a new ball. Ever bowled with a new ball in a match and it just didn't feel right in your hand? Or asked not to bowl with the new ball because you don't like the lacquer? If you always practice with your favourite net ball which feels lovely and comfortable when you grip it, you're making life very hard for yourself when it comes to bowling in a match and you have no choice over which ball you use. Spend £6 and buy yourself a new ball to bowl with - then try the channel bowling drill with penalties.

3. New ball for spinners. Most spinners only ever bowl with an old ball, but there are many times when a spinner is brought into the attack very early, and sometimes opens the bowling. Practice using a new ball to prepare yourself for this eventuality.

4. Death bowling. Bowling at the death is a challenge to most bowlers. Set a field and ask the batter to try and hit you for boundaries. Include an incentive for him for every 4 or 6 he hits.

5. Improving Your Bowling. Bowling can be a difficult skill to master but you can really improve by following these simple principles. First things first - get a good basic 2 finger grip on top of the ball with your thumb underneath. When practising concentrate on your bowling action first - your run up can come later. Try to bowl from a relatively sideways position gathering both your arms up to your head - Glenn McGrath is a good example to follow.

When bowling make full use of your front arm towards your target and with your bowling arm, look to release the ball as high as possible - 12 o’clock on the clock face. Keep your eyes focused on where you want the ball to land from the beginning of your run up right through to your follow through.

For practice ideas on your own, try bowling against a wall and see if the ball comes back to you, a sure sign that you are bowling straight. If you can get to a cricket net take a bag of balls and bowl in sets of 6 balls at a single stump. If you can practice with a friend, bowl with a tennis ball to each other 20 metres apart. Practice hard but don’t overdo it - bowling can be tough work so if your body feels tired, rest for the day.

6. Should I bowl fast or slow ? Many young players struggle to decide whether they should be a seam bowler or a spinner, usually because they are good at both. If you’re having this problem, try to work out which feels the more natural and suits your physical shape. If you are tall and strong, there’s a good chance you’ll make a fast bowler whereas if your seam bowling is only medium pace and you don’t move the ball much, spin might be the better option.

However, there are no set rules in bowling and there have been some very good smallish fast bowlers such as Damien Fleming and Makhaya Ntini, whilst Ashley Giles and Anil Kumble are both well over 6ft tall. In time you’ll learn which style of bowling will give you the best chance of succeeding, til then - enjoy doing both!

Mental Training: Fielding & Wicketkeeping

1. Pressure catching. Ask your coach/teammate to hit you a range of different catches. Every one you drop is a penalty.

2. 20 catches. You have to catch 20 balls on the trot, if you drop 1 it's back to 0.

3. Clean collection. Have a series of balls rolled towards you, if you fail to collect any of them cleanly, you suffer a forfeit.

4. 10 throws. You are thrown or rolled 10 balls, all of which have to be caught or collected cleanly. All 10 of your throws must reach the keeper/mitter on the full.

5. Stumping chance. Keeping wicket up to the stumps, a batter faces 6 balls knowing one of them will see him leave his crease and offer a stumping opportunity. If you fluff it, fitness penalties of 1 minute non-stop press ups or sit ups.

6. Timed fielding. You agree with your coach a reasonable time frame to complete a fielding task, for example, retrieving and throwing a ball in from the outfield. If due to misfielding or a bad throw the task is not completed, you suffer a penalty.

7. Practicing your catching is a fantastic way of improving your hand/eye co-ordination and will help improve the rest of your game.

Try throwing a tennis ball against a wall from varying distances. If you can catch it easily with both hands, see if you can repeat the success using one hand only. Catching as little as 50 balls will make a real difference to this vital skill.

8. Cricket Balls Hurt Your Hands? It’s very common for young players who are making the transition from softball cricket using a tennis or kwik ball to struggle when faced with catching and playing against a real cricket ball. The key is to get your hands, and your mind, used to playing with a hard ball. Try throwing an old cricket ball from one hand to the other for 1 minute. This will ‘toughen up’ your hands and make the feel of the ball less daunting. When you’re comfortable with that, do the same thing but with a newer, harder ball.

Make sure when you’re catching or fielding a real cricket ball to relax your hands and ‘give’ with the ball where possible - if you have stiff arms and rock solid hands it will make your job a lot more difficult.

There are many variations on these ideas but I hope they will allow you to train the most important part of your cricketing set up - your mind.

Colts Advise Ready for Your Big Game Here's Wrighty's Pre Match Tips

Attitude

• Play cricket for the enjoyment
• Exhibit the highest possible standards of conduct on
• Players make a full commitment to the activities of the team
• Develop a strong desire to do their best
• Visualise goals, tactics and future performances
• Develop a pre-match and match routines
• Be responsible for your own fitness and skill rehearsal
• Develop a self belief to overcome the rough patches.

Batting

• Look for a run every ball.
• Emphasize strike rotation
• Call for every ball - yes, no, wait. Do not call “Go” as this can sometimes be interpreted as “No”.
• Back up 2 to 3 metres every ball , when at non strikers end.
• Form Partnerships to score at a steady rate.
• Become aware of the run rate
• Become aware of careless fielding ie Overthrows.
• Become aware of fielders weaknesses and strengths.

Bowling

• Bowl an appropriate line and length
• Bowl to your field
• Bowl over the wicket unless instructed by the coach or captain
• Perform the required stretches before bowling
• Identify and bowl to the batsmen’s weaknesses

Fielding

• Anticipate the ball at all times
• Return the ball over the stumps
• Retain balance before throwing the ball.
• Back up all returns to the wicket
• Anticipate the bounce of the ball ie wet/quick
• Provide verbal and non verbal assistance to your team mates.
• Walk in with the bowler when fielding in the out field.
• Mark your spot in the field and walk in, unless in close.

Teams

• Play positive and attacking cricket
• Build and maintain pressure upon the opposition
• Actively support your coach , captain and team mates
• Ensure that the team bowls the required overs in the allocated time
• Stay until the end of the game
• Clap the opposition captain when he comes out to bat
• Shake hands with the opposition after the match .

Get Nervous Before You Bat

Most players experience nerves before they go out to bat - they just need to be controlled. The following steps will help you keep your nerves in check and use them positively when you play.

First things first - go for a jog or have a practice hit before the game starts, either will make you feel more ready to perform. If you know you’re going to be batting, have a gameplan - an idea of how you’re going to play but don’t play your innings before you go out to bat.

If you’re next in, watch the game but not TOO closely - just because the batter in is playing and missing it doesn’t mean that you will. If there’s a fast bowler on, see if you can sit behind him, the ball always seems much quicker sideways on.

Nerves are greatest at the start of your innings so keep things nice and simple. Be prepared to play yourself in and get used to the conditions and remember that you’ll feel a lot better having got off the mark, so look for a single as your first objective.

Finally, always visualise succeeding. Remember past performances when you have played well - you’ve done it before so you can do it again. Good luck!