The better we as coaches become at hitting balls, the quicker our fielders will move to elite in the deep. So get out there with your high catching coaches kit and practice your hitting.

As a coach, there is no better feeling than hitting a perfect distance high catch which allows the player to push himself/herself slightly beyond their limits and come up with the ball in hand. That's how we build skill and robust confidence and we can only do that if our hitting is world class

High catch with good hangtime

The average time that a ball stays in the air in International cricket is 4.7 seconds. Can you match or exceed that with control over your direction? Here is one my best efforts on video. Can you beat this?

Over the shoulder catch with control

Work at controlling the distance of your hit so players still have to move as the ball hits their hands. Shahid Afridi demonstrates in this video.

Taking flat trajectory catches on the boundary edge

 Hit from the square, create match-like trajectory and angles for your players and watch the results when it comes to game time.

Also simulate catching the ball just inside the rope with the player throwing the ball up in the air for themselves to come back into play and complete the catch or for a team-mate to take.

Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson would demand me to hit this type of ball for them to simulate and their performance rocketed. It's great fun to practice and has on 2 occasions resulted in my teams pulling off match and tournament winning catches.

Lastly, a bit of fun; living proof that it is easier to chat in the Commentary Box than get under a well hit ball!

Master your hitting, become a world leader and watch your players take match winning catch after match winning catch. Enjoy!