This is the third in the series of articles from Darren Talbot of Darren Talbot Cricket Coaching and Head of Coach Mentoring at Surrey County Cricket Club. Click here for part one, click here for part 2.

You have identified that a young player is ready to play senior cricket. What else do you have to consider?

In the Champions Trophy, India out-fielded South Africa to victory.

It wasn't the only reason for the win, but it was enough for the sages to comment on the difference. What was going on?

It only seems like a few years ago when every team had at least one batter who would walk to the wicket with his team-mates giggles carrying across the outfield.

We were all waiting for the inevitable death rattle as the "bunny" plays all round a straight one.

Top level coaches now encourage the "bunny" to think about scoring runs rather than just surviving with leaves, blocks and evasion. As a result it's common to see lower order players reverse sweeping and moving across their stumps to tuck the ball into the on-side for one.

So how can we develop the next generation of lower order batters in our clubs, academies and schools?

Long jumpers don't overstep the foul line to get more distance.

Dart players don't stand closer to the board to get more accuracy.

Footballers don't practice penalties from in front of the spot.

So why is there such an "overstep-idemic" at cricket practice?

Here is a perfect example:

This is the 2nd in a series of guest articles from Darren Talbot of Darren Talbot Cricket Coaching and Head of Coach Mentoring at Surrey County Cricket Club. To read part 1, click here

Over the past decade cricket clubs have worked hard to get their junior sections more formally organised with qualified coaches, good player to coach ratios and generally much better sessions for young cricketers.

Older junior cricketers get many years of weekly, structured, brilliantly organised training sessions with a qualified coach.

Then they start going to senior training.

Ah.

Can you imagine this at Manchester United's training ground:

Sir Alex Ferguson: "Robin! What are you doing?"

Robin van Persie: "Practicing my free-kicks Boss"

Sir Alex Ferguson: "Are you mad? You know that we don’t allow that! You're only allowed to take free kicks in matches. But make sure you don’t miss."

This is a guest article from Darren Talbot of Darren Talbot Cricket Coaching and Head of Coach Mentoring at Surrey County Cricket Club.

It's never been more difficult to retain youngsters in cricket. The numbers leaving the game from ages 14-18 are increasing every year and club senior numbers are dwindling as a consequence.

Growing pressure on young people to pass exams is a factor, but clubs are often missing tricks to make that transition more attractive and keep some of these young players in the game.

Often we concentrate on the boundaries and pay scant regard to singles and developing the art of running between the wickets.

One of the reasons for this is the reliance on standardised nets to develop batting technique rather than incorporating innovative practice and facilitating brilliant cricket discussions to build run scoring awareness.

I'm delighted to announce that the online Swing Bowling Masterclass courses are now open to purchase, exclusively on PitchVision Academy.

As you know, a few weeks ago we announced that Nathan Bracken was producing his first ever online coaching courses. And since then excitement has built up around the things you can learn from the Aussie international.

You know that I always am looking to get better myself so I can help players. Recently I have spent time with Muhammad Haroon who now acts as one of my consultants at Millfield School.

Haroon has helped our spinners to spin the ball hard, deceive the batters regularly and has given them unrivalled confidence.