Can your team catch regularly and confidently?

Then it's time for the daddy of all high catching drills.

This is grim if the fielder doesn't cling onto the first few high balls. It trains concentration and desperation which all the best fielders have in abundance.

I have been chuffed with the development of one committed player that I coach. This poor fellow couldn't catch a cold three weeks ago. He was getting frustrated and embarrassed in fielding practice and was dreading a high catch being hit his way.

Today, he is transformed.

This is a guest article from James Hughes. James is a student and cricket coach conducting research into how to improve slip catching.

Catches win matches.

Fielding provides more opportunity to influence the game than any other role. In a Twenty20 you have 120 balls to influence the game as a fielder, yet as a batter you could be out first ball.

Do you recognise this?

Bowlers have bowling with soaking wet balls, drying the ball on a towel kept in the back your trousers and fielders throwing the ball sideways as the ball slips out of their hands. Anyone who has played club cricket will know all about these kinds of challenge.

Weather often keeps us training indoors, but why not think outside the box this year, or perhaps more aptly, think outside the sports hall?

There's still a lot that can be achieved from getting out, even in the wet.

If your nets have got a bit dull and lifeless, you need to fit a turbo boost, courtesy of England Performance Programme Coach, Iain Brunnschweiler.

Right now "Brunchy" is realising a 6 week series of coaching sessions that anyone can take to nets to make the sessions fun, exciting sessions that will lead to better cricket from you and your team.

The latest one is out today so click here to get this week's session instantly.

It's rare to see a coach these days without a fielding bat and a baseball catching mitt in the kitbag. But the mitt is a tool that can be used by all players.

I can hear people saying, "Hang on, mitts are cheating. Why would a player want one?"

The answer is simple: to improve your throwing.

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?

Somewhere in the world right now is a cricketer panicking.

He's panicking because his season starts in two or three weeks and he has spent the winter doing anything but cricket.

He was too busy for nets, he forgot about the gym membership he paid for in January and pressure for his time comes from all sides; family, friends and work.

Maybe that guy is even you.

If it is, you're not alone. Life gets in the way of good intentions.

This is a guest article from coach and PhD candidate Adam Kelly

Everyone says you should train hard but sometimes it's good to step back and ask a bigger question of ourselves.

What is the purpose of training?

We spend hours and hours in nets and on the field looking to enhance our performance. Drills are designed to improve our skills.

Logically we should train recognise which skill to execute and when to execute said skill.