When the season is over and the sun has disappeared from the sky the temptation is to hibernate until indoor nets start again.

But a recent trip to a physio for a sports massage changed my mind about winter training.

I had noticed over the last couple of years that my back began to feel tighter and tighter and now was the time to do something about it.

My logic was to give my back a service to allow it to feel loose for a few months before the strain started again.

If you want someone who has experienced everything in the world of coaching then you need to look no further than Mark Garaway.

Mark joins the show as our latest – and Burners aside, greatest – contributor. He brings a wealth of experience from coaching county cricket, being England analyst, directing performance for Ireland and coaching in the IPL.

And from now on Garas will be answering your questions and discussing coaching news as part of the team.

It’s controversy all round in the show as David and The Boss take a look at pink balls and floodlit first-class cricket, bad pitches and the fitness – or otherwise – of India’s cricketers.

We also answer questions on fitness and have an interview with Joe Shillaker of SM1 Coaching all about how cricket is an important factor in the wider development of youngsters in society.

It’s an unmissable start to your weekend, or your money back. 

Burners and David swap cricket injury stories and we want to hear yours too. So drop us a line with your most gruesome injuries, just please don’t show us your scars – that’s gross.

The show also features part 3 of the spin bowling tips interview with South African coach Menno Gazendam.

Plus we answer your questions on cricket careers and how to be loose like Joel Garner recommends. 

It’s the modern dilemma of the good coach: how much can you do with your players to get them fit?

It doesn’t help that opinions vary greatly as to the answer.

The purist says that there is no need to do anything at all. Simply playing the sport is plenty fitness training enough.

The progressive on the other hand is doing all kinds of crazy drills to work on speed, agility and conditioning.

The car pulls up into the car park and as you get out you groan a little, stiffened by the long journey.

Dragging your gear to the changing room, you change and catch up with the banter of the others who have arrived.

But the atmosphere is subdued. Even in warm ups there is the unspoken away game lethargy that always shows up. You find it impossible to get into the groove no matter how hard you try.

The lethargy spills over into the match and you end up putting in a bad showing without ever quite knowing why.

 Deadlifting. Cuh.

You wouldn’t catch Bradman doing it: Warne only ever bent down to the floor to pick up a stray chip.

As contributor to PitchVision Academy AB says; “in my experience, the limiting factor in most cricketer's games is a combination of technique and cricketing intelligence, not strength and fitness.”

And he’s right... so what gives with the title of this article?

Today’s article is a guest post from personal trainer Brian Wardle.

Look at all the top level athletes in the world in any sport.

They all have something in common: a well developed backside.

By this I'm referring to the glutes, hamstrings and lower back. These muscles (and the hip extension movement they control) are important because the stronger they are the better they allow you to:

With Burners and the Boss away, the show is packed with interviews instead.

Menno Gazendam talks about how it feels to be a successful spinner and resisting the temptation to become a seam bowler.

PitchVision Academy contributor Brian Wardle talks us through his experiences with powerlifting and playing cricket. You can see more about the training system he uses here and here. 

This is a guest article by powerlifter and club cricketer Brian Wardle.