Time to train is always a problem for club players. So why not combine your usual net time with time to improve your fitness?

Twice the results in half the time.

Hopefully you are already incorporating drills to improve your fielding skill and fitness. But you can go a step further by putting some conditioning work into net practice.

Bowler Combination Net

You can be sure Derek Shackleton didn't do much weight training or running. He just went out and bowled 1300 overs in the 1966 summer.

1300!

This is the basis many ex-players work on when they argue that the only way to get match fit is to play cricket.

Does sport science agree with the pundits?

I'm sure you have seen wild claim adverts like that almost every day. How do you separate the facts from the snake oil?

It's not easy.

Getting it wrong could be expensive.

You could always ask someone who knows. You could investigate the facts for yourself to see how things match up.

But the real key to remember with these types of claims is: 'If it's too good to be true, it probably is'.

England and Kent batsman Rob Key is an extremely talented player (ask King Cricket). It can also be said that he has sometimes carried a little extra weight.

He still managed a Test double century, so surely being a bit of a podge is no barrier to success?

It's bad news I'm afraid.

Chances are you are nowhere near as talented as Rob Key (and even the tubby faced maestro has shed some pounds in order to fight back into England contention).

As you know, plyometrics are an excellent way to improve your cricket fitness: Be it sprinting a quick single or exploding into your bowling action.

Typically cricket plyometrics is used in the off season as a way of developing speed and power. Note that plyometrics need good technique, fitness levels and plenty of rest after sessions.

Cricket Plyometric Drills

For many years, fitness coaches have waved the flag of plyometrics as the perfect cricket specific speed, strength and power tool.

It's true that no training method alone can meet the varied needs of cricketers. However the use of body weight, medicine ball and box to improve your running, jumping and throwing is very attractive.

Think back to your coaching sessions when you were younger. No doubt you were painstakingly taught the correct bowling action, the forward defensive and many other complicated techniques.

What about being taught how to run?

What with all the words written about the Pakistan doping controversy, I thought it would be interesting to get a club cricket angle on it all.

After all, if you can find legal ways to supplement for Shoaib then perhaps you can use them yourself as a club player?

One thing you need to keep in mind is that most club players don't need any supplements - legal or not. A combination of a good diet, focussed training and a well-planned fitness routine is more than enough to skyrocket your performance.

Has your cricket club got a coach?

I'm talking about the senior section here, not the colts or youth teams. If not, have you ever considered why not?

I know that at the clubs I have played the answer to both questions is 'no'.

I spend a lot of time talking about working hard, but in many ways rest is just as important for players who want to improve their cricket.

Specifically, I'm talking about the demands cricket makes on your body during a game. To make your practice worthwhile you need to reflect these demands in practice: Your work to rest ratio.