One of the big issues with gm training for fast bowlers is the transfer from weights to the bowling action.

As Steff Jones says, there is a large river of difference between them unless you bridge the gap.

That's what this quick exercise combination from Steffan does really well, taking a "traditional" strength exercise and pairing it with a fast, powerful movement.

It makes sure you take the gym with you to the playing field.

MS Dhoni recently lamented the lack of fast bowlers in India,

"We're going through a stage when we don't have the same firepower when it comes to the bowling department."

That has to hurt if you are an Indian fast bowler.

But it's true at club and school level too, it's not just an issue at the top.

What would a year on PitchVision Academy be without a good old-fashioned review of the year?

And where better to focus that review than on the cricketing super-power that is India? With the world's most populous and passionate cricket fans the premier domestic T20 tournament in the IPL, 2012 is another notch on the belt of India as the cricket superpower.

How did we see it on PitchVision Academy?

The cricket coaching chat continues apace as Burners, Mark Garaway and David Hinchliffe discuss the "long toss" for cricket (if you have tried it, get in touch).

Plus we talk about 13 year olds facing 140kph bouncers, and the possibility of making it big purely from TV and online coaching.

It's cracking flags every week on the show.

Serious Cricket continue with the tips. This time it's England's Chris Silverwood to talk swing bowling.

There are a lot of ways to grip the ball to make it swing. It varies a lot because different bowler's have different positions for the seam to match their action.

Plus, the condition of the ball varies.

However, one thing that you can rely on is your thumb position.

Many of the leading Cricket nations now use "Talent Testing" for 13 and upwards as a part of their talent identification process. I want to show you how to use some of these tests in your coaching.

Here is the first of the talent test drills that you can use to test players and then provide feedback that improves performance. What's not to love?

Slower balls and speed variations are important now more than ever where pitches are so flat that conventional swing bowling has a limited window of impact.

Here are 3 variations, as demonstrated by bowlers who have become masters of the slower ball.

This is the 2nd part of John Cook's guest spot on PitchVision Academy. Part 1 talked through the rationale for training and mobility. In this part we complete the picture.

A second attribute of fitness you can work on as a fast bowler is strength.

But where do we need strength and what is the best way to develop this?

This is a guest article from Strength and Conditioning Coach John Cook

Here is a no brainer: speed is one of the most important factors in bowling. By reducing the decision making time of the batsman, you increase your chances of taking wickets and reduce the chances of conceding runs.

An old school of thought is that simply bowling more will increase both your bowling speed and ‘toughen up’ your body to prevent injury.

But over-bowling is one of the primary predictors for injury.

In a bid to improve batting techniques, the BCCI have asked for green pitches in the Ranji Trophy.

But you know - as a fast bowler - it's not all milk and honey in the land of the favourable pitch.

The expectation is that you will slice through the top order in no time.

And that brings a pressure that you don't experience at any other time.

You can tense up.

Or you can relax too much and assume wickets will come no matter how you bowl.

In both cases a long half volley will get put away, even on a minefield.