After a handful of IPL 3 games the Royals had yet to register a win and were already written off as failures for another year.

After 7 games they had jumped to third in the table and looked unstoppable, despite not having the huge names of other teams.

Can your team copy the Royals method if your own season starts badly?

Critics had wondered why older players with Test pedigrees like Kallis, Vaas and Tendulkar were even bothering with the IPL. Maybe for the money, because their games are not built for the crash bang format.

It's a situation many older club players can relate to as well.

This is the first in a regular series of articles looking at the techniques and tactics used in IPL 3.

The 2010 IPL got off to a rip-roaring start with all the franchises playing over the opening weekend. We watched every game and picked out a few choice cuts that you can take into your games this season.

So here are the first tips, separated by team:

Imagine for a moment you have signed for the Deccan Chargers. It's your first game and the stadium is packed to the rafters.

On TV millions more watch on hoping you will put in a match winning performance for their beloved team. Meanwhile the world's finest Twenty20 players warm up in preparation to take you on.

Succeed and you will be adored. Fail and you will be nobody.

This article is part of "The complete guide to cricket field settings" series.

Power plays are a terrible invention.

They make IPL games more fun to watch when Tendulkar and Jayasuriya are flailing it to all parts.

But the whole idea seems so contrived and, well... restricted (at least to a declaration loving traditionalist like me).

Nevertheless, as my own (50 over) league has brought in a fielding circle this season and it's a staple of Twenty20 cricket at every level, it's time to look how the pros do it.

It's crash, bang and raining sixes this week as the show goes all Twenty20. The shortest format has been played for many years in evening cricket at the amateur level, long before the professionals took it up. So Kevin and David take a look at some of the techniques and tactics of the game.

Questions this week include

Spinners have found a renaissance in the Twenty20 game. The slower pace and wider potential for variety makes the ball harder to hit.

However, when a spinner does come on, many batsmen decide it's time to go for the big hits.

What tactics can you use as a spinner to limit the damage someone can do?

You are batting in a run chase and the run rate is gradually creeping up. The opposition are bowling well and you start to think you need a 'get out' boundary. How do you know when to go for it?

David and Kevin are joined on the show this week by two PitchVision Academy coaches: Rob Ahmun answers our 5 questions and Ian Pont tells us how to bowl at the death ot Twenty20 matches when batsmen are giving it the long handle. We also talk about: