Any club cricket team that talks well with each other has an instant advantage over the opposition. Does your team know how to do it?

The advantage comes from the transient way that club teams work. Players go in and out of sides and line ups change regularly from week to week. This makes it hard to gel everyone together naturally.

It's worth trying, as constructive communication is a key element of success.

• It gives players confidence
• You can analyse the opposition in more depth
• It develops commitment
• It allows you to play the mental game
• It's more fun to play in a happy team

The captain plays a key role in this, as he sets the tone for others to follow both on and off the field.

The talking should start as early as possible. Preseason is a great place to get everyone together that might be playing in the team for a meeting, discussion and setting of goals for the year.

Following on from this, the captain must ensure everyone feels they can contribute at any time. Players of any seniority should be able to make suggestions and not be offended if the captain decides not to use the ideas.

Talking on the field

When it comes to talking in the match the discussion becomes even more vital.

Captains have precious little time to decide and need to be able to rely on comments from key players while still feeling in control.

Here the wicketkeeper can act as a go between, pointing out batsmen's technical errors and generally motivating the troops leaving the captain to work on strategy.

The keeper can also lead the mental approach of “talking players out”. I'm not suggesting that you sledge anyone, but bluffing about the amount of swing and spin or commenting on a player hitting the ball in the air is an excellent distraction technique that doesn't cross the line.

If everyone is saying something then even the most patient player may get tired of the chirping. It's all part of the communication plan that has been agreed long beforehand.

Staying committed

This chatter, banter and planning all have an important place in keeping players motivated too.

If everyone knows everyone else job in the team then this gives the team confidence and gets everyone working together. More comfortable players leads to better performances, especially in the field where giving 100% is both expected and rewarded in the best teams.

Does this happen in your side? If not, how can you make it happen? Even the most disjointed sides can do it with the right captain.