Keep the scoreboard ticking with this simple trick.

We all have heard the moans from our team that we did not rotate the strike enough. It's tricky to measure but we often get a feel for runs missed and runs pinched as an innings goes on.

Miss a few and frustration sets in. Mistakes happen.

Nab a couple and the fielding side start getting cross. The average final score slides upwards.

The team I coach are getting pretty good at it, so I feel we are in a position to offer a tip to sides who need work in this area. In 50 over limited over games, we rotate the strike - on average - 18 balls more than the opposition (and that equates to about 25 more runs a game). We also pick up 13 "stolen singles" a game.

(More on these stats and how we capture them another time, but PV/Match is a big help here)

What's the trick to more strike rotation?

Automatic singles are easy

Auto-singles are the ones where you know you can get a run as soon as you see it. No need to judge or call as the whole thing is decided beforehand.

Here are some examples:

• Hitting towards the non-striker, who has to dodge to avoid the ball.
• Hitting to the weaker hand of a specific poor fielder.
• Getting an inside edge straight down, so the ball trickles away from close fielders.
• Getting hit on the pads with the keeper standing back.
• Taking on the arm of a weak thrower.
• If the keeper has to dive down the leg side and is unable to gather cleanly.

The trick is simple, get together as a batting partnership when you are in the middle and decide what will be your automatic pick up areas.

The trust each other to call it.

The trust part is the most difficult, but as your team bat together more, they get to understand each other.

You can play safe at first then build in more sneaky runs as time goes on.

Nets for auto singles

You can learn "on the job" with auto-singles, but what if you want to practice it too?

It's hard to get right in middle practice as fielders tend to try less hard, but you can do it in nets too: Mark areas on the net where weaker fielders are standing then bat in pairs. You can practice calling and running if any of the above auto-run moments happen.

It's not perfect, but it does ties calling and running into a net situation so you can get used to the basics (And get a bit of specific running fitness in too.

Do a bit of this practice, add some focus during game time and see your batting strike rotation score shoot up!