Questions and answers:

• What's the best way to know where my run-up should start from so I dont bowl no-balls? Ben.
  
  I’ve found the best thing to do is ask a friend to help, start at the front foot line on the bowling crease (not the line where the stumps go) try to find your natural run-up length.  Do your run-up and pretend to release the ball.  Ask your friend to put a mark that you can’t see where your front foot toe lands on release of the ball.  Do this about 5-6 times, if the marks are roughly in the same spot, take your mark 5cm back further and start from there.  Carry on with the training session and see if you no-ball. If you don’t great, but if you do, go through the process again, sometimes when you warm up your strides are longer.
  At the end of the session, walk at normal pace and stride length from the start of the run-up to the front foot line and remember how many it was. Every time you practice and play in a game do the same number.
  If your foot does not land in roughly the same spot each time, it means that your run-up is not natural and therefore not consistent. This is something that you will need to sort out first.
  
  
• I'm so nervous when I bat, how can I relax? John.
  

In my experience, when I had gone into a game knowing I had done all the practice I could and worked really hard to improve my technique that helped make me feel more relaxed.  There is nothing quite like spending time out there in the middle.  So the more games you play the more confident you will feel.  Remember you’ll perform better when you’re relaxed.

Please email any questions about cricket you may have, answers will be posted within the week.