Focus was on building a shared understanding of how to embed easy, repeatable and targeted skills in doing warm-up activities - covering fielding, batting and bowling.

All players should get into the habit of undertaking self-directed warm-up sessions working in pairs or groups of 4 or whatever works for them.

Dynamic stretches - active, controlled movements that take joints through their full range of motion, making them essential for cricket warm-ups to prepare muscles for the explosive, repetitive actions of the game. Examples include arm circles, leg swings, lunges or lunge with a twist, high knees, butt kicks, hip rotations (open the gate), torso twists, walking knee hugs and even "shoosh the chicken".

Fielding drills - combining dynamic stretching with skill-based movements focused on reaction, ground fielding and catches. Things like pairs catching to build confidence, relay circuits (catching in pairs and moving through different zones), triangle drill (throwing and backing up and moving round a triangle type set up around two sets of stumps), reaction catching (hard-fast hits), ground fielding (underarm flicks, pick up at pace etc) and boundary/outfield catches. This could also be combined with running between the wickets.

Batting grooving - activating key muscle groups (shoulders, core, hips), improving hand-eye coordination, and establishing, solid, repeatable technique. This includes things like underarm feeds (cover/straight/on drives, pull shots and sweeps/paddles). Try things like grooving through drives with just the top hand holding the bat. Or how about a "no feet" drill where you already stand in a forward press position and then have to react to the underarm feeds using your head and hands to guide you.

Bowling with purpose - dynamic stretches which help your shoulders, core and glute. Simple, targeted bowling is key - split into groups of 3 or 4 with one acting as a keeper and the others bowling, keep your tempo up and build up stress through fatigue. Try different scenarios - targets, vary the length, bowl a 24 yarder, go around the wicket etc.

Basically just find a way to work through a high impact warm-up session covering all of these activities - and if you can do that in half an hour before every training session and game then you'll have a far better chance of setting yourself up to play positively and with purpose.

We were also delighted to present Wee Joe (Myles) with his 2nd XI Captain's Player of the Year trophy for 2025 - well done Joe!