Fitness routines to improve running between the wickets

Why Running Between the Wickets Deserves Its Own Training

Ask any club captain what wins tight matches in July and they will usually mention two things: holding catches and stealing singles. The second of those is far harder to coach than it looks. Running between the wickets is a skill built on short, repeated bursts of speed, sharp changes of direction and a surprising amount of decision-making under fatigue. Yet most of us turn up to nets, bowl six overs, have a bat for twenty minutes and call it a week's training. Then we wonder why we are gasping after a quick two on a muggy Saturday afternoon.

The good news is that you do not need a gym membership or a sports science degree. Twenty minutes, twice a week, on a patio, driveway or outfield corner will make a genuine difference. The aim is not to become a sprinter. The aim is to be quicker over ten to fifteen metres, sharper on the turn, and more resilient in the hamstrings, calves and groins that take the strain every time you push off for a second run.

Start With Short Sprints, Not Long Runs

Cricket is not an endurance sport in the traditional sense. A batsman might cover two kilometres across an innings, but almost all of it comes in bursts of two to four seconds. Long, slow jogging builds a base but does little for the explosive push that gets you home before a direct hit.

Build your week around short sprints with full recovery. A simple session on a flat piece of grass looks like this:

• Warm up for five minutes with brisk walking, leg swings and some gentle skips.
• Mark out a distance of 15 to 20 metres, roughly the length of a pitch and a bit.
• Sprint the distance at about 90 per cent effort, then walk back slowly.
• Repeat six to eight times. Stop if your times drop off noticeably or your form goes ragged.

Rest properly between reps — a minute or more. The quality of each sprint matters far more than the quantity. If you can hold good posture, drive your arms and stay tall through the finish, you are training the exact pattern you use when scampering a single to third man.

Once a fortnight, add a longer set: four sprints of 30 metres to build the top-end speed that turns a risky two into a comfortable one.

Agility Ladders for Footwork and Control

Fast feet are useless if they are clumsy feet. A batsman who takes five small, choppy steps out of the crease loses half a metre compared with one who turns and drives in three strong strides. Agility ladders are cheap, portable and ideal for teaching your legs to move quickly without wasting energy.

Ten minutes, three times a week, is plenty. Work through a handful of patterns:

• One foot in each square — quick, light contact, arms working.
• Two feet in each square — builds rhythm and hip drive.
• Lateral in-and-out — mimics the sideways shuffle when you turn for a second.
• Icky shuffle — in, out, in, out, moving forward with control.

Keep your chest up, your knees soft and your eyes forward rather than glued to your feet. Two passes through each pattern is enough. The ladder is not a fitness test; it is a way of grooving coordination so that quick feet happen automatically when you are tired and the keeper is throwing down the stumps.

Turn-and-Go Drills That Mimic Match Running

Most hamstring injuries at club level happen in the first two strides after the turn, not during the initial sprint. That is because the hamstring is lengthening while producing force — exactly the moment it is most vulnerable. Training the turn specifically is the single best protection you can give yourself.

Set out two markers about 18 metres apart. Start at one, jog gently towards the other, then at the marker plant your outside foot, drop your hips slightly and accelerate back the way you came. That is one rep. Complete eight to ten, resting fully between each.

Progress it over a few weeks:

• Walk-through turns for the first session, focusing on a low, balanced plant.
• Jog-to-sprint turns once you feel comfortable, accelerating hard out of the change of direction.
• Random turns where a partner calls "yes", "no" or "wait" as you run, so you must react and decide.

That last version is where the real gains live. Running between the wickets is a conversation, and sharpening your reaction to a call is as valuable as raw speed.

Build Hamstring and Calf Resilience

Speed work without strength work is a recipe for a mid-season pull. Two short strength sessions a week will keep your legs robust and let you train harder without breaking down.

Keep it simple and bodyweight-only:

• Nordic hamstring curls — kneel with your ankles anchored, lower yourself forward slowly, catch with your hands. Three sets of five.
• Single-leg calf raises — rise onto the ball of one foot, lower slowly. Three sets of fifteen each side.
• Copenhagen planks — side plank with the top leg supported on a bench. Three holds of twenty seconds each side.
• Glute bridges — three sets of twelve, squeezing hard at the top.

These are unglamorous, but they are the reason older club players can still run twos in August. Add load gradually and never train through sharp pain.

Putting It Together Across the Week

You do not need to do everything every day. A sensible club cricketer's week might look like this: Tuesday for sprints and ladder work, Thursday for turn-and-go drills plus strength, and Saturday for the match itself. Keep one full rest day, ideally the day before you play.

Warm up properly before every session — five minutes of easy movement, then some dynamic stretches and a few progressive runs. Cool down with a slow walk and a stretch, and drink plenty of water. If you are new to sprinting, start with four reps rather than eight and build over three or four weeks.

Do this consistently and you will notice the change by mid-season. The first run feels easier. The second is suddenly on. And the sharp turn that used to leave your hamstring twanging is just another part of the over. Stealing singles is a habit, and habits are built in training, not in the middle.