Closing date: undisclosed

How long does it take to serve your apprenticeship?

Cricket is frustrating. You want to achieve the mastery that your talent allows but you need to go through a long and difficult apprenticeship.

Even the most naturally talented players had to do it, so you are no exception.

Sachin Tendulkar has had more glory poured on him than any other batsman. And rightfully so, his performances with the bat have made Indian's proud. He was an international as a teenager, but even he served his apprenticeship.

This article is part of the "Streetwise Bowling" series from PitchVision Academy. To view the full list of tactics click here.

As a seamer, you lack the subtle variety of seam and swing. You are probably not that quick. You are McGrath, relentlessly hitting your length and relying on the seam for variety.

But even the metronome needs something else.

Batsmen get well set on a flat pitch. You come up against a player who you know is a little sluggish to get forward early in his innings. The ball gets old and worn at the end of an innings.

It's time to take a wicket through subtlety.

The end of year special before the show takes a break is filled with advice like a Christmas stocking is filled with presents.

Mark Gararway and David Hinchliffe talk about the Ashes, how to open a cricket academy including the kit that gives you the most bang-for-your-buck, and there is a great story from Garas about what he did when he returned to playing cricket after a long break.

Listen to the show to find out what happens!

The show is taking a break after this until 17th January, but you can still submit your questions, we read every one and will get to them after the break!

Picture the scene; there I am, delivering my message to a committed and excellent group of cricket coaches in Denmark when the following points go up on my Keynote speech under the banner of "Batting non-negotiables":

1st response when ball hits pad or body is to think "run".

1st response to mid off and mid on is to think "run".

This is an article by Gary Palmer about the most effective and progressive way of coaching playing the short ball. For a complete video guide on the right trigger moves to play the short ball by Gary, click here.

You need to master the correct techniques of the back foot defence before you move on to playing the bouncer. For young cricketers especially, bouncer practice should be the latter sessions within a coaching program over a number of weeks.

Closing date: 17th January 2014

Rugby School is looking to recruit a Master-in-Charge of Cricket from September this year. 

This article is part of the "Streetwise Bowling" series from PitchVision Academy. To view the full list of tactics click here.

Bowling accurate leg spin is hard enough, but to bowl a whole over accurately and also to a plan is the skill of a master craftsman. Someone like Shane Warne.

Every bowler needs a plan.

For most, especially the inexperienced, it doesn't get more complicated than "hit the top of off stump". Of course, there is nothing wrong with that plan. It often works. But batsmen are canny. They don't always do what you want.

That's why the really good bowler is able to bowl to a plan that goes beyond the basics and into the wicket-taking stratosphere.

This week's winner of the Cricket Show podcast question competition is Alec. He wins a free coaching course from PitchVision Academy.

The winning question was:

"I am a keen slow left arm bowler. When I bowl the ball the delivery has an element of under-spin (back-spin). What is frustrating is that I am trying to release the ball with an element of top-spin. At times I am sure the ball is being released with top-spin on it, but looking at the way the ball is spinning in the air (using red/white balls) it has back-spin. Have you seen this type of issue before? A cricket coach suggested to me that I suffer from a common off-spinner's undercutter issue, but to me this means the ball would be spinning tilted back like a UFO when this is not clearly happening. My goal is to bowl the ball at a 45 degree angle with a combination of side and top-spin."

Listen to the panels answer to his question here.

To enter your own question for the chance to win your choice of online coaching course send your questions in here.