Cricket Mind Podcast

Why do so many talented young cricketers stop enjoying the game?

And do players really need to be in a talent pathway from a young age to have a realistic chance of becoming a professional cricketer?

In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by ECB Level 4 coach and coach developer Ben Silver for an honest conversation about talent pathways, cricket trials, player development, coaching overload, and what actually helps young cricketers improve over the long term.

Ben has worked across county cricket, England pathways, ECB Disability Cricket, and high-performance coaching — giving him a unique perspective on what coaches and selectors really look for, why some players thrive while others burn out, and how young cricketers can develop without losing their enjoyment of the game.

Alongside this, Ben also works with Cricket Mind Online as a high-performance coach, helping players optimise the quality of their training and practice routines.

In this episode:
What selectors actually look for in cricket trials
Why “high ceiling” players stand out
The truth about county age-group pathways
Whether players need early pathway selection to succeed
Why some talented players stop enjoying cricket
Coaching overload and social media cricket advice
The importance of messy practice and game-based learning
Why player development is rarely linear
What parents should really focus on

Timestamps:
00:00 — Jimmy Anderson and the Lancashire U15 “B” team
02:05 — Introducing Ben Silver
03:17 — What coaches and selectors look for at trials
07:33 — Risk vs reward during cricket trials
11:13 — Confidence, bravery and coachability
16:35 — Do players need to be in talent pathways early?
22:57 — Why some talented players stop enjoying cricket
34:38 — Are young cricketers being over-coached?
42:42 — Long-term development vs short-term winning
55:58 — What “messy practice” actually means

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcast platforms.

🏏 Learn more about Cricket Mind Online: www.cricketmind.online

📩 Get in touch: [email protected]
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Instagram: @cricket.mind.online
YouTube: @cricket.mind.podcast

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Why do some players stay in cricket for years… while others quietly drift away?
In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by coach Laura de Silva and player Charlotte Bernstein for a powerful conversation about confidence, pressure, enjoyment, and the environments that keep players coming back.
This episode offers a unique perspective from both sides of the same environment — a coach working to build meaningful relationships and supportive cultures, and a young player experiencing those environments firsthand.
The conversation explores girls’ cricket, but the lessons apply across the game for players, parents and coaches alike.
In This Episode:
Why players really drop out of cricket
The importance of confidence and enjoyment
Why “unlucky” is banned in Laura’s coaching environments
Building strong coach–player relationships
Pressure, expectations and performance
The difference between boys’ and girls’ cricket environments
How coaches can create environments players want to return to
Why support matters more than frustration
Managing cricket alongside GCSEs, school and life
The role friendships play in long-term engagement
Why great environments help players perform better

Timestamps:
00:00 – Are we still losing too many players from cricket?
01:01 – Introducing Laura de Silva & Charlotte Bernstein
02:56 – What makes players want to keep turning up?
06:01 – What great coaches do differently
14:11 – What makes a strong coach–player relationship?
22:44 – Building real confidence in players
27:32 – Why “unlucky” is banned
30:06 – Pressure, expectations and performance
38:15 – Have you ever thought about quitting cricket?
45:06 – Why there still aren’t enough female coaches in cricket

🌐 Website: Cricket Mind Online

📩 Get in touch:
Email: [email protected]

📱 Follow Cricket Mind Online:
Instagram: @cricket.mind.online
YouTube: @cricket.mind.online
TikTok: @cricket.mind.online

If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another player, parent or coach involved in the game.

Why do so many cricketers perform well in nets… but struggle in matches?
In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock answer listener questions around early-season performance struggles — from confidence and expectations to training that doesn’t transfer into games.
If you’ve ever felt like you’ve “gone backwards” despite a strong winter, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do about it.
In this episode:
Why how you feel before batting doesn’t predict performance
The real reason nets don’t transfer into matches
Why early-season struggles are completely normal
How chasing past performances can hold you back
How to respond to a poor team performance as a coach
Why run outs are so common early season (and how to fix it)

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 Intro – Are players training the wrong way?
01:13 Should you trust how you feel before batting?
03:57 Nets vs matches – why it feels different
07:30 “I’ve gone backwards after scoring a 50”
12:16 Coaching after a poor team performance
18:13 Why run outs happen early season
27:20 Outro & listener questions
📩 Get in touch
Got a question for a future episode?
Send it in via:
📸 Instagram: @cricket.mind.online
📘 Facebook: @cricket.mind.online
🌐 Website: https://www.cricketmind.online
📧 Email: [email protected]

Why is wicketkeeping often described as a “dark art”… and why is there nowhere to hide when things go wrong?
🎙️ Episode Summary
In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock are joined by Lancashire cricketer Ellie Threlkeld to explore the mental demands of wicketkeeping.
Ellie shares her experiences of keeping and captaining at the highest level — from managing concentration and decision-making to dealing with mistakes and supporting young wicketkeepers. This is a must-listen for players, coaches and parents looking to better understand one of the most unique roles in cricket.
In this episode:
Why wicketkeeping is often misunderstood
The mental demands of being involved in every ball
Managing concentration during “silent periods” in games
Why wicketkeeping is mentally more draining than it looks
How to respond to mistakes and avoid things snowballing
The balance between instinct and technical thinking
Leadership challenges as a wicketkeeper-captain
How psychology influences performance and team culture
Practical advice for coaches working with young keepers
Simple ways parents can support developing wicketkeepers

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Chris Scott, Brian Lara and “nowhere to hide”
01:18 – Introducing Ellie Threlkeld
02:05 – The “dark art” of wicketkeeping explained
07:21 – What people don’t see (and don’t appreciate)
08:30 – Managing concentration ball-to-ball
11:10 – Why wicketkeeping is mentally draining
13:47 – The isolation of being a wicketkeeper
22:17 – Dealing with mistakes and resetting
30:48 – Pre-ball routines and staying present
40:12 – Ellie’s psychology journey and leadership
51:28 – How coaches can support wicketkeepers
56:10 – Ellie’s advice for young wicketkeepers
🔗 Get in touch
🌐 Website: www.cricketmind.online
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: cricket.mind.online
📘 Facebook: cricket.mind.online
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Spin bowling in England is in trouble — so what actually needs to change?
In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, we’re joined by former Kent and Nottinghamshire spinner and leading coach Rob Ferley.
We explore why spin bowling is struggling in England, what makes a spinner effective in matches (not just in nets), and how coaching, environments, and captaincy all shape development.
Rob also shares his thinking behind Square One Cricket — a new initiative aiming to rethink how players learn and progress in the game.
In this episode:
What actually makes a good spinner (beyond technique)
The psychological challenges spinners face — and why they’re often misunderstood
Why spinners struggle to transfer performance from nets to matches
How captains can get more (or less) out of their spinners
What we’re getting right — and wrong — in coaching spin
Practical advice for young spinners looking to improve
Inside Square One Cricket and its vision for the future

Timestamps
00:00 – Spin bowling in England is “in a bit of a pickle"
00:42 – Introducing Rob Ferley
04:24 – What makes a good spinner?
08:14 – Progression, passion, and development environments
18:49 – Psychological challenges of spin & managing pressure
23:58 – Getting hit as a spinner: thoughts, feelings, behaviour
27:38 – Do captains get the best out of spinners?
40:17 – How should we coach and develop young spinners?
49:52 – The art vs science of spin bowling
55:22 – Square One Cricket: concept and vision
🔗 Get in touch / Links
🌐 Website: https://www.cricketmind.online
📩 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: cricket.mind.online
Square One Cricket:
https://squareoneeducation.co.uk
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