Is there another sport with as much waiting as cricket? Waiting to bat, waiting for the bowler to start their run up, waiting for a bowl, waiting for a declaration...

No wonder cricket is seen as a lazy game even though it's a power sport.

If you want to improve as a player you have to learn to deal with all this waiting around both physically and mentally.

Cricket Mind Games

A lot of waiting tie means a lot of thinking time. If you are letting doubts creep in you are reducing your chance of success.

To get around this you can use simple tricks to put yourself into a positive frame of mind in an instant. The best of these are imagery and self talk, but also consider writing a cue card.

Ready for Action

Whether you are next in to bat or fielding at cover, there will be times when you do very little for a long period and then will suddenly be required to perform. You don't want to pull a muscle running a quick three from your first ball.

So make sure you both warm up at the start of play and keep warm through the match. If you are next in to bat you can do some timing work every 15 minutes or so, if you are in the field make sure you jog between overs and keep your arms and legs moving between balls with some dynamic movements. Even if you are not about to bowl, you may be about to throw.
It's also vital to be as fit as you can be to reduce the risk of injury when you do have to start sprinting for singles or to stop boundaries.

Overall, their may be a lot of time in cricket when you are doing nothing, but that doesn't mean you need to be under prepared.