Why is wicketkeeping often described as a “dark art”… and why is there nowhere to hide when things go wrong?

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.

• 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

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

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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.

• 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

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

🌐 Website: https://www.cricketmind.online

📩 Email: nathan@cricketmind.online

📱 Instagram: cricket.mind.online

https://squareoneeducation.co.uk

If you found this helpful, make sure you subscribe to The Cricket Mind Podcast and leave a rating or review — it really helps us grow and reach more players, parents, and coaches.

The journey through cricket is rarely straightforward.

In this episode of The Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock speak to Cheshire-based all-rounder and Loughborough student Rohan Luthra, who is currently finding his way through the game.

Rohan is studying at Loughborough University and has recently had a taste of Cheshire 1st XI cricket, as he looks to establish himself at that level.

From early success and setbacks to playing across different environments — including time spent training in India — this is an honest conversation about what it takes to keep improving in the game.

• What progression in cricket really looks like
• Learning from early success and setbacks
• The experience of stepping into senior cricket
• Adapting across different teams and environments
• Lessons from training and playing in India
• Understanding performance beyond just results
• Managing confidence and expectations
• The realities of developing as a young cricketer

00:00 – Breaking through: pressure & reality

01:01 – Early journey: Loughborough, Cheshire & first-team exposure

03:39 – Early success & chasing a “formula”

06:42 – Setbacks, deselection & proving yourself

17:15 – Ambition, progression & long-term thinking

27:20 – Stepping into Cheshire first team cricket

31:56 – Life as a club pro: pressure, expectations & performance

44:42 – Learning from the top: India Test team experience

53:33 – Training in India: volume, repetition & development

59:54 – Managing performance, mindset & multiple team

01:09:14 – Advice for young players & final reflections

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🌐 www.cricketmind.online

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Former Kent spinner and Level 4 coach Rob Ferley joins us to talk all things spin — from technique and mindset to how to coach and captain spin bowlers.