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

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https://squareoneeducation.co.uk

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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

📧 nathan@cricketmind.online

📸 Instagram: @cricket.mind.online

📘 Facebook: /cricket.mind.online

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.

Why does one bad innings ruin your whole week?

In this episode of the Cricket Mind Podcast, Nathan Wood and Briony Brock answer listener questions from players, parents and coaches — exploring why mistakes feel so heavy, and how to handle them better.

From the pressure of public stats to the emotional fallout of getting out, this episode tackles some of the most common — and challenging — moments in cricket.

The conversation covers:

1. The pressure of public stats and feeling judged
2. What coaches should (and shouldn’t) say after mistakes
3. Supporting young players through frustration and disappointment
4. Managing conflicting advice from multiple coaches
5. Helping children transition from softball to hardball cricket

A practical, honest discussion to help you think differently about performance, development, and the environments we create around the game.

00:00 – Opening hook

00:20 – Introduction

01:03 – Q1: Feeling judged by public stats (Play Cricket)

09:10 – Q2: How coaches should respond to mistakes

14:23 – Q3: Managing emotions after getting out

20:55 – Q4: Conflicting advice from multiple coaches

30:09 – Q5: Fear of hardball cricket in young players

38:00 – Reflections on fear & transition to hardball

38:44 – Episode wrap-up begins

39:00 – Next episode preview (Rohan Luthra)

🌐 www.cricketmind.online

📧 nathan@cricketmind.online

📱 Instagram: @cricket.mind.online

📱 Facebook: @cricket.mind.online

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