Running Workouts for Cricketers to Improve Endurance

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James Breese, Cricket Matters Founder

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In my professional opinion, all cricketers should perform running workouts to improve their endurance.

Running is crucial for cricketers to improve their endurance, as it maintains physical fitness and enhances cognitive function during long matches.

Running and sprinting play a big part of the game. You have to practice it. Just like cricket, running is a skill.

That doesn’t mean running marathons; it just means being smart about how you do it.

Research has shown that regular endurance training can significantly improve mental sharpness and decision-making skills, which are crucial for cricket. (Goble & Christie, 2017).

This is because aerobic exercises, like running, increase blood and oxygen flow to the brain, which is vital for cognitive processes.

Increased endurance enables cricketers to maintain concentration and composure, facilitates quicker recovery between overs when bowling and running threes when batting, and helps them execute more strategic thought processes more effectively under pressure.

Moreover, studies indicate that cricketers who engage in regular endurance activities have better cognitive flexibility, which is essential for adapting to the dynamic nature of cricket, where quick thinking and strategic adjustments are crucial to performance and winning matches.

Therefore, cricketers who integrate running regularly into their training programs can expect increased stamina and a mental edge over their peers.

With that in mind, here are my favourite running workouts for cricketers to improve endurance.

#1 The Aerobic Base Builder Workout

Cricketers’ viewing themselves as endurance athletes is beneficial, especially when considering the importance of aerobic base building.

Cricket is mostly a day-long sport for club cricketers and a multi-day sport for professionals.

Aerobic base building, particularly running at a sub-aerobic threshold or “zone 2,” is fundamental in developing a solid endurance foundation.

Running in this zone, where intensity is controlled to remain at a level that allows for conversation, optimizes fat burning and enhances mitochondrial density and cardiovascular efficiency without overstraining the body.

This effortless running style helps athletes sustain energy over long periods, which is crucial for cricket.

Training at a light intensity increases the body’s efficiency in using oxygen, decreases fatigue, and promotes recovery.

By regularly training in “Zone 2”, cricketers can improve their stamina and ability to recover faster.

The Workout

Don’t let this workout fool you.

It’s designed to be easy, and that’s how you build a strong endurance engine.

Cricketers should do this, particularly in the off-season (subject to injuries).

It’s not always all about doing workouts to failure. That’s just a recipe for burnout.

You should feel refreshed and energised at the end of these workouts, as if you could do them again.

Workout Notes

• The MAF method is preferred for calculating aerobic threshold (Zone 2 Training). Generally, your MAF heart rate is 180 minus your age. You’ll need a heart rate monitor or a smartwatch that shows your heart rate.
• If you do not have a heart rate monitor, run at a conversational pace you can easily maintain for the entire run.
• This is best performed in the off-season. For more advanced runners, it can be a light recovery run between weekend matches.
• Give yourself at least 48 hours of recovery between these types of workouts.

#2 The Batsman Shuttle Running Workout

This one is for the batsman in you.

I’d highly recommend doing this pre-season. However, in-season, if you only play one game weekly, I’d throw this in, too.

It will improve your stamina when running between the wickets. Still, more importantly, it will help you recover faster so you can concentrate on facing the next ball and making better decisions.

Batting is all about making good decisions, and the fitter you are, the better your decision-making process will be.

Workout Notes

• If you can’t access a cricket pitch, place two cones 22 yards apart.
• Perform this without pads and a bat.
• Use a heart rate monitor where possible. This will give you the most accurate recovery data.
• If you do not have a heart rate monitor or smartwatch, rest for 1 minute between shuttles.
• Leave 48 hours between these workouts for maximum recovery.

#3 The Fast Bowler Running Workout

This is a workout for fast bowlers to improve bowling stamina and endurance.

In a One Day International (ODI) cricket match, fast bowlers cover a significant distance, averaging approximately 15.9 kilometres per game. (Petersen et al., 2009)

This total distance includes a variety of movements, with around 1.9 kilometres dedicated to high-intensity activities such as striding and sprinting, while the majority of the distance, about 10.9 kilometres, is covered by walking.

The average run-up speed is around 24km/h.

This highlights the immense physical demands placed on fast bowlers during a match, emphasising the importance of endurance and fitness in their performance.

With that in mind, these tempo runs are designed to improve endurance and technical proficiency for fast bowlers.

Workout Notes

• Set up two cones approximately 25m apart.
• I recommend performing this drill over wickets. These are mini hurdles that help improve technique and efficiency. Watch this video to learn more.
• Use a heart rate monitor where possible. This will give you the most accurate recovery data.
• If you do not have a heart rate monitor or smartwatch, rest for 1 minute between shuttles.
• Leave 48 hours between these workouts for maximum recovery.
• Perform off-season and pre-season. In mid-season, if you only play once weekly.

#4 Fielding Running Workouts

Whether a batsman or a bowler, we all have to field, and fielding can be the difference between two equally matched sides.

Think about how often you have to sprint to the boundary in the game over varying distances.

From my experience, many drop catches happen when players who haven’t recovered in time have dropped concentration.

So, with that in mind, here’s a simple sprint endurance drill to help fielders improve their stamina when running to and from the boundary so that they can recover quicker and be ready to take that game-changing catch.

Workout Notes

• Mark out the distances as appropriate.
• Use a heart rate monitor where possible. This will give you the most accurate recovery data.
• If you do not have a heart rate monitor or smartwatch, rest for 1 minute between shuttles.
• Leave 48 hours between these workouts for maximum recovery.
• Perform off-season and pre-season. In mid-season, if you only play once weekly.

Final Thoughts: Running Workouts for Cricketers

Running should be an essential component of a cricketer’s training arsenal.

It is vital for building and maintaining the endurance required to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

I’ve shared some structured running workouts to boost your physical stamina and enhance cognitive abilities, allowing cricketers to make sharper, quicker decisions under pressure.

Whether sprinting between the wickets, bowling long spells or fielding for hours on end, the endurance built through running ensures optimal performance, quick recovery, and mental alertness.

For cricketers aiming to improve their game, embracing running as a cornerstone of fitness training is not just beneficial—it’s essential.

Remember, the foundation of cricketing performance is not just the skill with the bat or ball but the endurance to outlast and outperform the opposition from the first over to the last.

If you need further assistance or a personalised approach to your training, don’t hesitate to schedule a strategy call with our team.

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