2. Strength/Fitness - You only need to be strong/fit to play cricket (this thread) and get through life, not run marathons (if you do you need a marathon coach). HIT workouts are fine for short periods, but if too much of these and you will get injured, you body can only be stressed for some long before something will break down. When training, always look to come out of a session having added to what you have, not exhausted (except Short periods of HIT if you desire), your body will thank you for it.
My own 2 cents.....I use KB's pretty much daily (and body weight drills) for mobility work (I'm 40) and strengthening/conditioning. Used correctly they are great, nothing works better for cricket IMHO (I've trained pretty much every system over the last 20 years), but there are other ways to train.
Rest periods are an absolute necessity with HIIT. It makes a huge difference in your cricket if done right but it can be very risky if done without proper rest and recovery periods. 36-48 hours between "lessons" (

) No lessons leading up to the match day, for 48 hours (although moderate to light warm-ups and stretches are fine). My body feels stiff if my recovery period is 36 hours or less. For young buckaroos, the recovery period may be shorter but for my age, it is what it is.
It is a long weekend for us in the states and I haven't done anything physical activity this weekend. I will hit my kettlebell tonight - I am swinging a 65 lber these days.