| Video analysis of line decisions has been used by | | | | edge of a bat shows clearly on a graph of sound |
| officials in tennis and rugby for years, but cricket has | | | | level. When allied with a slow motion video, this can |
| many more high-tech options that could be used, if | | | | show clearly if the ball was edged to the wicket |
| they were allowed by the game's authorities. | | | | keeper, or hit the bat before hitting a pad. |
| A delivery from a 150 kph fast bowler takes only | | | | The super slow motion camera takes around 500 |
| one third of a second to reach the batsman. So, | | | | frames per second (fps), compared to 24 fps at |
| umpires must be highly skilled to judge the length and | | | | normal speed. Used since 2005, this is a great tool to |
| line of the ball, to make a correct lbw decision. | | | | analyse run outs and stumpings, and the umpire can |
| Experience and ability are invaluable here, but it can | | | | refer to these pictures to help with his decisions. But, |
| still be a difficult call, especially as the umpire sees no | | | | it's also good for seeing whether or not the ball took |
| action replays. | | | | a thin deflection off the bat, though the umpire |
| However, televised live cricket coverage has an | | | | doesn't get this information. Do you think he should? |
| armoury of high-tech gadgets that could help the | | | | The latest technology in the commentator's armoury |
| umpire, including the Hawk-eye system. Hawk-eye | | | | is the "hot spot". This detects if the ball has |
| uses 6 cameras placed around the ground to track | | | | connected with a player's bat, pad, glove or the |
| the flight of the ball, then a computer instantly | | | | ground, using two infra-red cameras. These detect |
| converts their pictures into a 3D image of the ball's | | | | the tiny amount of heat generated from the friction |
| flight. It can follow swing, spin and seam, and predict | | | | created when two objects collide, such as ball, bat, |
| if the ball would have hit the wicket after hitting a | | | | pad, glove or the ground. This can show if the ball |
| batsman's pad. This gives the TV commentator and | | | | snicked the bat for a catch, or hit bat before pad to |
| viewer an unfair advantage over the umpire in | | | | determine an lbw dismissal. |
| judging an lbw. But, does this undermine an umpire's | | | | The "hot spot" was first used for live cricket |
| decision which is based on experience that even a | | | | coverage by Channel 9 in Australia in 2006. As with |
| computer can't match? Even Hawk-eye finds it | | | | the snickometer, the umpire doesn't see its evidence |
| difficult to predict the bounce of a cricket ball, so it | | | | before making a decision. |
| may not always be right. So, should Umpires have | | | | Eminent commentators and cricketers are divided on |
| access to Hawk-eye replays? What do you think? | | | | whether technology should replace the umpire's |
| Many more high tech options present the same | | | | judgement for borderline decisions. One side's view is |
| dilemma. | | | | that umpires are a traditional part of the game, and |
| Aside from this great debate, Hawk-eye has also | | | | can exercise judgement that technology can not. The |
| brought benefits to cricket coaches. It can record | | | | other side considers it's more important to make sure |
| exactly where the ball pitches, so can give bowlers | | | | that umpiring decisions are right. |
| feedback on their accuracy. It also measures the | | | | There is even an element of history repeating itself - |
| speed of the ball, showing how much time a batsman | | | | the laws of the game were formalised in 1744, in |
| has to react. Because of these benefits, the system | | | | response to increased gambling on the results of |
| has been installed at the ECB Academy in | | | | matches. So, will technology fulfil the same need, in |
| Loughborough, to help analyse batting and bowling | | | | the face of internet betting? |
| techniques. | | | | High-tech decision aiding has only been available for |
| Stump cameras and stump microphones have been | | | | around 15 years, and is improving all the time, so that |
| part of televised live cricket coverage since the early | | | | pressure on traditional umpiring can only increase. It's |
| 1990s. In the mid 1990s, the "snickometer" was | | | | a great debate for the cricket authorities and for |
| devised to use sounds picked up by the stump | | | | cricket fans. What do you think? |
| microphone. The sharp sound of a ball clipping the | | | | |