5 technological advancements in cricket that we could see by 2030

Since its advent as a leisurely activity of the rich authorities some centuries ago, cricket has undergone a lot of changes in its evolution as a global sport in the modern world. The ICC, of course, has played a major role in publicizing the sport across nations – a fact that is readily available from the number of associate nations that hog today’s list in comparison to those a decade back.In a constant bid to improve the various aspects of the game, the governing body has time and again incorporated latest technology into the sport while rightfully keeping in mind its implications on the players as well as spectators. It is in view of the latter that several stunning equipments like the aluminum bat have been rejected by the ICC.Rapid advancement in technology and numerous path-breaking inventions in the last few years have graced the limelight, and cricket, as has been customary, has not shied away from trying a few out.While all these have ruled out a major part of human errors, it is fair to say that neither has been proved to be absolutely infallible and that a tiny fraction of inaccuracy continues to remain in the game. Keeping in line with the ICC’s objective of ruling out the minor chinks as early as possible, I present here a brief study about the technology that may be seen in cricket by 2030.

#1 Retractable roof

It would be awesome if it happens

In spite of weeding out the element of luck as much as possible, cricket has stopped short of controlling the weather variables as per need. While it has to be admitted that the swinging English conditions and bouncy tracks Down Under that provide countless delight to the cricket aficionado are chiefly the work of weather, one cannot help brooding over the helplessness that accompanies a forecast of rains during a captivating series.

It is not surprisingly to find matches being curtailed due to rain with the arguable D/L system coming into play unless the game is washed out. Not that the latter is too infrequent either – several teams on several instances have suffered the consequences of a crucial match being called off owing to downpour, sometimes amounting to their knockout from major tournaments like the ICC World Cup.

Handling of weather, therefore, is an urgent need for the ICC – and it has been so for quite a few years. The solution is available, although it in turn generates a couple of fresh problems. In fact, it was Kevin Pietersen who spoke about the usage of retractable roofs a couple of years back in order to nullify the impact of bad weather and rain.

Currently, this type of retractable roof is being used at Wimbledon. The 16-metres high moving roof at the Wimbledon Centre Court spans an area of 52,000 square metres. The fabric used is strong, flexible and translucent in order to provide light and an airy feel. Lighting installed within the roof come on automatically as the roof is closed.

The atmosphere within is maintained by a unique air management system that sucks out condensation and creates a close-to-normal environment within 30-40 minutes, courtesy a supplementary oxygen system.

While the idea seems novel, there are but a few issues that need to be sorted out before this is adapted into cricket stadiums. Financially, the difficulties are overwhelming – the construction of the roof has been estimated to be around 150 million pounds – for countries like Zimbabwe and West Indies which are often riddled with monetary complexities.

However, the vision is aimed at 15 years hence and at the current rate of profits, the ICC, along with the powerful Boards, may well be rich enough by 2030 to implement these constructions in at least one among Australia, England and India if not more. Also, strategies for cost-effectiveness would be devised and the current model will undergo a lot of variations until an economically feasible and better working copy is developed.

Once completed, it shall be regarded as a huge step in the expansion of cricket as a technically advanced sport.

#2 Compression garments

Players must feel comfortable

Since 1987, research has been going on for equipments to relieve patients with venous insufficiency. Although designed initially as compression socks, the term ‘compression garments’ has come into the scene largely in the last decade with a number of investigations being carried out by several independent organizations and scientists.

So what are compression garments? The classic definition says they are pieces of clothing that provide support which is especially useful for people who have to stand for long periods or have poor circulation. Thus, in order to completely understand this, having an idea about venous circulation in the human body is a prerequisite.

The major bulk of the calf of the leg is contributed by a single extraordinary muscle – the soleus. Its uniqueness lay in the fact that within the muscle substance are present venous sinuses (spaces) that collect blood from the superficial veins. This blood within the spaces is pumped against gravity towards the heart aided by the contractions of the soleus (as in walking or running). Further, in order to arrest retrograde movement of the anti-gravity flow of blood, the drainage point into deep veins are guarded by one-way valves that allow blood to flow from superficial to deep.

Venous insufficiency develops when these valves become incompetent and blood fails to move into the deep veins thereby accumulating in the superficial veins which now present with swelling. It is at this point that compression garments come into effect working on the same principle as soleus, squeezing the blood from swollen areas back into circulation. That the garments come in various degrees of compression is an added incentive.

Further, this augmented venous return, apart from increasing circulation, provides better oxygenation to working muscles and therefore, relieves pain from muscle stiffness and soreness. Improved recovery time and better thermoregulation (increase in skin temperature) have been evident on more than a few researches carried out on athletes and cricketers.

Rugby and field hockey teams have already integrated this spandex-like form-fitting material into their jerseys. It only remains to be seen whether international cricket teams also jump into the bandwagon in the near future.

#3 No-ball sensor

The umpires are probably missing out on plenty of no balls

The significance of no-balls in cricket has escalated by leaps and bounds, thanks to the fresh regulations adopted by the ICC. As is obvious, this has doubled up the responsibility of the umpires, who now lay prone to severe criticisms for potentially match-altering no-ball calls that not only add an extra run to the scoreboard but also permit a free-hit to the batsman.

With this in mind and a vision to negate umpiring slip-ups, Cricket Australia approached the famous university tech development company QutBlueBox in order to refine a device that offers audible feedback when one oversteps the line. In fact, this had been the brainchild of Cricket Australia sports science and sports medicine manager Peter Blanch whose several attempts failed initially before the Board decided to outsource it.

The device appears to be pretty simple, working on the basic principle of a door chime. It shines a light sensor from one side of the popping crease which is duly picked up by the reflector strip placed on the opposite side. Once the foot crosses the line, the speakers emit a beeping sound, similar to what is often heard during tennis matches.

Troy Cooley, Head coach at the Cricket Australia National Performance Program in Albion where players have been using this technology for more than a year and a half, is indeed enthusiastic about the device although he is not sure about the difference it actually makes.

He admits, “For us it's just making sure their practice becomes a little bit more perfect each time. Given the fact that we don't have umpires and if the bowler's just out there bowling on their own they don't normally look down to see if they've bowled a no ball. So it's a little bit of feedback for them.”

#4 Inertia sensors

Chucking needs to be eradicated completely

Extrapolating the usage of audible sensors, cricket may be looking at a one-of-a-kind device that may potentially relieve the sport of chucking as a whole. Although this is quite the work of imagination as of now, the probability of building such a device within the next decade is certainly looming large, more so after the sudden boost of inertia sensor technology prior to the 2015 ICC World Cup.

What are inertia sensors? To oversimplify a complex engineering tool that uses a more complex stream of physics, an inertia sensor is basically an instrument that senses change in spatial position of something. A detailed understanding would be possible if one appreciates the working of accelerometers, MEMS gyroscopes and inertial gyroscopes.

As of now, a bowler suspected of illegal action is called by umpires and sent to biomechanics lab for evaluation. As this report mentions, ‘The technology allows the testers to locate the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints to determine the elbow extension. In the typical analysis, bowlers goes through their repertoire of deliveries, and the markers reflect light, which the analysts track with motion-capture cameras, high-speed infrared cameras, and radar guns. From the collected data, the system estimates the positions, in three dimensions, of the joints and limbs as the bowler lets go of the ball.’

The issue that arises is that this testing, however fool-proof, is only possible in the labs and being aware that he’s being tested, the bowler might as well be cautious enough to correct his action during the test in order to receive a clean chit and go back to repeating his illegal action once he returns to mainstream cricket.

Real match-time sensing is therefore an absolute necessity in order to weed out chucking entirely from the sport. Once the bowlers are made to wear armbands with beepers that can issue audible warning to the umpires if the flexion transcends permissible limits, they would not dream about bending the law without jeopardizing their career.

For this to materialize, one has to minimize the possible cons as well. Firstly, this has to be lightweight and comfortable enough to not hinder the bowling action of the bowler. Secondly, it has to be cost-effective if the ICC makes it compulsory to be used in every match. Years of research lay ahead, but it might not be too fanciful to hope for something like this to come out of the XSens lab in near future.

#5 Practice equipments

The practice sessions are crucial for the players

Tech company, Pitch Vision has been working on various products for the last few years with a single goal in mind, one that benefits cricket practice. Practice sessions are undoubtedly as important as actual matches (if not more) and every cricketer, without exception, vouches for the grueling hours at the nets regularly, without failure.

Among the plethora of training technology marketed by Pitch Vision, Sidearm deserves mention not only because of its exclusivity but also for the fact that it has mostly remained in obscurity despite fetching great reviews for its usefulness. The likes of Graham Gooch and Andy Flower have evaluated it as a great device, the former having even gone to the extent of describing it as ‘the quickest way to boost your batting average.’

It is an open secret now that batsmen prefer batting at the nets to actual bowlers instead of bowling machines. Apart from the usual monotony of balls shooting out of a box that is hardly any comparison to the actual view in a real-time match where the ball coming out of the bowler’s hand evokes a different feeling altogether, these machines are quite expensive and bulky.

In contrast, the Sidearm not only eliminates the problem of throwdowns without essentially depending on the power of the bowler’s arm, but is also relatively cheap and easier to carry. Further, with a bit of practice, it can replicate the same pace and accuracy as that of a bowling machine with an array of options in line and length.

The Sidearm primarily comes in two editions – Club and Pro. The former is for amateur cricketers and beginners with restricted lateral movement while the Pro edition exclusively offers seam and swing options along with varied lengths thus creating trouble for the batsman and helping him to recreate the real-time conditions during a match.

Unsurprisingly, since the swinging options mostly replicate the movements in English conditions, the England Cricket Team have been known to use this equipment during their training. However, the rest of the world remains ignorant of this technology, but once it permeates the cricketing households at large, England might be finding it a bit hard to restrict foreign teams in their own backyard.