Hot Spot inventor calls for removal of bat coatings

The Australians celebrate after Peter Siddle of Australia claimed the wicket of Kevin Pietersen of England during day five of the 3rd Investec Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground

Warren Brennan the Australian inventor of the Hot spot technology has called for the removal of all coatings that are applied on cricket bats, so as to improve the efficiency of the system.

The application of scratch proof guards and other such materials on bats are at the moment not illegal. Channel Nine had made allegations that during the third Ashes Test match, players had applied silicon coats on the edges of their bats so as to avoid being caught out by the Hot Spot technology.

Players from both sides have denied the allegations, and the ICC has also confirmed that there is no truth to the allegations.

“During the current Ashes series, the DRS system has been highly controversial with Hot Spot in the eye of the storm,” Brennan said, as reported by Cricbuzz. “Our technology has been criticized for fine edges that have gone undetected. More than anyone else, BBG Sports (Brennan’s company) wanted to know why.”

BBG sports have conducted tests over the past few days and have reported that a thick coating on the bat would definitely affect the thermal signature of the Hot Spot system.

“In layman’s terms, the protective coating definitely diminishes Hot Spot marks. BBG Sports believes that in order to achieve optimum Hot Spot results then the removal of protective coating from bat edges needs to occur. This will allow for the best thermal signatures between cricket balls and natural timber cricket bats.” said Brennan.

But Simon Taufel the ICC umpires manager has revealed that about 12 random checks are being made on players bats in every Test match. The practice has been followed over the past three years and not a single batsman has failed the check

The ICC have said that the Hot Spot technology will continue to be used for the remaining two Ashes Tests and they may consider some changes that could be made regarding the use of coating on the bat, but would need much more evidence of misuse to consider such a move.

At this stage we’ve got no intention of changing the rules in the short term,” said the ICC’s general manager Mr.Geoff Allardice.