A cricket ball with a chip embedded inside its core is going to revolutionize the game of cricket very soon! The Smart Ball! Aren’t you excited?! Based on the reports available, the smart ball is capable of providing real-time data. Australian sports equipment maker Kookaburra partnered with technology giant SportCor in launching this final product in the market!
 |
| Image Credits: The Indian Express |
The chip placed inside the core transmits the information
regarding each and every delivery to an app installed either on a phone or a
tablet. Or a bowler can get to see these parameters on his own Smart watch
after delivering the ball! For instance, the chip can measure the revolutions
and speed of the ball at different stages from the time it was released from
the bowler’s hand. This surely gives more insight into the game!
On the other hand, the ‘core with chip inside’ and the ‘normal
core’ of a ball has similar size, weight and bounce. Due to this, the smart
ball with a chip inside does not play any differently than the normal cricket
ball. The Smart ball has been built in a fashion that it can even handle any
ferocious hit from a cricket bat. As per the reports, the testing on the Smart
Ball was done with bats in the nets as well as with the regular impact testing
machines.
Battery and Chip
lifetime:
The chip runs on a battery which can last around 8 hours
which is equivalent to a single day’s play in Test cricket. Meanwhile, the
battery can be recharged by placing the ball in its cradle. As per the current schedule,
the smart ball can be recharged during Lunch/Tea/Dinner breaks of a Test match.
The 8-hour span would be more than sufficient for an ODI innings or a whole T20I
match! The chip inside the Smart ball has a lifetime of around 18 months.
However, efforts are being made to increase the chip lifetime.
Features of Smart
Ball:
At the moment in Cricket, the bowling speed is calculated
using a fixed stationary radar placed behind the bowling arm. It calculates the
speed reading which will be recorded at the same point regardless of the height
of bowler and only captures the data at the point of release. For a bowler with
lower release point, the current speed calculations are a little biased.
With Smart ball coming into the picture, one would get to
see the speed and number of revolutions at the point of release, pre-bounce,
post-bounce and after the shot is played! Since the calculation in this case
does not depend on external machines, the real-time data transmitted by the
Smart ball is expected to be accurate. Finally, the phrase ‘ball does the talk’
is set to get a real meaning with this new invention!
Batters, in general, should be really worried about the
post-bounce speed and not the release point speed. With this real-time data
collection at various stages, batters would be able to get more insights on how
to face a bowler! Or coaches would be able to guide bowlers on how they can
improve! Overall, the Smart ball is going to change the way the game is
coached, played, officiated or experienced!
Testing of Smart
Ball:
Meanwhile, there is not enough testing done yet for the
Smart ball to go directly into the international arena. Kookaburra is also
planning to try this Ball in a T20 league before introducing them at the
international circuit.
On the other hand, the Smart Ball has been tested by some
professional cricketers in Australia. The Queensland Bulls Sheffield Squad made
use of this new innovation. The trials were conducted to check if the ball was
working the way it was expected to be! As per the reports, Kookaburra was
delighted that the test results were close to their expectation.
At the moment, the features of Smart Ball confine to measuring
the speed and revolutions of the ball. However, the manufacturers are planning
for bigger changes that it could bring to the table. Some of them include
conclusive evidence on whether a ball had hit the bat, pad, ground or even nothing!
This would revolutionize the current Umpire Decision Review System (DRS).
0 Comments