#BloggerDreamTeam : Technology Has Pulled The Game Of Cricket Across The Boundary

Technology has always been a boon as long as it is used for mass benefits and assisting in the correctness. Technology in cricket has changed the overall scenario worldwide. It has not only helped in personal growth of a player in his or her field but also in providing real time accuracy in decisions and analytics. The life has changed tremendously if we compare the era when cricket was born and the modern times. A huge evolution has taken place during all these years.

If we look back at the era when we had manually maintained scoreboards in the stadium, a number of persons were required to stay behind tall scoreboards to control the whole mechanism. If there were two boards on the opposite side of the stadium, higher number of persons were required to stay behind. And there used to be confusion when the different boards displayed different scores. Then came the digital boards controlled through a single device say a laptop. Technology has brought tremendous benefit to the game, players, umpires, governing bodies and viewers. Records and statistics of players do not carry any ambiguity now. A quick and crisp analysis is possible for any team, player, empire, and ground or even on the weather conditions irrespective of whether required for one year, ten years or decades.

Simulations and bowling devices  with multiple options and high level of refinement has helped players to improve their game by practicing as per the format of the game they are going to play – be it a bowling, wicket keeping, fielding or batting. Technology has also helped players and empires to analyze their performance post game by reviewing it. High-quality digital displays, quick and multiple analytics and the accuracy level keep viewers intact in the game. Definitely trust level in technology has increased tremendously. A technology like Snickometer that was invented by Allan Plaskett is used to help third empire to adjudge if a nick claimed by fielding-team against the batsman is true or false. The technology used here comprises of a minute but strong and powerful microphone that is planted near the stumps. The sound is analyzed that helps in deriving at a right conclusion. This has definitely improved the quality of game and confidence of players and viewers in the game.

Same goes for the Hot Spot technology used to identify if ball has hit on the bat, pad or body first to assist in providing accurate decision against a batsman. Technology used here comprises of two minute IR (infrared) cameras that are planted just above the ground on opposite sides so as to have proper coverage. Hawk eye tells about the trajectory of the ball and to ascertain if the decision given by an empire for leg before wicket against a batsman was accurate of not. The micro cameras plastered on the stumps help in deciding for run-outs.

Some more worth mentioning technologies used are Speed Gun, Gator Monitor, and Dart Fish. Speed Gun is used to measure the speed at which a bowl travels after a bowler throws it towards the batsman. Gator Monitor measures the heartbeat of a bowler or for that sake any player. Dart Fish is almost similar to Hawk Eye.

Now definitely we can vouch that technology has been a big boon for the quality of the game, satisfaction of players, empire’s decisions, transmission and delivery; and viewers’ level of enjoyment.

This blog post is part of Blogger Dream Team