Reports | BBL to experiment with microchip embedded Kookaburra ball
A cricket ball with an embedded microchip could be the latest innovation to hit the Big Bash League this summer, with Kookaburra also keen to see it used at Test level soon. Kookaburra is in the final stages of testing the new product that could give it another point on rival Dukes.
England has always used the Dukes ball for the Ashes. However, as the Big Bash League prepares to introduce the SmartBall, it is another point up for the Australian ball manufacturers. The SmartBall delivers instant statistics on speed - at release point, pre-bounce and post-bounce - that are more comprehensive and accurate than a normal radar. It will also measure revolutions applied on the ball, which is ground-breaking in-game data for spinners.Â
Future plans include offering umpiring assistance and the Decision Review System (DRS). The new tech will show whether a ball has definitively hit the bat – or the grass, in the case of catches that are too close to call.
SportCor, a firm chaired by former Australian fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz, teamed up with Kookaburra to make the innovation come to fruition. He was alongside Jos Buttler and Marnus Labuschagne on deck for Saturday's launch in the indoor nets at Lord's. It was the 47-year-old former pacer, bowling off a few steps, who unsurprisingly topped the speed charts.
"We should have got the St John Ambulance to sponsor the event. Hopefully, there's no hamstring snapping," Kasprowicz joked, reported Racing and Sports.
The SmartBall will be used in at least one of the world’s many T20 leagues in the coming months, with the BBL certainly on the company’s agenda. If there are no hiccups at that level then international games will be the next step.
"Absolutely (on whether the ball should be used in Tests). It'll be a great coaching tool and for viewers as well, it's amazing to see that instant feedback. It seems to behave exactly the same as a regular ball," Buttler said.
The major challenge for the company will be to ensure that the SmartBall is a like-for-like replica of the regular Duke or Kookaburra under match conditions. Ultimately, the decisions will be left to the game’s governing body, the ICC.