Get to Know Technology on the Cricket Field

The cricket matches are one of the most exciting matches to spectate. In the big cricket field, batsmen and bowlers face each other, ready to send the ball to the stands or down all the wickets on the stumps.

We get to see every face of victory and anguish on the field and the glorious moments of winning teams when they have finally secured their triumph. 

Cricket matches can reach a viewership that can land almost 300 million viewership in linear TV plus an additional 50 million in digital view. With tons of possibilities for both teams to score runs, take wickets and out batsmen, the game is delivered to us through the power of technology. 

Check out these latest gadgets and cameras that allow us to experience the cricket matches in their entirety!

What We Get Today

Through the use of these machines, we get to see our favourite players bat and bowl. Aside from the match viewers, the video shots also help umpires to judge events or points. In the past, there are calls that were purely decided by memory or instinct, but not anymore. 

• TV Coverage

There can be situations where matches occur simultaneously in different venues. Although you may think that it would be hard to shoot, these are solved easily by using teams of professionals.

Sending off a number of technical teams, production teams and commentators, they take in the entire scene that we can watch live or for later.

• Piero graphics analysis system

To help you understand the recent game events, Piero offers 3D graphics to explain what just happened. The sports analysts then use this to emulate or show the game events or possible moves. 

• Ball Tracker and Other 

Cricket uses a number of machines that would show viewers and umpires some visuals that are easy to miss. 

For example, infrared imaging is used by the Hot Spot to detect if the ball had hit the player, bat or pad. The game also uses the snicko that shows the same thing through sound waves.

Aided by Hawk-Eye, the ball tracker displays the trajectory of the ball. Using these systems, umpires decide if a wicket or run will be awarded. 

• Super Slow Motion

Fast bowls and hits can make the videography tricky. After all, it would suck if you do not get to see the corkers, fours or sixes. In the case of game highlights, our game also shows a slowed-down video of the greatest hits and bowls. 

• 360-degree Replays

Through Piero, the entire game is retold through the use of multiple camera fields. These 360-degree replays will be available for even later, immortalizing cricket matches available to be replayed in our computer or mobile screens. 

Computers and a Lot of Cameras

The entire production and broadcast of cricket matches needs more than 30 high-tech cameras and almost a hundred personnel to man these machines. 

The coverage efficiently tells us the cricket live score, needed runs or wickets and more with the use of fixed cameras and a few ultra-motion cameras: the Spider Cam, Stump Cam, Umpire Cam, and other forms of tech. 

• Hawk-Eye

Used in the leg before wicket (lbw) incidents, the Hawk-Eye deduces the trajectory of a ball in flight, lining its course if the illegal hit wasn’t made.

The pointing system through the use of this technology is dependent on three factors: the ball pitch, the location of impact on the leg and the path of the ball beyond the batter. 

• Snicko

This technology invented in the mid-90s is used in special times to determine whether the ball hit the bat before getting caught by the wicketkeeper.

Used as a part of the umpire’s Decision Review System (DRS), it functions using soundwaves wherein a ball that hits the bat and not have different soundwaves. 

The umpire can decide with the help of the Snicko or not. Some tourneys shifted to the use of the Hot Spot.

• Hot Spot

The rulebook of cricket prohibits the planting of the leg pads in front of the trajectory of the ball towards the wicket. Umpires need to decide efficiently on whether the ball hits the pad, bat or both, resulting in an out. 

This ball tracking system uses two SLC-Hawk infrared cameras to determine where the ball hits. With also a similar purpose to the Snicko, Hot Spot more efficiently discerns leg before wicket (lbw) shots and more. Using the heat created by friction, the Hot Spot displays correctly where the ball actually hits. 

• TRACAB Optical Player Tracking

Also used in other major sports, this system tracks both the ball and the players. ICC-commissioned, this tracking system shows the positions of players in the field. 

Through this tech, pundits and even viewers can deduce data, running speed, even the distances covered by cricketers during run-ups and more. 

• Umpire Cameras

These are HD cameras placed in the caps of Umpires. This efficiently conveys the umpire’s perspective to the viewers. 

• Stump Cam

If the umpires have a camera, there is no reason to not insert a camera in the stumps! The stump cam offers viewers the perspective from the stumps, showing the action of a bowled ball as it claims the wickets. 

• Spidercam

Actively used in the cricket field, the Spidercam is an HD film and TV camera system which can move in various directions during matches. The areas are predetermined to not get in the line of sight of the players. 

• Fixed Cameras

Aside from moving and suspended cameras on the field, the game also has a number of fixed cameras on the stands. The feeds of close up shots focused on a certain player or angle comes from these cameras. 

There also cameras placed for a clear view of the stumps, pitch, and many more locations. 

• BATCAM™ Drones

The BatcamFLY and BatcamDRIVE, new additions to cricket matches production, were donated to the Cricket World Cup by the UK-based company BATCAM™. 

The BatcamFLY drones provide an eye-line shot that can go above to show skyline views. The other one, BatcamDrive, provides a ground view that is equipped with a 10x zoom feature. This buggy camera is remote-controlled. 

These cameras have unique functions that are efficiently used, combined and prepared ahead to create the best possible vision of the entire game to umpires, sports analysts, and viewers.

Using technology, we see a constant update to the cricket live score, team standing, performance data and more.  Although what we have now has come so far from what it used to be in the past, these machines are continuously developed and invented to improve our experience.