CHESTER-LE-STREET, England: The inventors of cricket’s ‘Hot Spot’ technology have called for protective coverings to be removed from bats in order for the system to work properly.
The ongoing five-match Ashes series between England and Australia has been dogged by controversial umpiring decisions and there have been several occasions when Hotspot has failed to pick up edges.
Hot Spot uses infrared cameras to determine whether the ball has struck the batsman, bat or pad, with any contact supposed to show up as a bright spot on the image.
“The type and thickness of the protective coating unquestionably affects the thermal signature of the Hot Spot system,” BBG Sports said in a news release yesterday.
“In layman’s terms the protective coating definitely diminishes Hot Spot marks. BBG Sports believes that in order to achieve optimum Hotspot results then the removal of protective coating from bat edges needs to occur.”
Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart described the statement as “embarrassing” and urged BBG Sports managing director Warren Brennan to go back to the drawing board with his system.
“I played in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s - bat tape and coatings have been around for 30 or 40 years so it’s embarrassing for him to suggest it should be banned,” Stewart told BBC radio.
“He has openly admitted there is a fault with his system. If you’re a cricketer and you have a flaw in your technique you go back to the nets - I suggest he takes his technology back to the nets.”
Vaughan doubted whether Hotspot could continue as an aid to test umpires.
“He is trying to protect his company,” said Vaughan. “We just want technology that will present the right result more often than not.
“It shouldn’t be down to the game of cricket to help Hotspot, it should be up to Hotspot to help the game of cricket. I don’t think Hotspot can carry on as bat manufacturers aren’t going to change ... it has to go.”
REUTERS
