Cricket Equipment And Technology
This world-famous sport was started in the 16th century. So far in these five centuries, all the cricket equipment and technology have become advanced. We now have seen cricket has made plenty of innovations and discoveries. All these things play a vital role in a team’s success.
Safety is very important while playing cricket, as we all know it is a very dangerous game. This is because the balls and bats are made of cork leather which can cause serious injury to the player. Hence cricket equipment is getting advanced to make the players safe and perform better.
Important Cricket Equipment & Gear:
Don’t ever think that cricket is only a bat and ball game. The players use various cricket equipment and technologies to make the game safe and fun. So while playing the game, here are what a player will need as cricket gear or equipment:
Bat
A bat is one of the most important pieces of equipment made of very special wood. It has a top handle to hold and hit the ball. However, the weight and size of the bat depend on the player’s age.
Ball
The ball is a spherical thing made of cork and covered with leather. The color of these balls depends on the cricket format. The test matches the ball of red color, White-colored ball for the ODI and the T20.
Keeper gloves
These gloves are worn on the hands of the keeper to prevent their fingers from getting injured while catching the ball. These gloves are made of cloth and leather and stitched in a pattern to fit exactly in the palms and fingers of the keeper. To give extra protection, there are finger gaps and cork tips.
Batsman Gloves
Batsman gloves are smaller and softer in shape than keeper gloves. These gloves allow the batsman to hold the bat firmly with the extra protection of a sponge on the outer area of the fingers.
Keeper/Batsman Pads
To protect the lower limb of the keeper or batsman, these pads are made of cloth and leather. A hard plastic or wooden stick is used in the front position of the pads to give it a harder structure. Its rear portion is spongy to comfort the legs and give a soothing feel. Keeper pads are a bit shorter in size than batsman pads.
Helmet
While standing behind the stumps or in front of them, a wicketkeeper or batter will need a helmet to protect their head from serious injury. These helmets are made up of plastic and metal. To protect the face, there is a metallic grill.
Stumps
These are long cylindrical shaped woods with shard spear-like ends. The shard end goes into the ground to make them stay straight.
Bails
These are the smallest pieces of equipment used in the cricket ground. A small wooden thing is placed on the stumps to make the umpire’s decision easier. These Bails help the umpire decide whether the batsman is out.
Cricket Technologies:
Different technologies are used in cricket as these technologies improve daily to help the players concentrate on their weakest domains. In addition, these technologies are also helpful in giving different tactics to the skipper and leaders. Here are some of the important technologies used in cricket.
The Bowling Machine:
This bowling machine was invented in 1985 for cricket batting training. Hence this machine can easily replicate both swing and spin-style bowlers.
Speed Gun:
This gun was first introduced in 1999 to check the speed of the bowlers. However, this machine works the same as the car speed radar used by traffic police officers. Hence this machine was invented to facilitate the bowlers according to their throwing speed.
HawkEye – Ball Tracking System:
To make television broadcasting interactive, this machine was invented in 2001. This machine works with the multiple cameras placed in the stadium to capture the ball’s movement from different angles, and at the end, all these captured clips are added to a single video.
Snickometer – Ultra Edge:
This technology is the oldest, as it was introduced in the 90s to help the third umpire take the complex discussion in LBW appeals and catches. This is the only advanced technology still in use without any further addition. The Snickometer works with different sound frequencies, letting the third umpire know exactly what happened.
Hotspot – Edge Detector:
This technology works with an infrared image system, which is basically used to help in the third umpire’s decision. With the help of friction, a sort of light is generated to tell the umpire exactly what happens when the ball hits the bat.
Stump Mic & Camera:
Both of these technologies are beneficial in confirming the dismissals. These cameras and mics are useful for broadcasting information like cricket shoots, batter’s movement, run-outs, and different catches.
Decision Review System (DRS):
This technology is also helpful for a third umpire to make a better decision. Both teams can challenge the decision of on-field umpires and refer the issue to the third umpire. This is called a play review in which the third umpire gets 15 seconds to decide.
FAQs:
- What is the importance of equipment in cricket?
Safety is different for a batter and wicketkeeper as they are standing in front of the bowler, and the coming ball can directly come towards them. This case increases the risk of injury. Hence the batter and wicketkeeper should wear a significant amount of safety gear to keep them safe during the match.
- How much equipments are there in a cricket kit?
There are different types of type of equipment present in a cricket kit, including helmet, batting gloves, batting leg pads, abdo guard, arm guard, thigh guard, chest guard, and groin guard. And if the shoes are added in counting them, there are ten items in a complete kit.
- What do we call a cricket helmet?
In the 2019 world cup, 70% of players wore the famous matsuri cricket helmet, and many professional players recommend wearing it while playing.
Conclusion:
In short, cricket equipment and technology are both important in the game. You can’t play the match without proper equipment; each gear is important. As well as various technologies have been invented to make decisions easy and fair.
