ICC kicks off slow-bowler research

The International Cricket Council has begun its research programme on slow bowlers and the final decisions on the subject are scheduled to be taken during the Champions Trophy in September.

The second Test, between England and West Indies which began yesterday at Edgbaston, marks the start of the detailed programme of slow-bowler filming, which will continue till the ICC Champions Trophy. The project is being undertaken to gather detailed scientific data to help address the issue of suspect bowling actions among slow bowlers.

David Richardson, the ICC's general manager, detailed the various aspects of the programme. "Starting with Edgbaston, we are using high-speed cameras positioned behind the bowler's arm and square of the wicket to film slow bowlers' actions at 250 frames a second, which is five times faster than standard TV cameras."

The footage from the two cameras will then be combined and, through a software program, a three-dimensional image of the bowling action would be obtained. Richardson added, "This will provide us with a new generation of information that can be used in considering levels of tolerance for the accepted amount of extension at the elbow, either in terms of straightening or hyperextension of the arm."

Dr Paul Hurrion, a leading human movement specialist, will carry out the filming programme and provide interpretation of the data. Hurrion felt that there was less research done in the field of slow bowling and also said that data from a competitive match situation would guarantee better results.

The 15 matches of the Champions Trophy will provide a rare opportunity to film the actions of slow bowlers from all the countries. However, none of the data will be used to assess the actions of any bowler who might be reported for a suspect action during the tournament.