Trophy's teething troubles

Cricket sponsorship took a step forward with the unveiling of the world’s first digital trophy in Colombo on Monday. Actually, make that a half-step; while the visuals were fine, including the much-hyped LCD screen in the middle of the trophy, the audio wasn’t. First, the soundtrack to the PR film failed to work and then the suits got into action with a detailed briefing more suitable to an ad client presentation than an audience including top international cricketers. We were promised “an enriching consumer experience, through technology and innovative design”. No wonder the likes of Vettori and Sangakkara looked bored (Dhoni, the third captain in this tournament, wasn’t even there, adding to the incongruency of the occasion). Not a good day, then, for the uneasy, if increasingly symbiotic, relationship between cricket and technology - but the on-field action, beginning Tuesday, promises much more.