Exclusive: Former Aussie pacer Michael Kasprowicz talks about the Kookaburra SmartBall

From blingy bails to the hawk-eye to the usage of the DRS, cricket has made rapid strides in embracing technology. A game steeped in traditions, the introduction of various high-end algorithms and data has made the sport more fascinating, whilst helping players to gauge, introspect and improve on their performances. 

The latest innovation that is set to send the cricketing realm into a tizzy is the Kookaburra SmartBall, which takes a regular Kookaburra ball and embeds an electronic chip into its core. This chip, in turn, transmits information from the ball to an app. The SportCor electronic chip measures the speed and the revolutions of a ball at various stages, right from the hand of the bowler till it touches the willow. This is vastly different to the current technology, which is in use. 

In the current scenario, the speed of the ball is taken from a fixed stationary radar, which means that the speed will be recorded at exactly the same time - irrespective of the delivery plane or the height of the bowler. This usually works in advantage of the bowlers who are shorter in height. 

SportCor chairman and former Australian pacer Michael Kasprowicz, in an exclusive chat with CricXtasy, sheds light on this invention, and adds that bowlers as well as coaches can benefit grandly from the SmartBall. “Bowlers are going to benefit from bowling with the SmartBall, as it will measure their efforts and give them feedback instantly, including velocity, speed of the hand, pre-bounce and post-bounce measurements. It helps us in knowing the changes in pace and the spin revolutions of the ball. The data and the measurements are real numbers, so a player will have all the information available to him right after he bowls the delivery.” 

“All the feedback we’ve had from coaches is that the SmartBall will be a valuable coaching aid to players of all levels, from Test stars right down to aspiring local junior cricketers who want to improve their bowling. The simplicity of the ball connecting to an app means that it can be used in training by any player and we expect there to be training ball made available to the public,” he adds

The technology, however, will not only help the bowlers, but will also give additional data like the pitch behaviour, which will be produced from the pre and post-bounce data. It can also suggest whether a batsman has nicked a ball, or the ball has hit the grass in case of low catches. The above instances, often, slow down the game, with the on-field umpires going up to the TV umpire for feedback, who then watch various angles before pronouncing their decision. The SmartBall, then, will help quicken up the game, as the data will be conveyed within seconds. 

“Biarri, a world leader in building mathematical models, in Brisbane, has helped formulate the algorithms, and it takes 3-4 seconds to give us data. When used in matches, it is important that there is no time lost in getting the data, else it will slow down the game,” Kasprowicz adds. 

Going into the technicalities, the former Aussie player states that the SmartBall will be of the same weight and the size of a regular ball and that it will last a day of Test cricket, with the battery lasting around 8 hours. ‘At the moment the battery lasts 8 hours which mimics a day of Test cricket. However, the battery can be recharged at any time by placing the ball in its cradle. We are also looking to improve the battery life to at least 50 hours. Moreover, the chip within the ball will last for 18 months. Though the spinners get more revolutions, and the data transmitted will be more for the slower bowlers, the battery life will not be affected if a spinner is bowling.” 

The SmartBall has been tried by players from the Queensland Bulls Sheffield Shield, and though its full capacity is yet to be known, the trial was conducted as a way for Kookaburra and SportCor to ascertain whether the ball plays as it should, and whether the app receives the right data. “The SmartBall has gone through rigorous testing, and will be ready for use in matches in the very near future. As far as testing the ball under the protocols is concerned, we have tested the ball in Kookaburra factories, releasing them with a cannon and it had some ridiculous speed. It can also repeatedly handle the punishment from a cricket ball,”he adds. 

The next step, for Kasprowicz, is to get the SmartBall approved by the ICC, and make it available at an economical price, so that not only well-established cricketers, but students can use this technology as well. 

“There is not enough testing done yet for it go straight into a Test match tomorrow, however within the next year we hope to be in a position to offer it up to the ICC and its member boards as a ball that could be tested and used at international level.”