From: "J.
K. S. Weerasekera"
If you have been watching the World T20 on television, you
would have noticed the stumps lighting up each time the ball
crashes against it or the wicketkeeper whips the bails off.
That's because of LED technology, a new innovation in
cricket.
Bronte EcKermann, the inventor of LED stumps, has said he
would not mind giving Mahendra Singh Dhoni one as a souvenir
if India, which has made it to the semi-finals, wins the
ongoing ICC tournament.
'Well, this is a very costly system. The entire set-up
during a match costs US$ 40,000 (Rs 25 lakhs approx); so I
don't allow the players to uproot it during any
celebrations. But I know Dhoni loves keeping a souvenir
stump. If India can win the final, I might get into some
arrangement with Dhoni,' EcKermann said.
While the new innovation is providing television viewers and
spectators an enhanced experience and getting them more
involved, here are ten things you must know about the LED
stumps:- *1.* The innovation was conceived by Bronte
EcKermann, an Australian mechanical industrial designer and
created by South Australian manufacturer Zing International.
It is called the Zing Wicket System. *2.* It was first tried
out in a club game in Adelaide. Once Cricket Australia was
convinced about using it instead of the wooden stumps for
night matches, it was decided that it would be used in the
2012 edition of the Big Bash League in Australia.
*3.* The technology was introduced after three years of
intense research. The International Cricket Council used it
for the first time during the semi-finals and final of the
recent Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the UAE. Besides the
ICC under-19 World Cup, the stumps have been used in T20
competitions in New Zealand, Australia and the West Indies.
India could see the use of LED stumps and bails in the
upcoming seventh edition of the Indian Premier League.
*4.* With conventional bails, it is difficult for the umpire
to tell when the bail is 'completely dislodged'. A bail is
only 'completely dislodged' from a wicket when BOTH spigots
have separated from their stump grooves.
*5.* Low voltage batteries are incorporated in each of the
bails and stumps. A microprocessor in each bail detects when
both spigots are dislodged from the stump grooves.
*6.* The wickets come fitted with LED. The bails also have
an in-built sensor than can determine if a wicket is broken,
in just 1/1000th of a second.
*7. *They are made of composite plastic and the LEDs glimmer
at the slightest impact with the ball.
*8.* The stumps and bails illuminate when dislodged. When
the wicket is broken, the bails flash bright red LED light.
*9.* Even if a wicketkeeper makes a stumping, the lights
flash. It helps the umpires to come up with correct
decisions especially during close stumping and run-outs.
10. Each bail costs as much as an iPhone!
