gulfnews.com | Saturday, November 29, 2014 | Gulf News C2 international

Photo evidence ■ Cameras at the Sri ramachandra arthroscopy and Sports Science Centre for testing of bowlers with suspect actions. Courtesy: SraSS

A unique testing centre for suspect action

Chennai-based sRassC to boost standaRds thRough sCientifiC ReseaRCh on the game

Dubai approval from ICC for testing eras using infra-red technol- State and national bowlers were By K.R. N bowlers following the centre in ogy along with two high-speed also tested. Chief Cricket Writer Brisbane, Australia. video cameras. This action is “We have perfected the pro- Equipped with modern fa- captured through reflective cess and our first report was he year 2014 is sure cilities and expertise, it is the markers and this creates a pic- on Bangladesh bowler Al Amin to go down in cricket first of its kind in India and its ture of the bowler with all the Hossain whose bowling action history as the most mission is to enhance the per- angles and lines and essentially has since been cleared.” prolific in terms of the formance of not only cricket- the skeletal structure is recon- Besides correcting bowlers’ Tnumber of bowlers be- ers but also sportspersons from stituted in a stick figure. actions, SRASSC also doubles ing banned for suspect actions. other disciplines. The Board of “Vicon, who are leaders in up as a cricketing centre of ex- Just between the months of Control for Cricket in India’s image motion capture technol- cellence. July and October alone, no less (BCCI) National Cricket Acade- ogy, have come out with a soft- “We all know cricket is a than five international crick- my (NCA) rehab centre has also ware. Incidentally, the ICC has game of skill and like football, eters - been relocated to this univer- also released a documentary on which has improved through (), sity from the NCA in Bangalore. how the testing is done and it scientific training. We want (New Zealand), Over the years, the science was shot at our centre.” cricket too to benefit. Bio-me- (Pakistan), of sport has gained huge im- chanics is not only for chuck- () and Sohag Gazi petus and is now coveting in- Error reduced ing issues, but it can prevent (Bangladesh) - were reported ternational attention. Dr. Alwar Thiagarajan also revealed injuries by assessing a bowl- to the International Cricket Thiagarajan, the Chief Operat- how modern machines have er’s action. Council (ICC) because of offi- ing Officer in charge of sports helped testing accuracy. Even fast bowlers’ careers cial concerns about their bowl- science services, who was re- Courtesy: SraSSC “It is now called clusters in- can be prolonged and perfor- ing actions and subsequently cently in Dubai for talks with Technological marvel stead of the process of sticking mance enhancement done. sanctioned. And while no In- the ICC and Emirates Cricket ■ From left: Dr S. arumugham, M. S. Dhoni, Dr alwar the markers directly, ” he said. For example, if somebody dian bowler in recent times Board officials, talked to Gulf thiagarajan and Sandile Sibeko at the Sri ramachandra “We have plastic sheets now wants his bowling speed to has come under the ICC scan- News on the novel research that arthroscopy and Sports Science Centre. and we stick many more stick- improve, we can analyse the ner since was is being conducted at the centre ers on that, so that the accuracy action and provide the scien- reported and cleared back in apart from testing bowlers with kataachalam is an avid cricket world are now being flown in is better. The error due to skin tific inputs to the coach as to 2005, major efforts are being suspect action with the most lover and our founder NPV Ra- to SRASSC. Elaborating on the movement has been reduced which movement pattern will taken to ensure that bowlers modern equipments. maswamy Udayar, also a sports centre’s work, Thiagarajan and hence it is much more reli- be ideal,” he said. bowl within the legal limits. lover, backed the initiative. We said: “The ICC has given all the able and accurate. The ICC has “Our four research papers One such endeavour has re- Science of sport consulted with people in the directions and protocols as to done a lot of research with their will be presented at the cricket sulted in India’s ICC-accred- “The idea of sports as a sci- UK and US and also struck up a when a player should be tested scientists and is trying to devel- science congress during the ited testing centre for suspect ence took shape when Dr S. nice relationship with the Uni- and with what equipment. We op a foolproof system of testing semi-final of the World Cup in actions at Sri Ramachandra Arumugam who is the Head of versity of , South Af- have the best of equipment for bowlers’ action so that umpires Sydney on March 26, 2015. It is University in Chennai which the Department and is an Or- rica. Professor Timothy Noakes, it. Previously we used to test can hereafter confidently deal a three-day conference and our is all set to boost cricketing thopedics surgeon, travelled a world renowned sports scien- with infra-red cameras and we with this issue.” papers have been accepted. We standards through scientific around the world and watched tist became our mentor. He ap- have almost 20 of them when Preparations as a testing cen- are going to present papers on research on the game. The Sri top sports facilities and sports preciated our ideas and through actually only 10 to 12 are need- tre began very early and Thia- how we do bio mechanic test- Ramachandra Arthroscopy specialisation and wanted to his guidance we got the right ed. garajan said: “Before we did the ing on cricketers and we are go- and Sports Science Centre establish something similar in contacts and established the “The bowler will be moni- first ICC testing, we had, as an ing to tell the world about our (SRASSC) is the second such India,” Thiagarajan said. centre.” tored by 10 to 12 3-D cameras experiment, tested almost 50 experience. Three of us will be centre in the world to get an “Our chancellor V. R. Ven- Bowlers from around the and sometimes even 16 cam- bowlers from our university. presenting the papers.”

TaRgeTs Methods and technology

Thiagarajan also elaborated on the various body weight and it should not exceed that. ticipation skills and playing skills based on success. Coach is interested in like and how does his body function. This is methods and technology that will assist That is why bowlers like Brett Lee bowled bowlers reaction and body. We are trying to tying up with us to share his expertise and what is called muscular skeleton profiling cricketers to excel. with less jump. Side bending should not be find something scientific in it.“ experience. Kirsten and Upton are a good as well as physiological profiling which more than 30 or 40 degrees and that will team. Upton approached us because he uses all those tests we do. Once we know prevent the spinal fraction. Then there is Improving anticipation: “Foot- was worked with Indian team and has de- where he stands, we compare what he has Physiotherapy evaluation: the front-foot bend on landing. If it’s more, ball has done a study on improving livered. He liked the concept of a cricketing to do for the international standards. For “Fitness has become very important you lose speed and if it’s less, you injure anticipation. They used eye tracking centre of excellence. Upton has created a example, if your grip strength is only 85 as cricket is becoming more athletic now. your spine because the shock absorbing technology and Ronaldo was tested and it protocol about how to analyse the mind of percent, it has to be upped to 95 per cent. The physiological profile pertains to what is not there. So all these internationally showed how superior he is when compared a cricketer and what to do with the results Already, international research has been Courtesy: SraSSC is his heart and lung capacity, the muscles, researched parameters are there and to others. We envisage using this kind of and how to improve. done and some recommended parameters the power, endurance flexibility and how a we compare these parameters with the technology like eye tracking and we also Centre of excellence are there, so we have to create a profile cricketer have to ideally maintain himself. bowlers’ existing parameters and we then plan to stick muscle activity readers in ■ Comprehensive testing Research on nutrition: “Cricket of the athlete and see how what he lacks He will be tested every six months or one indicate to the trainer, coach or physi- batsmen so that it can measure when the of a cricketer’s strength, is unique because it is not a time- and then we can create reports and year like the master health check up for a otherapist of the team so they take pre- muscles start to function and how many flexibility and agility. bound sport like football. Now T20 is more recommendations and pass it on to their common man. We will test them on all the ventive actions like an exercise programme micro-seconds in takes and how come like football. Different formats of the game physiotherapist or coach or trainer, so that skills and give a comprehensive report. We or correcting of action and this should good batsmen have that little more time and different position of the players like they can work towards a tangible visible indicate the areas of strength and areas of definitely improve their performance as to play shots like Sachin Tendulkar and and we can ask him to do some exercise a fielder or a batsman or a wicketkeeper goal instead of blindly following something. weakness and also give our recommenda- well as reduce the injuries.” and how they man- and see his response like heart rate etc. makes each one’s requirement different. This gives objective time-based guidelines tion about how this can be improved by age that micro-second extra that makes When we find that he is not up to the mark Shelly Meltzer, who is our Sports Nutrionist, for the coach and players and trainers.” giving a training programme or a nutritional Research on batting: “The a lot of difference to their timing. So all we help him get acclimatized. We have has over 30 years of experience and has plan. This holistic approach will definitely international research has until now these things are fascinating and we’ll see an altitude chamber also where we can made a protocol about how to assess the Goal: “We have a single-minded help cricketers enjoy the game and have mainly focused on the legal action of bowl- whether we can research them and similar simulate a low oxygen condition which is players’ nutritional needs. More than the dedication to improve sports longer career and give better performance.” ing or spine injury and how to improve the model can be evolved or training can be what you get when you play in high altitude calorie value, she has prescribed food pal- through science. Nourishment of skill is speed. Very little research has been done achieved.” centres like Dharmasala or . atable to Indians. For example, Anil Kumble handled by the coaches. Our aim is to Injury prevention: “When we talk on batting, fielding and -keeping. As Not only that, we can improve their perfor- and Javagal Srinath were vegetarians. In provide the best of sports science and of injury, we usually mention fast an aspiring centre of excellence for cricket Conditioning a cricketer: mance by putting them in such challenging fact, Srinath survived only on rice and curd medicine services to the athletes and bowlers. Their spines and shoulders are be- we want to do some ground-breaking work “Shaping a cricketer to perform in environment. For a sportsman coming out and if he had proper nutrition, his perfor- teams and organisations and then to ing rotated into action and a lot of research like assessment of fielding, assessment of any weather is vital. If a cricketer is born in of injury, strength conditioning is important mance would have been even better.” provide and be a hub of education for the has been done in cricket specially through wicket-keeping and assessment of bats- the UK and is coming for a tour to Sharjah after the initial physiotherapy.” team behind the team like physiothera- bio mechanics and muscular skeletal men and we are the only centre which has or the UAE or India, as a sports scientist or Performance enhancement: pists, masseurs for the doctors and to do evaluation and hence some parameters this double area of motion capture where strengthening condition expert I would be Expertise of Paddy upton and “For performance enhancement, it ground-breaking research. We want to be have to be followed. For example when a batting and bowling can be captured planning his trip. There are now environ- Gary Kirsten: Among our expert requires an understanding of the sport a knowledge hub for source of information bowler lands, sometimes the weight that simultaneously and we intend to use this ment chambers where the temperature, team is Paddy Upton, the sports psycholo- and then the players’ role in the sport, his and source of quality services.” gist, since mental conditioning is vital for goes into the front foot is eight times the facility later on to assess a batsman’s an- humidity and wind speed can be created physiological process like what is his body - K.R.N.