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 bowling action Chennai-based sRassC to boost CRiCket 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 - Sachithra Senanayake been relocated to this univer- also released a documentary on which has improved through (Sri Lanka), Kane Williamson sity from the NCA in Bangalore. how the testing is done and it scientific training. We want (New Zealand), Saeed Ajmal Over the years, the science was shot at our centre.” cricket too to benefit. Bio-me- (Pakistan), Prosper Utseya of sport has gained huge im- chanics is not only for chuck- (Zimbabwe) 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 Harbhajan Singh 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 Cape Town, 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 Gary Kirsten 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.