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Eduan Roos and Sapa-AP
Johannesburg – Next year’s Cricket World Cup on the sub-continent will not be error-free.
Warren Brennan, owner of BBG Sports, told cricinfo.com on Wednesday that the company currently owns only four of the so-called Hot Spot cameras, which with the help of infrared technology can determine whether a batsman has edged a delivery.
It is part of the controversial umpire referral system, according to which a team can refer a limited number of umpiring decisions to a match official.
This drew mixed reaction from the world’s top players as Hot Spot technology is not required by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the system.
Only the so-called Hawk Eye system, which determines the natural line of the delivery, super slow replay cameras and a clearly audible wicket microphone are required.
South African captain Graeme Smith and counterpart Ricky Ponting both pleaded with the ICC last year that the Hot Spot should be added to the list or the system should be scrapped.
BBG Sports is one of only a handful of the producers of these cameras, which costs tens of thousands of rand per day to operate.
To operate two of the cameras at one match costs in the region of $6?000 (about R45 000), while four cameras will cost the ICC about $10 000 (R75 000).
Brennan said that the governing body needs “between 8 and 10” cameras to be able to cater for each of the 50 games in the tournament.
“I informed the ICC of that about six weeks ago, but have not received any feedback,” he said.
He said that the use of the cameras, which are considered military equipment, also have to be approved by the government and this can take up to three months.
The tournament in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh starts on February 19, with the Proteas playing in Group B against India, England and the West Indies.
Johannesburg – Next year’s Cricket World Cup on the sub-continent will not be error-free.
Warren Brennan, owner of BBG Sports, told cricinfo.com on Wednesday that the company currently owns only four of the so-called Hot Spot cameras, which with the help of infrared technology can determine whether a batsman has edged a delivery.
It is part of the controversial umpire referral system, according to which a team can refer a limited number of umpiring decisions to a match official.
This drew mixed reaction from the world’s top players as Hot Spot technology is not required by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the system.
Only the so-called Hawk Eye system, which determines the natural line of the delivery, super slow replay cameras and a clearly audible wicket microphone are required.
South African captain Graeme Smith and counterpart Ricky Ponting both pleaded with the ICC last year that the Hot Spot should be added to the list or the system should be scrapped.
BBG Sports is one of only a handful of the producers of these cameras, which costs tens of thousands of rand per day to operate.
To operate two of the cameras at one match costs in the region of $6?000 (about R45 000), while four cameras will cost the ICC about $10 000 (R75 000).
Brennan said that the governing body needs “between 8 and 10” cameras to be able to cater for each of the 50 games in the tournament.
“I informed the ICC of that about six weeks ago, but have not received any feedback,” he said.
He said that the use of the cameras, which are considered military equipment, also have to be approved by the government and this can take up to three months.
The tournament in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh starts on February 19, with the Proteas playing in Group B against India, England and the West Indies.
