Hot Spot may not be used for 2011 Cricket World Cup
The ICC’s decision to use the Hot Spot technology for the next edition of the World Cup to be played in 2011 may meet a roadblock. The major issue that the ICC could face is with the costs associated with the equipment needed for the technology, and with lack of Hot Spot cameras world-wide, it looks like it may not be used for the entire of the World Cup.
The 2011 edition of the World Cup will see 14 teams battle it out in 49 games, including 42 league matches and seven knock-out encounters. According to the firm that supplies the equipment, there are only four such cameras available in the world, and to manufacture more of these cameras will not only require finances but also time and the necessary permissions.
Warren Brennan, the owner of BBG Sports, which is the technology-supplier, said that he had talked with the ICC executive head, Dave http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Richardson-c85395, but hadn’t heard from him in the last six weeks. Brennan also added that it usually takes around five months to manufacture the cameras and there weren’t too many firms in the world with the technical know-how of making them.
The cameras are also classified as military equipment, which means that prior permissions have to be taken while making them. It takes around three months for these to go through.
The cost of the Hot Spot is another issue that needs to be addressed. Currently, it costs $6000 per day for the basic set-up using two cameras, whereas the use of four cameras costs $10,000 per day. Already, cricket boards like the BCCI and the PCB have refused to install the technology because of these high costs and the broadcaster’s reluctance to spend on it.
This may not put a spanner in the works of using the Umpire Decision Review System for the World Cup, because the Hot Spot technology is not a must-have for the same. At the minimum, the ball tracking technology (like Hawk-Eye), super slow-motion cameras and a clean audio feed from the stump microphone are required by the ICC.
However, the problem with the technology apart from the Hot Spot is that none of it is foolproof, which means that not all the players are convinced about the authenticity of the results.
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