There will be a unique experience for the viewers as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have introduced a head-mounted camera on the short leg fielder.
The innovation in the cricket field will give fans a new experience as it will beam pictures from the England-India Test which starts on Friday (July 1).
There will be a unique experience for the viewers as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have introduced a head-mounted camera on the short leg fielder.
“It is intended at giving the viewers a unique perspective from the middle of a Test match,”
Robin Reeve, the senior producer of Sky Sports, told Cricbuzz on Thursday, the eve of the Birmingham Test.
England’s close-in fielder Ollie Pope will wear a camera on his helmet and the Sky official says that they have got the approval of not only the boards but also the captain and coach of the England team. It was being tried out during the England practice session on Thursday (June 30) at the Edgbaston.
“Ollie Pope has trialed it and is happy to have the camera on his helmet,”
said Reeve, confirming the thumbs-up from Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, the captain, and coach of England.
There is, however, no immediate indication that an Indian short-leg fielder too will mount the camera on his helmet.
“It is to be confirmed, but unlikely.”
said Reeve
Sky Sports has researched this and has felt that a short-leg fielder is the best option to do this experiment. “If it goes well, perhaps we try others,” Reeve replied to a specific query. It was tried out during The Hundred tournament last year in England.
These experiments had previously been done in the Big Bash League, it was tried and in those instances, the cameras were placed at the heads of the batsmen.
“We are always looking to innovate and the images looked incredible in The Hundred,”
Reeve disclosed.
The ICC has given the green signal regarding this matter. It is understood that the permission was given on the lines of the ICC operation regulations for broadcast technology on and over the field of play in ODIs and T20Is which state:
“Head-mounted cameras may be worn by umpires and/or players in ODIs and T20 Internationals (both men and women), with the express agreement of both the Host Board and each player or umpire that is going to wear the broadcast equipment.
b) If the camera is mounted on/in a batting helmet, it is the responsibility of the Host Board to ensure the helmet remains compliant with the relevant safety standard.”