Cricket ball with microchip may soon hit the Big Bash

Sydney: Cricket and technology go hand in glove in the modern era of the game. In yet another innovation, a cricket ball embedded with a microchip, also known as the 'SmartBall', could well be the latest to hit Australia's Big Bash League this summer.

According to a report in stuff.co.nz, Kookaburra, the Australian ball manufacturers, have also shown interest to use it in Test cricket very soon.

They are in fact in the final stages of testing the new product.

The SmartBall has the ability to delivers instant statistics on speed — at release point, pre- bounce and post-bounce — that are more comprehensive and accurate than a normal radar.

It also measures revolutions at the same points, which is unprecedented in-game data for spinners.

The brainchild behind this project is SportCor, a firm chaired by former Australian pacer Michael Kasprowicz, who have teamed up with Kookaburra.

The companies involved in the project also insist that in future the SmartBall can help umpires and Decision Review System (DRS) process by showing whether a ball has definitively hit the bat or the grass, in the case of catches that are too close to call.

And if it's found to be successful there then it could be used in international games.

Meanwhile, England wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler said that he would love this innovation to be used in Tests.

"It'll be a great coaching tool and for viewers as well, it's amazing to see that instant feedback," Buttler said

before adding: "It seems to behave exactly the same as a regular ball."