LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday installed a state-of-the-art bowling machine at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) here in a bid to provide modern training facilities and match simulation training to its players.
According to the cricket board, the machine, equipped with a high-contrast LED animation of a bowler on the front screen, perfectly synchronizes with the release of the ball and allows coaches and players to adjust the line, length, speed, swing and height, while also saving individual balls, overs and spells, which can be used to create sequential or random matches.
PCB shared that the bowler animations are based on proper bowling action and allow batsmen to work on their impulses, decision-making and batting sequences in a situation close to the match environment.
Also, in a video released by the cricket board, Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha was seen facing deliveries from the newly installed machine, accompanied by director Aqib Javed.
Javed revealed that the PCB was the first cricket board to buy the machine, which helped prepare players “closer to” match conditions as it could be programmed according to a batsman’s needs.
“The Trueman 3 machine is the latest technology and we are the first cricket board to use it. In traditional bowling machines, it is difficult for players to adjust the release point of the bowler, their trigger movements and the timing of when to prepare,” Javed said.
“The advantage of this machine is that the batsman can watch the bowler’s video on the screen and synchronize himself accordingly. At the same time, the machine can be programmed as per the needs of a batsman, which helps prepare the player closer to a match situation,” he added.
Pakistan T20I captain Agha echoed Javed’s views, saying the machine will help prepare players for the challenges of modern cricket, including executing innovative shots.
“The biggest advantage of this machine is that the batsman can relate his practice to a match situation. As cricket moves towards the modern day, new shots and new methods are introduced and this machine helps prepare for those challenges,” Agha said.
“It feels like a bowler runs up and bowls. The ball comes with an action, so you have to time it like you do in a match. I think this technology will help batsmen improve and we will benefit from it even more in the future.”
comments