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Hot Spot inventor Warren Brennan has called for protective coatings to
be removed from bats in order to achieve the most accurate thermal
imaging results. Brennan has broken his silence on the Hot Spot debate
of the past week, releasing a statement that did not mention
silicone-tape but said the thermal signatures of cricket bats were
"unquestionably" affected by their protective coatings.
A number of edges have failed to show up on Hot Spot during the ongoing
Ashes series, leaving the players uncertain of whether to use reviews or
not. Following the Old Trafford Test, Channel Nine in Australia
reported the ICC was investigating the possibility that players were
using silicone-tape on the edges of their bats during this series in a
deliberate effort to fool Hot Spot.
However, the ICC dismissed those claims and the captains of both sides
rubbished the idea that any of their players would set out to cheat the
DRS. Brennan, who had initially declined to comment on the debate, has
now released a statement in which he said that his company, BBG Sports,
had tested a range of the latest cricket bats over the past week and
found that their protective coating can reduce the likelihood of edges
showing up on Hot Spot.
"Following the Manchester Test match earlier this week, BBG Sports
analysed contentious Hot Spot decisions from the Ashes series and
decided to purchase several of the latest generation of cricket bats to
undertake thorough testing," the BBG statement said. "BBG Sports
observed that the majority of bats had some form of protective coating
that would wrap around onto the edges of the bat.
"Strangely enough, this protective coating would cover only half of the
edge of the bat and not the entire edge of the bat. BBG Sports believed
this could cause the front edge of the bat to have a different thermal
signature than the back edge of the bat. BBG Sports' own internal
testing over the past three days utilizing the latest generation of
cricket bats has, in their opinion, provided conclusive findings.
"The type and thickness of the protective coating unquestionably affects
the thermal signature of the Hot Spot system. In layman's terms, the
protective coating definitely diminishes Hot Spot marks. BBG Sports
advised the ICC earlier this week on these initial findings and has
committed to further testing over the coming weeks.
"BBG Sports believes that in order to achieve optimum Hot Spot results
the removal of protective coating from bats and edges needs to occur.
This will allow for the best thermal signatures between cricket balls
and natural timber cricket bats."
However, the ICC is unlikely to enforce any such rules, given that
batsmen have been using protective coatings on their bats for many
years. Earlier this week, Australia's captain Michael Clarke said that
every bat he had owned since he was about 12 had featured a protective
layer in order to increase the bat's longevity, and most bats these days
incorporate some form of such protection.
The ICC's umpires manager, Simon Taufel, also said earlier this week
that for the past three years, Test umpires have carried out random bat
inspections roughly 12 times per Test and not once has a batsman been
found to have used silicone-tape in an attempt to trick the technology.
Taufel said if such tape was found on the edges, a player would be
liable for a breach of the Code of Conduct.
Hot Spot was again the centre of attention on the first morning of the
Chester-le-Street Test, but this time the system worked as intended. Joe
Root was adjudged not out by the on-field umpire Tony Hill but after
Australia asked for a review, a faint edge showed up on Hot Spot and the
decision was overturned.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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