August 05, 2007	Sunday	Rajab 20, 1428

MELBOURNE, Aug 4: Cricket Australia (CA) is experimenting with virtual reality technology for its batsmen to maintain the team’s number one position in the world. The technology with players, padded up and waiting to bat, to rehearse their innings using images gathered from middle, and projected, life-size, back into the pavilion.

If the system works, it will mean that a batsman like Mike Hussey can go out to face Muttiah Muralitharan having already got his eye in against him in real time, with ability to re-play deliveries he found difficult.

“A batsman could pick up cues in Murali’s bowling action on that particular day so they know when it’s coming,” said Marc Portus, Manager, Sports Science unit at CA Centre of Excellence, which which celebrates its 20th anniversary.

“We’re not quite at that stage yet, but it’s where we’re aiming to go – possibly as early as next summer,” he was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press. “We’ve done it with footage in a training environment and simulated game scenarios, but we’d really love to start doing it in matches. You can’t beat real thing.”

However, virtual batting studio is unlikely to be functional in time for Australia’s two Tests with Sri Lanka this summer.—Agencies