Cricket: Boxing Day test to feature 'world first' TV technology

Colin de Grandhomme's bat will be fitted with the new technology. Photo / Photosport

A brand new cricket technology, making its debut as part of the television coverage of the Boxing Day test, has been described as "the biggest innovation in the game for a long, long time".

BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme and Henry Nicholls will all be using bats wired with the sensors that make up what's been named "Smash Factor" by Fox Cricket.

Viewers will then be able to see and compare the bat speed, shot power, timing and launch angle of each batsman's game.

Fox's Head of Sport Steve Crawley told The Daily Telegraph this new broadcasting feature has the potential to revolutionise the way the sport is observed.

"It's a world first. I think it's the biggest innovation in the game for a long, long time," Crawley said.

"Hot Spot was big, Richie (Benaud) loved Hot Spot. Snicko was massive when it came in. Stump cam was big. This is on that level – if not higher because of the fascination with the bat and never being able to judge the bat before.

"(Previous technology) has always been about the ball – ball tracking for example.

"It'll be really interesting to get the force of a shot and when someone hits it sweet out of the middle, we'll now get the power of it and be able to compare it to other players."

However, Crawley's dreams of seeing Smash Factor in action on a Boxing Day morning were dashed when Australian opener Joe Burns - whose bat was fitted with sensors - was clean bowled for a golden duck, Trent Boult beating every inch of his bat.

The next chance for fans to experience Smash Factor will come when Matthew Wade enters the middle for Australia.

Fox Cricket executive producer Brad McNamara has worked with New Zealand company Animation Research Limited to develop Smash Factor, both spending several years trying to perfect the technology.

"The first incarnation was a plug that went into the bat handle, but it put the balance of the bat off," he said.

"We've had to develop a box that will sit in with the stump microphone and that receives the data through Bluetooth.

"I think it has the potential to change the way cricket is broadcast."