Mitchell Starc's 160km/h bowl: Accuracy of speed gun technology questioned

Fast and furious: Mitchell Starc celebrates taking a wicket. Photo / Getty Images

The accuracy of cricket's speed gun technology has come under question once more after Australian paceman Mitchell Starc sent down the fastest ball in test history at the WACA yesterday.

Starc's 160.4km/h delivery at Black Caps double century-maker Ross Taylor, if measured correctly, would be the fastest delivery recorded at test level.

But the validity of the speed reading was questioned by New Zealand batting coach Craig McMillan, who suggested the result may have been inaccurate. "I don't know, maybe someone in the truck was having a bit of fun," McMillan said last night.

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"That delivery came out of nowhere and looked pretty similar to a lot of deliveries through the day that were closer to 150 than 160.

"I'm not sure if maybe the wrong button was pushed. But you'd have to ask Rosco (Taylor) whether it felt 10km/h quicker than any other delivery he faced."

Starc told reporters the delivery "felt really good" and was confident the speed of the delivery was the result of good technique. "I was trying to bowl quick. It was just nice to have some rhythm and have the ball coming out nicely."

As for McMillan's comments, Starc drily replied: "I'm happy for him to face me in the nets tomorrow if he wants."

It is not the first time the radar gun technology has come in for criticism, with former Black Caps speedster Shane Bond alluding to feeling short-changed by Sky Television's speedball radar, which rated him alongside England seamer Craig White in 2002.

Bond, who took seven wickets in New Zealand's 10-wicket win over India, had his fastest ball recorded at 142km/h with a howling northerly behind him at the Basin Reserve.

Days later, Australian television recorded White's top speed also at a lofty 142km/h in the one-day match in Melbourne.

Sky's then director of cricket, former New Zealand test captain Martin Crowe, defended the network's radar system, which was the same technology used by police to catch speeding motorists.

Australia's Channel Nine used a different and more expensive radar system, which was offered to Crowe, but Sky could not afford it.

The speedball radar in New Zealand records the delivery as soon as it leaves the bowler's hand then takes another recording about 50cm further in the ball's flight. The two speeds are averaged for the final reading.

The accuracy of speed readings came under the microscope after Pakistan whirlwind Shoaib Akhtar was recorded at an apparent world record 161km/h while bowling to Craig McMillan in Lahore in April 2002.

The speed readings shown on television in that game and the readings on a scoreboard at ground level differed by up to 10km/h.

The fast bowlers club

It may be under dispute by the New Zealand camp but Starc has joined an exclusive fast bowlers club.

Pakistan's Akhtar holds the world record with a 161.3 km/h ball in a 2003 ODI.

Shane Bond is the only New Zealander to top 155, reaching 156.4 km/h against India at the 2003 World Cup.