'Player dome' gives cricket a new look

By CHRIS BARTON it editor

First there was the wagon wheel, then the Manhattan and the worm. More recently we've seen the lbw line. Now comes the "player dome."

Sky TV's cricket coverage gets a whole new look today in the one-day match against Sri Lanka, thanks to a new graphics package built by Virtual Spectator, the New Zealand company famous for its America's Cup animations.

Director Ian Taylor said the on-screen graphics, which debut on Sky but will be available to other broadcasters, were a new commentary tool to describe what was happening on the field.

The package provides a 3D view of the field, showing animated players in their fielding positions.

It also provides the ability to change from an overhead view to a batsman's perspective, showing just what parts of the field are covered and where the batsman needs to hit to score runs.

"I don't know how many times I've heard commentators say, 'I don't know why that player is still fielding at silly mid-off, he should be over here to stop the single.'

"Now the commentators can show the viewer exactly what they mean," Mr Taylor said.

The software lets commentators click on players with a cursor and move them into a new position, which is translated on screen to an animated player walking to his new location. A 3D batsman's wagon wheel overlay would then show the effect the new placement would have in stopping runs.

In addition, individual player domes will show the sort of influence ace fielders like Chris Harris can have on a game.

The player dome is derived from a series of player statistics which give scores for abilities such as speed, reflexes, throw accuracy, jumping and running.

The stats are then displayed graphically as a dome over the player - showing the distance the fielder can travel left, right, back, forward and up to catch or field a ball.

Mr Taylor said there was potential to include the graphics analysis on cricket websites, and for Sky to have it permanently running throughout a match on one of its digital TV channels.

Virtual Spectator is working towards bringing its TV graphics used for golf and rally car racing coverage to an internet format too. Mr Taylor said the company was also developing a technique to process video images from specially placed digital cameras o provide animated game analysis graphics for team sports such as soccer and rugby.

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Virtual Spectator