Cricket Coverage adds new graphics to show player postions

By Kevin Hilton
SVG Europe Editor
Cricket has inspired innovations in
television technology over recent years and the tradition continued
during coverage of the first Test match of the summer, which has
featured a new graphics display to show the position around the pitch
of players from the fielding team.

Field Plan has been appearing
in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen during Sky’s live
broadcast of the game at Lord’s between England and New Zealand, which
concludes today ((May 19). The graphic is updated every time the field
is reset to show how the fielding team is attempting to trap the
batsmen at the crease. It probably also helps viewers who are uncertain
about positional jargon such as Silly Mid On and Second Slip.

Sky’s
coverage of the whole Test series is in HD with 5.1 audio and Field
Plan joins a large portfolio of technological devices that have
enhanced its coverage over the past 18 years, including the Hot Spot,
Hi Motion, virtual graphics, stump cameras and stump microphones.

Paul King,
cricket
producer at Sky Sports, commented, “Field Plan will offer a clear view
on where fielders are positioned, not always possible with traditional
cameras. We will easily be able to see the challenge faced by batsmen
and the tactics being employed by the opposing captain. It will be a
fascinating addition to our coverage.”