Recurring instances of the LED-flashing bails refusing to budge off the stumps, despite the ball doing its bit, have kicked up a storm in recent times, especially in the World Cup. The much-admired technology has consistently faltered in recent tournaments, and its performance continues to be unpredictable at the ongoing World Cup in England.
Over the past few years, technology has been making sweeping advancements in the sporting world. Hawk-eye technology, goal-line technology, zing bail technology have all been decisive in clearing the air when things get too close to call. But, when the tech itself lets you down, there is often no scope for redemption.
Sturdy stumps, stubborn bails, sour-faced bowlers, grinning batsmen and confused Umpires were not a rare sight at this year’s Indian Premier League. Jofra Archer’s bouncer that struck Dhoni rolled behind to knock the stumps, but the bails remained intact. In fact, Rajasthan Royals were at the wrong end of things twice when Dhawal Kulkarni’s trailblazer flew past a swinging Chris Lynn and clipped the bails. While the bails responded to the impact by flashing its red light, they were too comfortable to be dislodged. And as for the ball, it had raced away for a four. Ajinkya Rahane later called out such instances to be declared a ‘dead ball’; yet, back then it seemed such events were just a rarity. But the zing bails would prove notorious again in a potential run-out, when it wouldn’t budge to the considerable impact of M.S. Dhoni’s throw as K.L. Rahul scrambled to reach the crease.
Australia's David Warner looks back as the ball touches the stumps but does not dislodge the bails during the World Cup match against India | AFP
Famously, this embarrassing situation was punctual enough to haunt the 2019 World Cup in its opening encounter itself. An Adil Rashid toss went past South Africa's de Kock to hit the stumps, and though the bails lit up, it stayed put. The next beneficiary was Sri Lanka’s Karunaratne as Trent Boult’s full length delivery kissed the stumps, rustling the bails, only to bounce behind into the keepers gloves. The zing bails wouldn’t be dislodged a third time this World Cup when some fine pace bowling went past Chris Gayle’s defence pose to brush the stumps loudly enough to create confusion on the field with the Umpire even signalling Gayle to have been caught behind!
Bronte Eckermann’s invention is now drawing much flak after being adored by the cricketing world since its inception in 2013. It is quite unfortunate that the technology which is used to curb human errors in split-second judgments is now struggling to stay scot-free itself. Zaheer Khan strongly opined, “If the bails are too heavy to be dislodged, don’t use them at all!”. If these incidents are warning sings, then it should send Eckermann back to the drawing board to return with a refurbished version of this path-breaking tech. Otherwise, conservative voices are sure to sound the ‘death-rattle’ for zing bails and the humble wooden stumps will be back in business.
