I saw these on "sleek geek's" ABC tv Australia last night.

N.S.W are using them as a training tool in the nets.

They are goggles that the batsmen put on that have liquid crystal lenses. As the bowler gets to the point of delivery "the coach" presses a button on a remote control and the batsmen loses total sight, and must play the shot using only the information he has captured up to the point of delivery.

Domenic Thornley (batting) and Nathan Bracken (bowling) plus the NSW coach demonstrated it. Thornley who has obviously used it in training was surprisingly hitting the ball even though he had not sighted after it left Brackens hand.

"Sleek Geek" presenter the one eyed Adam Spencer firstly had a go without the goggles against Bracken in which he looked totally lost but was sought of jumping in the right direction, then put the goggles on and lost sight at the ball release. Surprisingly he copped a few bouncers on the body that he said later he knew were going to hit him, but after a few balls he started settling down at the crease and was getting closer to them having his sight deprived than before the goggles went on.

Thornley sought of gave an explanation later about when the bowler is about to release the ball you should already know through watching up until that stage most of the information your brain needs to process about the delivery. The glasses are a tool to help train batsmen to concentrate more on the point of release of the ball so they have more time to execute their shot.

They even went into reaction time testing which surprisingly cricketers do not differ much from the general population.

It was fascinating.

Thats really interesting and fascinating. I wonder if the glasses would be more suitable for umpires along with ear plugs so that they dont see or hear any aggressive appeal and make a decision purely on basis of what they saw and heard before the appeal.

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My computer can beat me at chess.....but its no match for me at kick boxing.

I agree ear plugs and fluency in "auslan" should be mandatory.

They may have a place someone in the stand can flick them into non-sight right after the ball is bowled until the bowler is halfway running in for the next delivery.

Maybe we could put a "DVD" feed into them like "happy feet"

was a great one.....:

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"They look like a team destined to win the world cup"......
Ian Chappel during Ind v SA in the World Cup 20-20