England look for technical edge

Mark Garaway © Getty Images

England have embraced new technology in an attempt to give them an edge during the World Cup and boost their preparations for Friday’s crucial opener against New Zealand.

Like most international teams England have used video footage to help formulate plans and tactics for some years now, which were a major factor in the stunning 2005 Ashes success.

But team analyst Mark Garaway has taken that technology to the next level by using software to deliver video images to their MP3 players and portable games consoles which the majority of players in the England squad use relentlessly on tour.

On previous tours the only use players found for using their MP3 players was for the younger members of the squad to listen to the latest gangsta rap track or in Andrew Flintoff’s case to enjoy another Elvis or Johnny Cash record.

Players had previously been able to view greatest hits packages of their best moments to boost confidence and analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition on laptops.

The technology discovered by Garaway, though, enables them to view the images on the move more easily during travel days and even in those last few moments before going out onto the field.

“What’s new about this is the portability aspect of it,” explained Garaway.

“Every team will be doing a similar type of thing and now I know a couple of the other teams are also looking into it.

“It just means they can look at it wherever they are. We’re just trying to use other bits of technology that is already out there which people are using for different things and tailoring it to help what we do.

“I found out about it after a chat with someone I know and researched it on the internet before downloading the software for around £15. The players have already got the hardware so we just wanted to make use of what they’ve already got.”

The new technology has already been used to help players like Durham seamer Liam Plunkett, who has become an avid watcher of his greatest moments.

He has used it extensively during the build-up to the World Cup, focusing on his incredible delivery to bowl Adam Gilchrist with the first ball of the Australian innings which helped England claim a 92-run triumph in Sydney during the recent Commonwealth Bank series.

“I’ve watched the Gilchrist wicket plenty of times,” confessed 22-year-old Plunkett.

Liam Plunkett relaxes in the West Indies © Getty Images

“It’s such a good feeling watching the ball come out of your hand right and land in the right area and looking back at that it gives you massive confidence by taking you back to when you bowled that ball.

“Since Mark Garaway found a way to put it on our i-Pods and games consoles we have been able to use the footage to give ourselves a confidence boost just before you go out to bat - you can see video footage of yourself batting well.”

He joked: “Kevin Pietersen might want to look at himself scoring a century or something like that to give him a bit of confidence - not that he needs it!

“They can put all sorts of different things on there. If Ian Bell wants to see how Daniel Vettori grips the ball before the New Zealand game, he can go to his i-Pod or his computer.”

Plunkett and the other bowlers may also focus the new technology on the use of slower balls, off-cutters and leg-cutters which Australian pair Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark used expertly during the warm-up match in St Vincent.

With the ball swinging only for a few of the early overs, Australia have opted for different tactics to restrict the opposition and Plunkett, who is primarily a swing bowler, and the other England seamers are focusing on developing similar tactics to take into Friday’s opener.

“I think we’ll have to bowl with a lot of variation,” conceded Plunkett.

“We saw against Australia they did that quite a lot with Bracken and Clark bowling off-cutters and leg-cutters, which was the main reason they won the game.

“In the first five overs we have to take advantage of the new ball and try and take wickets with that, but straight away I think we have to use off-cutters and slower balls because otherwise batters can line you up and it’s easier for them to score on the wickets out here.”

Plunkett and the rest of England’s squad practised for the first time in St Lucia on Tuesday following their arrival on Monday from Montego Bay, where they took part alongside all the other teams in the spectacular opening ceremony.