Indian cricket software bowls over ICC

Tuesday, 18 March 2003, 20:30 IST
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BANGALORE: An analytical software product that has made the Indian team rise like the Phoenix in the World Cup has bowled over the International Cricket Council (ICC) too. The ICC has ordered the e-Cricket Pro software produced by Bangalore-based Phoenix Global Solutions India (PGSI) Private Limited to train umpires for judging international games. "The ICC has just ordered it. They seem to have big plans on using the software that has become an analytical engine for the Indian team," Satish Bangalore (rpt Bangalore), MD, Phoenix Global Solutions, told IANS. "The umpires can view any match and see what and how a decision was taken. And it is just not analysing only umpiring decisions but the entire game," he added. PGSI network engineer Shriram Bhargava, who has accompanied the Indian team to the World Cup in South Africa, "is almost like the 12th man", chuckled Bangalore. Bhargava provides all the positives and negatives for any player as well as a team to improve performance. The e-Cricket Pro software, bought by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last year, has played a critical role in shaping India's brilliant comeback in the World Cup after the miserable start. The software solutions leverage the convergence of the Internet, video streaming and database technologies. Phoenix has a team that studies each sport -- cricket, golf and baseball -- closely to explore opportunities for technology leverage. For instance, every ball bowled or hit is recorded with the help of the usual television cameras. The difference with this software is that it analyses the manner in which Indian pacer Javagal Srinath, for instance, has beaten the batsman with his bowling or the number of times his bowling has been clobbered to the boundary. The Indians have used the software, developed with the active participation of Srinath, extensively before, during as well as after matches through the tournament with Bhargava's help. "It has become a powerful tool. (Coach) John (Wright) was the first to take to it to analyse the performance of the team in all aspects. At the end of each day, our engineer tailors a CD for each player to analyse," Bangalore said. "And John does it from the fielding point of view. He had, initially, felt that India's fielding was misplaced. He always calculates the numbers of fours that could be cut. It has helped the team to strategise even if I say so myself," Bangalore added. "Sachin (Tendulkar) has taken to the tool seriously. After every match he analyses his batting. And so do others. The BCCI has now given laptops to each of the players. And Bhargava is there as part of the team." Bangalore declined to put a figure to the cost of developing the software or the business that the product has brought Phoenix. "Our intention in developing the software is not driven by the profit motive," he said. PGSI, a Fortune 1000 company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Phoenix Life Insurance Company, is an IT services firm with facilities in Bangalore and the U.S. Its interest in sports has a history, beginning in the U.S. by sponsoring the NCA tennis tournament. In India, the company has sponsored the ATP doubles tournament and has developed software for golf.
Source: IANS