2 minute read
Zing Bails
Zings – the fl ashing wickets of world cricket
Zing International, manufacturers of the fl ashing Zing Wicket System, have created an accessible range for clubs and schools. David Jeacock fi nds out more
Zings fl ashing stumps and bails have been around for a decade and are now used throughout professional cricket the world over.
The original product, the TV Zings, was created specifi cally for television. A microprocessor in each Zing bail detects when it becomes dislodged from the stump grooves, illuminating within 1/1000th of a second. This pioneering technology provided absolute clarity for umpires making pivotal high-pressure decisions on run outs and stumpings in the white-hot cauldron of professional sport. The impact was immediate, with the Zings quickly becoming a fi rm favorite with cricket o cials around the world.
The popularity and e ectiveness of Zings allowed the company to create alternate ranges, with ‘Club Zing’ designed specifi cally for the purpose of schools and clubs.
The Cricketer spoke with Zing’s commercial manager, Luke McAlister, who picks up the story. “Our initial purpose was to help umpires make the correct decisions. We have found in our testing that umpire error-rates with the Club Zings are halved when stood at square-leg as you cannot miss that fl ash of light as soon as the bails are removed.
“As opposed to the TV review process which moves frame-by-frame and the umpire has to attempt to identify the precise moment the bails dislodge between frames, the Zing wickets light up instantly making it much easier to identify that precise moment. Take the New Zealand v Pakistan Test series last year, where Kane Williamson looked to have been run out but was given not out by the TV umpire. This was a key moment in the game and the decision-making process was lengthy and uncertain. If Zing equipment had been used, it would have provided instantaneous clarity for the TV umpire, allowing the game to have quickly carried on without delay and with the correct decision having been reached.”
Zing have adapted their product, making them more robust and now provide options for both grass and artifi cial surfaces with spiked stumps and rubber bases respectively. A full Zing kit is now available at an accessible pricepoint for grassroots cricket as McAlister explains:
“More and more clubs and schools (both Junior & Senior) are picking them up and are fi nding that the product creates a real buzz and spectacle for the spectators and everyone else. The fl ashing lights emit 1,700 lumens per end, compared to a standard torch which emits just 100, and bring spectators right into the action.
“The attention our product generates also creates sponsorship opportunities with companies wanting their brand to appear on the stumps. This can o set the cost and even create a profi t for the schools/clubs we work with. They also it make much easier to get key decisions right and e ectively provide assistance to selfumpiring, which is vital at grassroots level.”
