by Albert Evans — LPS Special Correspondent
Scientists at an exercise science centre are researching the physical impact of various sporting activities on players, with the aim of improving their technique and reducing the likelihood of injury.

Researchers at the School of Chemical and Life Sciences, at the University of Greenwich, London, are working to enhance the performances of sportsmen and women, safely.

Three fast bowlers from Kent County Cricket Club (KCCC) - including Martin Saggers who was named as Kent’s player of 2000 - are taking part in the research.

Here, an undergraduate sports science student, Glen Marillier, is displaying his fast bowling technique to the head of the research project, Dr. Mark Goss-Sampson, pictured at a computer screen.

Dr. Goss-Sampson and Marillier, his final-year project student, are looking in particular at the impact and load dissipation on the lower limbs of fast bowlers, particularly in respect to the hip, knee and ankle, during the delivery stride. Previous research in this field has concentrated mainly on the cause and prevention of back injury that can be sustained by cricket bowlers.

During the study, cricketers will have reflective markers attached to their left leg from pelvis to ankle and, while they bowl into a net, infrared cameras will map the leg movement by tracking the reflective markers. The force at impact is recorded and the data analysed, using custom-built computer software.

A number of cricket clubs, including the KCCC, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) - the headquarters of England’s cricket team - and Surrey, are keen to see the results of the study. Three members of the MCC Young Cricketers’ squad have already participated in the research.

The results of the biomechanical study may have implications for improving bowling technique and, subsequently, avoiding physical injury (from their own actions) to fast bowlers, particularly juniors and young professionals.

Similar studies are being carried out in other sporting areas, including the analysis of the rotational shot-put technique in national and European junior throwers. It is hoped that analysis and modelling of this complex movement will aid the performance of future Olympic athletes.