Stump cameras

In 1980, The original cameras were of fairly poor quality, rendering anything more than a few feet away an indistinct blur, and attracted widespread criticism as they tended to be overused by excitable producers. But within a few years the quality issues had been resolved and the images they produce now are crystal clear. The use of cameras pointing back towards the bowlers and slips gave this a new edge. The cost of the cameras means that a No. 11 coming out to bat at the end of a game is usually accompanied by a member of the TV production team who replaces the stumpcam with an ordinary one. This follows a much-publicised event a few years ago when a spectator was too quick and snatched a stump as a souvenir at the end of a Test in Colombo. Several TV production staff gave chase through Colombo in a comedy tuk-tuk pursuit in a bid to recover the equipment, which was worth several thousand dollars. They failed, and the stump now has pride of place on a mantelpiece in a sleepy English village.