Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
Doi
Abstract
In the sport of cricket the objective of the ‘no-ball’ law is to allow no performance
advantage through elbow extension during ball delivery. Since the advent of high-speed
video photography it has been revealed that some straightening occurs in bowlers who
have actions that are traditionally considered in accordance with the law. Measuring the
three-dimensional movement of the elbow is vital when assessing bowling legality in
cricket. However, the elbow joint is a complex structure with a remarkable range of
motion and tracking its movement through skin-based techniques can be highly
erroneous due to the thick layer of skin overlying the joint.
Within this work, a biomechanical model was mathematically developed and
experimentally validated to assess bowling legality in cricket. The new model meets all
of the specifications of a measurement method to be used in sports-related
biomechanical studies for non-invasive measurement of joint kinematics at high speeds
whilst allowing for the subject to move freely within a large volume. The model was
compared with existing methods via a series of sensitivity analyses and was found to
significantly improve repeatability compared to available elbow measurement
techniques particularly in measuring subtle elbow rotations, such as elbow abduction
and forearm pronation. In addition this model can be easily implemented within the
existing experimental protocol for assessing bowling legality in cricket as proposed by
the England and Wales Cricket Board and will be used in future clinical and sport-related
studies
