Cricket News: BBL stump mic controversy shows technology has to be reviewed

While heightening the drama for fans at home, the stump mic has sometimes been an unwelcome addition for cricketers, regardless of the format being played. 

And another controversy erupted regarding the stump mics, this time in the Big Bash League. During a BBL game pitting the Melbourne Stars against the Adelaide Strikers, many felt Marcus Stoinis should have been timed out. 

The stump mics caught the conversation between Stoinis and the umpires when the former finally made it to the field, leading to many having a field day with the contents of the conversation. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I think everyone should concentrate less on big bash umpiring errors and more on the fact that every player who’s said a naughty word on field this season has been appropriately fined, and really, if we’re honest, that’s what matters.</p>&mdash; Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyNeesh/status/1611321254430269440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yet while some found it a good hearing, others preferred that the conversations of this manner be kept private and did not like hearing it at all. 

Stump mic controversies are nothing new. After all, who can forget the time when Josh Hazlewood was fined 15% of his match fee due to being caught saying a few naughty things by the stump mics? 

The incident led to former Aussie fast bowler Mitchell Johnson's call for a ban on the stump mics, but unsurprisingly they have stayed on. 

What's more, there have been other controversies surrounding it, too – who can forget the time Virat Kohli directly vented all of his frustrations regarding a DRS review into the stump mics? 

Or better yet, the exchange between Vernon Philander and Jos Buttler that led to the current England white-ball captain calling for the devices to be banned – admittedly without any success? 

But it isn't just the stump mics causing issues. The spider cam, a camera suspended on wires that move around the playing field, has also led to a few controversial moments. 

One too many instances of the camera wires coming in the way of a ball flying too high above the ground. 

But things got cranked up to another level recently when Anrich Nortje was struck by a spider cam that was hanging down too low during the Test series between Australia and South Africa. 

Nortje was thankfully okay but curtly pointed out after the incident that the spider cam should not be so low and close to the players. 

And that is the main issue with these new technologies – while they undoubtedly enhance the viewing experience for several fans worldwide, they come with their problems. 

So what is the solution here? A blanket ban might sound tempting, but given broadcasters' power over the sport of cricket, it seems an unlikely choice at best. 

The next best thing to be done is to devise guidelines to ensure the technologies are adequately used. 

Let it be known that the spider-cam operator needs not to let the camera drop too low when a player is in its vicinity. 

And not every conversation over a stump mic needs to be broadcast live to viewers; discretion can and should be advised. 

It might seem small, but simple guidelines will help technology and cricket goes hand-in-hand in the future.