The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to activateits biomechanics laboratory at the National Cricket Academy here after thecostly equipment remained unused and neglected for years.
Pakistan's former Test captain and now NCA Director IntikhabAlam said the Governing Board had given approval for the project which onceoperational, would make Pakistan the first Asian cricket playing nation to havea full fledged biomechanics lab.
"The biomechanics laboratory will be made functionalvery soon since it is clear that in odernday cricket the use of technology and latest equipment is now becoming anecessity," Alam said.
The PCB, during the tenure of Dr Nasim Ashraf as President,had in 2008 purchased the costly equipment for the biomechanics lab at a costof around Rs 45 million.
But once the equipment was imported it was not used for variousreasons. Sources said one reason was that no Board head was willing to giveapproval for maintenance costs and funds to hire qualified professionals to runthe biomechanics lab.
A former Board official, who was in office when the equipmentwas brought to Lahore, admitted costly equipment had been badly neglected.
"It is a good thing that finally someone in the boardhas realised the importance of using this very modern equipment and in Pakistancricket we have regular issues with bowling actions of bowlers and need thisequipment to correct their actions at an early stage," the former officialsaid.
The equipment that was procured from the UK-based Vicon MotionSystems Limited includes Advanced Motion Capture Architecture and operates with18 motion-capture cameras and six high-speed video cameras.
Alam said the equipment could also be very useful for batsmen.
He said that once the building is ready for the lab, expertsfrom Vicon would install it and the project will be managed by a biomechanicsexpert, doctors, a mathematician, computer analysts and coaches.
"The PCB realises the scope of this equipment and howit can used in the development of our players. We know it can also help preventinjuries and used in rehabilitation processes," he added.
Alam said the equipment was in good shape though the softwareneeded some upgrading. Once operational, the PCB will be the only Board in Asiato own a biomechanics lab.
Until now the PCB has incurred heavy costs on sending playerswith suspect bowling actions to Australia for tests and corrective measures.