Trueman by BOLA Bowling Machine

The TrueMan displays a high-contrast LED animation of a bowler on the front of the Bowling Machine which synchronises exactly with release of the ball.

The bowler animations give players the natural cues they need to get ready for each shot and releases all their normal batting triggers.

TrueMan was developed from bowling machines designed by BOLA that incorporated projected images of bowlers for SMAAASH, an Indian company operating twenty lane cricket centres in an entertainment environment.

For club and professional cricketers projected images are only effective in low light levels and as all serious cricket practice always takes place in well lit circumstances BOLA had to find an alternative. The answer was a mono, high-contrast LED screen that works in well lit cricket facilities as well as outdoor nets.

The bowler animations are all legitimate bowling actions that encourage the player to employ the right batting sequences and make cleverer decisions.

These animations are produced by artwork made from real life video footage and so an extensive library of actions and styles of bowling can be built up with any player's action being able to be reproduced.

The TrueMan is electromechanically active and programmable by any Wi-Fi enabled device (tablet, phone or laptop) by downloading the BOLA app. All the machines functions (line, length, speed and swing) can then be manipulated and saved as individual balls, overs or spells. They can then be used as selected or 'shuffled' to produce random sequences. The bowler animations can be changed at any time and can be matched with any number of deliveries.

If you choose not to pre-programme each delivery a random variation of speed, line and length can be programmed.

A new 'elevator' feeder system has been developed to maintain the machines storage height but it also removes the feeder (or any other visual interference) above the image of the bowler making their run up.

Many of the players are doing extra sessions since the arrival of the TrueMan. Wicket keepers in particular seem to have taken to it as they can set the machine up and practice by themselves.