An engineering department for a university has recreated in timber, the contraption that bowled an Australian international cricketer out in 1909
A challenge from Hugh Hunt, professor of engineering dynamics and vibration at Cambridge University to build a version of Dr John Venn’s bowling machine developed in the early 1900s.
The device will be used at events and open days with the target of enthusing youngsters thinking about maths and engineering as a career.
Prof Hunt said: “The whole idea behind the project was to bring a little bit of history back and also to show how much fun you can have with maths.
Cricket bowling machine recreated by engineers 1900s.
It was based only on a black and white photograph of the 7ft (2m) machine, as well as an application from its time for reference.
Possibly the best batsman of his time, Victor Trumper fell to ‘the machine’ during Australia’s visit to Cambridge in 1909.
The university’s head of design and technical services in the engineering department, Thomas Glenday said: “We didn’t have any drawings to work with.
Its meaning was that we had to design it ourselves, how in principle the machine would operate, and what does a spin bowler mean with his speed.
Hoppe added that “the spin has been kind of the linchpin and probably one of, if not the toughest parts to certainly design.
‘Historic relic’
Initially, they built a one-fifth-scale model of the machine out of coil springs before using bungee cords to upscale it.
The tests showed the machine could bowl at around 33mph (53km/h), and Mr Glenday said he was “delighted” with how it worked.
Sure it would be cool if this thing could chuck balls at 100mph but the truth is, A) those are major production numbers and that’s not how something like this was designed to live.
The timeless artifact should be preserved as such
The machine was tested by 23-year-old opening batswoman of the university’s women cricket team, Alice Bebb.
She said: “It is a bowler forever unique to me.
It was a little bit like facing a quick bowler bowling from close range, snooping if any delivery would leave the ribcage.
The device even will appear at Essex County Cricket Club on Monday, in an event held by the Essex Year of Numbers campaign to help “make numbers beautiful” for education and numeracy.
