The amount of people that have asked me to bowl one ball at them so that they can see what it would be like to face is unbelievable – and now it can happen in Stockport. This technology allows people to see what the pros are up against whilst having an amazing time. I can’t wait
to see how I get on!

It was tricky, first up was a full swinging delivery which hit me halfway up my shin, so 1-0 to the simulator! Despite the pitch being slightly shorter, the bowling machine was accurate, Josh Hazlewood bowled a nice full swinging ball that got the Yorker, then knocked the wickets and Nathan Lyon to Sangakkara was a big turning ball, his first test wicket so they were similar. I’m not sure how I'd go facing Warney for 6 hours, but I reckon a lot of kids around the country would get stuck in for many hours around the grounds. I use these bowling simulators back in Brisbane, it’s not like having a normal bowling machine that’s set in the same position, these simulators can swing the ball in and out, leg spin, off-spin, whatever you may need to get ready for your next match. So, in terms of my preparation, it’s crucial.

Just played on the BatFast Cricket Simulator at St Lawrence College. First of all, it was loads of fun, to hit Chris Jordan for four through the covers is always pleasing... The kids loved to bat against the simulator but, what also shone for me was the versatility of it, you can groove yourself, use it as for specific training when getting close to the season and you can recreate match situations where it’s you against the bowler. Thumbs up, well done, a good bit of kit.

BatFast is a great way to engage cricket enthusiasts. It is the perfect entertainment offering for the amateur and a great training tool for the more experienced cricketer too. We are exploring ways to make better use of simulators for professional players and are excited by the direction the BatFast team are taking. Technology needs to be embraced and we’re thrilled about the prospects of this partnership.

We are constantly looking for creative ways to engage the public in our sport, and put more bats and balls in people’s hands, regardless of their age, gender or level of cricket experience. On a number of occasions, our team has successfully hired BatFast to assist us at events such as The Lates Session at The Science Museum, and they have helped us make cricket fun, accessible and relevant to people who may not have otherwise thought or chosen to have a go at cricket. BatFast’s technology is a superb innovation and, as an event crew, their staff are always professional, diligent and wholly client-focussed. Would thoroughly recommend.

 

We have been delighted with the results, we’ve had nearly 1,600 people have a go. Some people have never played cricket before but they have had a go and really enjoyed it and then kept coming back every day to give it a go. It has been extremely popular with our shoppers and local community, adding value to their shopping experience, bringing people and communities together in the process.

 

It was as close to reality as possible really, I faced one from Mitchell, so yeah I got out a few times. It comes out fast and swung a fair bit too- so very challenging. Obviously, I’m a left-handed batter so I selected left-handed bowlers. I played Nathan Lyon’s ball to Kumar Sangakkara, it was tough, there were some good deliveries in there. I also faced Mitch Johnson against Alastair Cook, it certainly swung and recreated what happened in the game so yeah, it was realistic and good fun. I then faced Ryan Harris against Alastair Cook, so I had three tough decisions, I only hit one. Its good fun and good to have around the grounds during the Australian summer of cricket and to give people a chance to face a few of the great cricket deliveries.

We had overwhelmingly positive feedback from our members. Its something that I myself was particularly excited about and with the way that our club is evolving and changing over time, something like this really does add some extra value; and its been great to see that each time its come back its got busier and busier, so yeah it has really added some value to us.

 

We’ve been working with BatFast for many years. They and the service they provide is outstanding. They bring cricket to life and they have helped us to engage with thousands and thousands of young people.  They have also helped us to monitor the impact of our family strategy.