That's out! How expert umpires make leg-before-wicket judgements in cricket.

Despite evidence that elite-level cricket umpires are highly accurate in making leg-before-wicket (LBW) judgements, there is limited understanding as to how they make these judgements. In this study, we explored the explicit LBW decision-making expertise of elite-level cricket umpires (N = 10) via 10 individual semi-structured interviews. Using thematic analysis, we aimed to identify the sources of information that umpires incorporate into their decision-making process. Results indicated that umpires engage in intentional pre-delivery information-gathering to guide their expectations, and to set context-specific parameters as to what would constitute an LBW dismissal. Not only do umpires use information about the ball trajectory, but they also use additional information about the condition of the pitch, the action-capabilities and susceptibilities of players, and the unique requirements of different match formats. Umpires reported employing a gaze-anchor strategy when gathering information for each delivery and described the process of this information as initially intuitive, before engaging in deeper post-hoc reasoning. Findings highlight the importance of including contextual information when exploring officials' decisions and may inform future training interventions for cricket umpires.

Studies on Neotropical crickets: A new Tusked Cricket genus (Orthoptera: Phalangopsidae) from Colombia.

Dentoluzara spatulatus n. gen. et n. sp., from the middle lands of the Colombian Andes, is described. This new phalangopsid cricket is distinguished by its asymmetrical mandibles with a basal prolongation in the left one, which is why it is recorded as the first Tusked Cricket. This rare morphological structure has only been observed in some species of anostostomatids and a couple of genera of tettigoniids, but never in crickets. Furthermore, D. spatulatus n. gen. et n. sp., has the ps. p2, from the male genitalia, spatula-shaped, deriving its specific epithet from there. Finally, the new genus peculiar mandibular morphology and the subfamily Luzarinaes taxonomy are commented and discussed.

Bowler and coach experiential knowledge of new ball swing bowling in elite cricket.

Swing bowling can influence the outcome of cricket matches, but technique characteristics and coaching practices have not been investigated at an elite level. This study aimed to provide insight into the perceived technique parameters, coaching practices and variables contributing to conventional new ball swing bowling in elite cricket. Six Australian Test match fast bowlers and six Australian international and national-level coaches were interviewed. A reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts generated themes associated with swing bowling. Most bowlers reported their technique allows them to naturally create either inswing or outswing, with technique variations used to create swing in the opposite direction. To increase delivery effectiveness, bowlers and coaches recommended pitching the ball closer to the batter in length and varying release positions along the crease. Coaches recommended making individualised technique adjustments, but suggested all bowlers could benefit from maintaining balance and forward momentum to create a consistent release position in repeated deliveries. This study could inform training strategies to alter techniques and improve swing bowling performance. Future research should investigate the physical qualities of fast bowlers and use biomechanical analyses to provide a deeper understanding of swing bowling.

Behavioural plasticity compensates for adaptive loss of cricket song.

Behavioural flexibility might help animals cope with costs of genetic variants under selection, promoting genetic adaptation. However, it has proven challenging to experimentally link behavioural flexibility to the predicted compensation of population-level fitness. We tested this prediction using the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. In Hawaiian populations, a mutation silences males and protects against eavesdropping parasitoids. To examine how the loss of this critical acoustic communication signal impacts offspring production and mate location, we developed a high-resolution, individual-based tracking system for low-light, naturalistic conditions. Offspring production did not differ significantly in replicate silent versus singing populations, and fitness compensation in silent conditions was associated with significantly increased locomotion in both sexes. Our results provide evidence that flexible behaviour can promote genetic adaptation via compensation in reproductive output and suggest that rapid evolution of animal communication systems may be less constrained than previously appreciated.

Wheat Bread Enriched with House Cricket Powder (Acheta domesticus L.) as an Alternative Protein Source.

The house cricket (Acheta domesticus L.) is one of four edible insect species introduced to the EU market as a novel food and alternative protein source. Innovative products, such as cricket flour, are increasingly appearing on supermarket shelves and can offer an alternative to traditional cereals, while providing the body with many valuable nutrients of comparable quality to those found in meat and fish. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using cricket powder as a substitute for wheat flour in the production of bread. The physicochemical properties of cricket powder were evaluated in comparison to wheat flour. As a result of technological studies, bread compositions with 5%, 10% and 15% replacements of wheat flour by cricket powder were designed and their quality characteristics (physicochemical, sensory and microbiological) were evaluated. Cricket powder was characterised by a higher protein (63% vs. 13.5%) and fat (16.3% vs. 1.16%) content and a lower carbohydrate (9.8% vs. 66%) and fibre (7.8% vs. 9.5%) content as compared to wheat flour. The tested preparations had a similar pH (6.9 and 6.8, respectively, for cricket powder and flour) and fat absorption capacity (0.14 vs. 0.27 g oil/g powder, respectively, for cricket powder and flour) but different water holding capacities and completely different colour parameters. All breads had good microbiological quality after baking and during 7 days of storage. In instrumental tests, the 10 and 15% replacements of wheat flour by cricket powder affected the darker colour of the breads and caused a significant increase in the hardness of the breads. The research has shown that the optimal level of replacement, which does not significantly affect the physiochemical and sensory characteristics, is 5% cricket powder in the bread recipe. Considering the results obtained and the fact that insects provide a sufficient supply of energy and protein in the human diet, are a source of fibre, vitamins and micronutrients, and have a high content of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the suitability of cricket powder for protein enrichment of bakery products is confirmed.

Evaluating the Use of Vibrational Spectroscopy to Detect the Level of Adulteration of Cricket Powder in Plant Flours: The Effect of the Matrix.

Edible insects have been recognised as an alternative food or feed ingredient due to their protein value for both humans and domestic animals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of both near- (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy to identify and quantify the level of adulteration of cricket powder added into two plant proteins: chickpea and flaxseed meal flour. Cricket flour (CKF) was added to either commercial chickpea (CPF) or flaxseed meal flour (FxMF) at different ratios of 95:5% w/w, 90:10% w/w, 85:15% w/w, 80:20% w/w, 75:25% w/w, 70:30% w/w, 65:35% w/w, 60:40% w/w, or 50:50% w/w. The mixture samples were analysed using an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) MIR instrument and a Fourier transform (FT) NIR instrument. The partial least squares (PLS) cross-validation statistics based on the MIR spectra showed that the coefficient of determination (R2CV) and the standard error in cross-validation (SECV) were 0.94 and 6.68%, 0.91 and 8.04%, and 0.92 and 4.33% for the ALL, CPF vs. CKF, and FxMF vs. CKF mixtures, respectively. The results based on NIR showed that the cross-validation statistics R2CV and SECV were 0.95 and 3.16%, 0.98 and 1.74%, and 0.94 and 3.27% using all the samples analyzed together (ALL), the CPF vs. CKF mixture, and the FxMF vs. CKF mixture, respectively. The results of this study showed the effect of the matrix (type of flour) on the PLS-DA data in both the classification results and the PLS loadings used by the models. The different combination of flours (mixtures) showed differences in the absorbance values at specific wavenumbers in the NIR range that can be used to classify the presence of CKF. Research in this field is valuable in advancing the application of vibrational spectroscopy as routine tools in food analysis and quality control.

Crickets in the spotlight: exploring the impact of light on circadian behavior.

Crickets serve as a well-established model organism in biological research spanning various fields, such as behavior, physiology, neurobiology, and ecology. Cricket circadian behavior was first reported over a century ago and prompted a wealth of studies delving into their chronobiology. Circadian rhythms have been described in relation to fundamental cricket behaviors, encompassing stridulation and locomotion, but also in hormonal secretion and gene expression. Here we review how changes in illumination patterns and light intensity differentially impact the different cricket behaviors as well as circadian gene expression. We further describe the cricket's circadian pacemaker. Ample anatomical manipulations support the location of a major circadian pacemaker in the cricket optic lobes and another in the central brain, possibly interconnected via signaling of the neuropeptide PDF. The cricket circadian machinery comprises a molecular cascade based on two major transcriptional/translational negative feedback loops, deviating somewhat from the canonical model of Drosophila and emphasizing the significance of exploring alternative models. Finally, the nocturnal nature of crickets has provided a unique avenue for investigating the repercussions of artificial light at night on cricket behavior and ecology, underscoring the critical role played by natural light cycles in synchronizing cricket behaviors and populations, further supporting the use of the cricket model in the study of the effects of light on insects. Some gaps in our knowledge and challenges for future studies are discussed.

New species of the elusive crickets from the genus Pendleburyella Chopard, 1969 (Gryllidae, Pentacentrinae) from Sabah, Borneo.

Only one species of Pendleburyella Chopard, 1969 (Gryllidae, Pentacentrinae) was previously known to occur in Borneo: Pendleburyella eirmosa Tan, Muhammad & Wahab, 2023 from Brunei Darussalam. Here, two additional new species of crickets from the genus Pendleburyella are described from the highlands of Sabah, Borneo: Pendleburyella eremita sp. nov. from Bukit Hampuan and Pendleburyella nimba sp. nov. from Mount Trus Madi. In total, six species of Pendleburyella are currently known, three from Borneo and three from Malay Peninsula. It is likely that many more species are awaiting discovery owing to its cryptic morphology and elusive nature.

English and Welsh men's domestic cricket injury risk by activity and cricket type: A retrospective cohort study from 2010 to 2019.

OBJECTIVES: Explore whether injury profiles and mechanisms differ between red (First-Class multi-day) ball cricket and white (One-Day and Twenty20 limited over) ball cricket in elite men's domestic cricket from 2010 to 2019. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. METHODS: Injury incidence calculated according to the updated international consensus statement on injury surveillance in cricket, along with seasonal days lost and injury severity descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Across both cricket types, bowling resulted in the most seasonal days lost (mean 1942, 95 % confidence interval: 1799-2096) and highest mean injury severity (30 days, 95 % confidence interval: 28-33), with the lumbar spine the body region with the most seasonal days lost (mean 432 seasonal days; 95 % confidence interval: 355-525) from bowling. Injury incidence was higher in white ball compared to red ball cricket (per unit of time), with bowling (and its various phases) the most frequently occurring mechanism in both cricket types (white ball: 67.0 injuries per 1000 days of play [95 % confidence interval: 59.6-75.3]; red ball: 32.4 injuries per 1000 days of play [95 % confidence interval: 29.1-36.1]). When bowling, the abdomen and thigh were the body regions most injured from white (13.4 injuries per 1000 days of play [95 % confidence interval: 10.3-17.4]), and red ball (6.4 injuries per 1000 days of play [95 % confidence interval: 5.0-8.2]) cricket respectively. Overall, clear differences emerged in the nature and mechanism of injuries between red ball cricket and white ball cricket. CONCLUSIONS: Bowling presents the highest injury risk (across both cricket types), as well as highlighting the increased risk of injuries from diving during fielding and running between the wickets when batting, in shorter white ball cricket.

Lumbar Bone Stress Injuries and Nonunited Defects in Elite Australian Cricket Players.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the presentation and management of lumbar bone stress injuries (LBSI), recurrent LBSI, and lumbar nonunited defects in elite Australian male and female cricket players. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Professional domestic and international cricket teams over 13 seasons. PARTICIPANTS: Elite Australian cricket players. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Symptomatic LBSI requiring time off cricket and lumbar nonunited defects, both confirmed by imaging. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence, presentation, history, healing, and management. RESULTS: 211 LBSI were identified at an average incidence of 5.4 per 100 players per season. LBSI were most common in male pace bowlers younger than 20 years of age (58.1 per 100 players per season), however, were also observed in older players, females, and non-pace bowlers. Recurrent LBSI accounted for 33% (27%-40%) of all LBSI. Median days to return to match availability was 182 (128-251) days for all LBSI, with a shorter time frame observed for new and less severe injuries, and male spin bowlers. Healing was demonstrated in 87% (81%-91%) of all LBSI cases. 29 nonunited defects were identified and predisposed subsequent pain, LBSI, and spondylolisthesis. CONCLUSIONS: LBSI are experienced by approximately 5.4 in every 100 elite Australian cricket players per season, with a high time cost of approximately 4 to 8 months. Nonunited defects also have a high time cost with associated subsequent lumbar spine issues. The findings of this study reinforce the importance of early detection and conservative management of LBSI, particularly for younger male pace bowlers and players with recurrent LBSI, which may be supported by MRI.

"What we talk about is creating a probability": Exploring the interaction between the anticipation and decision-making processes of professional bowlers and batters in Twenty20 cricket.

Expert performers in time constrained sports use a range of information sources to facilitate anticipatory and decision-making processes. However, research has often focused on responders such as batters, goalkeepers, defenders, and returners of serve, and failed to capture the complex interaction between opponents, where responders can also manipulate probabilities in their favour. This investigation aimed to explore the interaction between top order batters and fast or medium paced bowlers in cricket and the information they use to inform their anticipatory and decision-making skills in Twenty20 competition. Eleven professional cricketers were interviewed (8 batters and 3 bowlers) using semi-structured questions and scenarios from Twenty20 matches. An inductive and deductive thematic analysis was conducted using the overarching themes of Situation Awareness (SA) and Option Awareness (OA). Within SA, the sub-themes identified related to information sources used by bowlers and batters (i.e., stable contextual information, dynamic contextual information, kinematic information). Within OA, the sub-themes identified highlighted how cricketers use these information sources to understand the options available and the likelihood of success associated with each option (e.g., risk and reward, personal strengths). A sub-theme of 'responder manipulation' was also identified within OA to provide insight into how batters and bowlers interact in a cat-and-mouse like manner to generate options that manipulate one another throughout the competition. A schematic has been developed based on the study findings to illustrate the complex interaction between the anticipation and decision-making processes of professional top order batters and fast or medium paced bowlers in Twenty20 cricket.

Methylation and bio-accessibility assessment of arsenate in crickets (Gryllusbimaculatus).

The ability of an organism to biomethylate toxic inorganic arsenic (As) determines both, the amount of As available for uptake higher up the food chain and the toxicity of bioavailable As. An exposure study was conducted to determine ability of farmed crickets to metabolize dietary arsenate. Crickets were exposed to 1.3 ± 0.1, 5.1 ± 2.5 and 36.3 ± 5.6 mg kg-1 dietary arsenate and quantitation of total As showed retention of 0.416 ± 0.003, 1.3 ± 0.04 and 2.46 ± 0.09 mg kg-1, respectively. Speciation analysis revealed that crickets have well developed ability to biomethylate dietary arsenate and the most abundant methylated As compound was DMA followed by MMA, TMAO and an unknown compound. Arsenobetaine, although present in all feed, control and As-rich, was measured only in the control crickets. To assess the bio-accessibility of the As species, crickets were subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The results showed that majority of As was extracted in saliva, followed by gastric and intestinal juice, which mass fraction was equal to residue. Over 78% of total As was shown to be bio-accessible with methylated species reaching 100% and iAs over 79% bio-accessibility. Additionally, arsenite and arsenate have shown different distributions between sequential leachate solutions. Bioaccumulation of As was observed in the studied crickets although it does not seem to occur to the same extent at higher exposure levels.

Acute changes in the metabolome following resistance exercise combined with intake of different protein sources (cricket, pea, whey).

INTRODUCTION: Separately, both exercise and protein ingestion have been shown to alter the blood and urine metabolome. This study goes a step further and examines changes in the metabolome derived from blood, urine and muscle tissue extracts in response to resistance exercise combined with ingestion of three different protein sources. METHODS: In an acute parallel study, 52 young males performed one-legged resistance exercise (leg extension, 4 × 10 repetitions at 10 repetition maximum) followed by ingestion of either cricket (insect), pea or whey protein (0.25 g protein/kg fat free mass). Blood and muscle tissue were collected at baseline and three hours after protein ingestion. Urine was collected at baseline and four hours after protein ingestion. Mixed-effects analyses were applied to examine the effect of the time (baseline vs. post), protein (cricket, pea, whey), and time x protein interaction. RESULTS: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics resulted in the annotation and quantification of 25 metabolites in blood, 35 in urine and 21 in muscle tissue. Changes in the muscle metabolome after combined exercise and protein intake indicated effects related to the protein source ingested. Muscle concentrations of leucine, methionine, glutamate and myo-inositol were higher after intake of whey protein compared to both cricket and pea protein. The blood metabolome revealed changes in a more ketogenic direction three hours after exercise reflecting that the trial was conducted after overnight fasting. Urinary concentration of trimethylamine N-oxide was significantly higher after ingestion of cricket than pea and whey protein. CONCLUSION: The blood, urine and muscle metabolome showed different and supplementary responses to exercise and ingestion of the different protein sources, and in synergy the summarized results provided a more complete picture of the metabolic state of the body.

The ground offers acoustic efficiency gains for crickets and other calling animals.

Male crickets attract females by producing calls with their forewings. Louder calls travel further and are more effective at attracting mates. However, crickets are much smaller than the wavelength of their call, and this limits their power output. A small group called tree crickets make acoustic tools called baffles which reduce acoustic short-circuiting, a source of dipole inefficiency. Here, we ask why baffling is uncommon among crickets. We hypothesize that baffling may be rare because like other tools they offer insufficient advantage for most species. To test this, we modelled the calling efficiencies of crickets within the full space of possible natural wing sizes and call frequencies, in multiple acoustic environments. We then generated efficiency landscapes, within which we plotted 112 cricket species across 7 phylogenetic clades. We found that all sampled crickets, in all conditions, could gain efficiency from tool use. Surprisingly, we also found that calling from the ground significantly increased efficiency, with or without a baffle, by as much as an order of magnitude. We found that the ground provides some reduction of acoustic short-circuiting but also halves the air volume within which sound is radiated. It simultaneously reflects sound upwards, allowing recapture of a significant amount of acoustic energy through constructive interference. Thus, using the ground as a reflective baffle is an effective strategy for increasing calling efficiency. Indeed, theory suggests that this increase in efficiency is accessible not just to crickets but to all acoustically communicating animals whether they are dipole or monopole sound sources.

Player Perceptions of Face Validity and Fidelity in 360-Video and Virtual Reality Cricket.

Virtual reality (VR) and 360° video can provide new opportunities for testing and training in sport. Both options offer different benefits in terms of efficacy for training, ease of use, and cost. This creates questions about the implementation of immersive technologies, and research is required to further understand their use. We aimed to gain initial evidence of athletes' perceptions of face validity and fidelity in VR and 360-video. Thirty-nine international pathway cricketers experienced five overs in VR cricket and in a 360-video recording. After trying each technology, players completed questionnaires to measure perceptions of presence and task workload. Participants reported immersive experience in both methods, but higher levels of realism, possibility to act, physical effort, temporal constraints, and task control in VR. 360-video offers a better possibility to visually examine the environment, while VR offers enhanced realism and physical elements, but 360-video may still offer affordable solutions for visual tasks.

Characterization and Localization of Sol g 2.1 Protein from Solenopsis geminata Fire Ant Venom in the Central Nervous System of Injected Crickets (Acheta domestica).

Solenopsis geminata is recognized for containing the allergenic proteins Sol g 1, 2, 3, and 4 in its venom. Remarkably, Sol g 2.1 exhibits hydrophobic binding and has a high sequence identity (83.05%) with Sol i 2 from S. invicta. Notably, Sol g 2.1 acts as a mediator, causing paralysis in crickets. Given its structural resemblance and biological function, Sol g 2.1 may play a key role in transporting hydrophobic potent compounds, which induce paralysis by releasing the compounds through the insect's nervous system. To investigate this further, we constructed and characterized the recombinant Sol g 2.1 protein (rSol g 2.1), identified with LC-MS/MS. Circular dichroism spectroscopy was performed to reveal the structural features of the rSol g 2.1 protein. Furthermore, after treating crickets with S. geminata venom, immunofluorescence and immunoblotting results revealed that the Sol g 2.1 protein primarily localizes to the neuronal cell membrane of the brain and thoracic ganglia, with distribution areas related to octopaminergic neuron cell patterns. Based on protein-protein interaction predictions, we found that the Sol g 2.1 protein can interact with octopamine receptors (OctRs) in neuronal cell membranes, potentially mediating Sol g 2.1's localization within cricket central nervous systems. Here, we suggest that Sol g 2.1 may enhance paralysis in crickets by acting as carriers of active molecules and releasing them onto target cells through pH gradients. Future research should explore the binding properties of Sol g 2.1 with ligands, considering its potential as a transporter for active molecules targeting pest nervous systems, offering innovative pest control prospects.

Triceps injury in non-bowling arm in cricket: an unusual mechanism.

Cricket is a non-contact sport that is popular worldwide and consists of repetitive throwing, bowling and fielding. Fast bowlers are prone to injury to the bowling arm due to repetitive stress, but this case study focuses on the damage caused to the bowler's non-bowling arm. This individual was a right-handed fast bowler who developed pain and dysfunction in his left arm after competing in more than 20 cricket tournaments. Following the stipulated bowling spell, he had severe pain in the posterior aspect of his left arm. On the field, he was managed with ice compression. Ecchymosis was seen on the distal part of his posteromedial arm. Diagnostic ultrasound revealed an acute triceps injury. The pain lasted 2 weeks and was gradually relieved with analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications. This observation led to the recommendation that elbow flexion of the non-bowling arm be checked for and avoided.

Enhancing Cricket Performance Analysis with Human Pose Estimation and Machine Learning.

Cricket has a massive global following and is ranked as the second most popular sport globally, with an estimated 2.5 billion fans. Batting requires quick decisions based on ball speed, trajectory, fielder positions, etc. Recently, computer vision and machine learning techniques have gained attention as potential tools to predict cricket strokes played by batters. This study presents a cutting-edge approach to predicting batsman strokes using computer vision and machine learning. The study analyzes eight strokes: pull, cut, cover drive, straight drive, backfoot punch, on drive, flick, and sweep. The study uses the MediaPipe library to extract features from videos and several machine learning and deep learning algorithms, including random forest (RF), support vector machine, k-nearest neighbors, decision tree, linear regression, and long short-term memory to predict the strokes. The study achieves an outstanding accuracy of 99.77% using the RF algorithm, outperforming the other algorithms used in the study. The k-fold validation of the RF model is 95.0% with a standard deviation of 0.07, highlighting the potential of computer vision and machine learning techniques for predicting batsman strokes in cricket. The study's results could help improve coaching techniques and enhance batsmen's performance in cricket, ultimately improving the game's overall quality.

Optimal initial position and technique for the front foot contact phase of cricket fast bowling: Commonalities between individual-specific simulations of elite bowlers.

Group-based and individual-based studies in cricket fast bowling have identified common technique characteristics associated with ball release speed. The applicability of these findings to individual bowlers is often questioned, however, due to research approach limitations. This study aims to identify whether the optimal initial body position at front foot contact and subsequent technique to maximise ball release speed exhibit common characteristics for elite male cricket fast bowlers using individual-specific computer optimisations. A planar 16-segment whole-body torque-driven simulation model of the front foot contact phase of fast bowling was customised, evaluated, and the initial body position and subsequent movement pattern optimised, for ten elite male fast bowlers. The optimised techniques significantly increased ball release speed by 4.8 ± 1.3 ms-1 (13.5 ± 4.1%) and ranged between 37.8 and 42.9 ms-1, and in lower peak ground reaction forces and loading rates. Common characteristics were observed within the optimal initial body position with more extended front knees, as well as more flexion of the front and bowling arm shoulders than in current performances. Delays to the onset of trunk flexion, front arm and bowling arm shoulder extension, and wrist flexion were also common in the subsequent movement during the front foot contact phase. Lower front hip extensor and front shoulder flexor torques, as well as greater bowling shoulder extensor torques were also evident. This is useful knowledge for coach development, talent identification, and coaching practice.