The Big Bash League (BBL), Australia’s T20 cricket competition, has introduced a new innovation to the game called Electra Stumps.

Initially used in Women’s BBL, the Electra Stumps featured for the first time in a men’s game during a BBL 2023-24 match between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on December 22.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan and ex-Australia batter Mark Waugh unveiled the Electra Stumps before the match began.

What are Electra Stumps?

Electra Stumps are the latest type of cricket stumps which feature an LED setup. These are equipped with lights that illuminate in five different colour patterns to signal different events during a cricket match.

The electra stumps light up in five different colour patterns during the following events in a match:

  • Dismissal - In case a wicket falls, all three stumps will flash red and then fire.
  • Fours - When a player hits a boundary, the lights on the stumps change colour one after another. It shifts from purple to green, and so on.
  • Sixes - When a batter slams a maximum, colours run from bottom to top. It scrolls rapidly as they move up.
  • No ball - When a bowler oversteps, the stumps turn red and white in alternating up and down motion. It is later accompanied by a loudspeaker siren, indicating a no-ball.
  • Between overs - When the players switch ends in between overs, the stumps light up in pulsating blue and purple colours. 

The Electra Stumps are designed to provide spectators, both on and off the field, with better visual cues during a match. It is also expected to make watching matches more engaging, adding an extra layer of excitement to the game.

If the innovation finds widespread adoption in the game, Electra Stumps could eventually replace the trademark red and white stumps and traditional wooden stumps in various cricket leagues across the globe.

Photo credit: BBL

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Big Bash League