Tech company out to revolutionise cricket scoring

MAARTEN HOLL/Dominion Post

SOFTWARE SOLUTION: CricHQ chief executive Simon Baker with his iPhone app, which keeps score sheets for cricket games.

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An iPhone application that a Wellington company hopes will revolutionise cricket scoring and coaching has become one of the most downloaded sporting applications after it was plugged during a break in the Blacks Caps' second test against Pakistan.

CricScore, software developed by Wellington start-up CricHQ, has been downloaded 3500 times in the past week, according to chief executive Simon Baker, including 1500 downloads overseas.

While the software was released late last year, its popularity took off when former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, one of the company's investors, plugged it live on Sky Sport during the tea break on the second day of the second test at the Basin Reserve.

Mr Baker said smartphones with touchscreens had created an opportunity for the devices to be used to revolutionise cricket scoring, as traditional scoring books, which he likened to "triple entry accounting", could put people off taking part at junior and grassroots level cricket, where parents and friends are often asked to help.

In development for about 15 months before its launch, the software's scoring system had to be simple enough to be used quickly, as well as able to take into account the idiosyncrasies of an already complicated sport.

"Cricket is a crazy game. You can get everything right in the scoring system, but if the umpire gets it wrong and lets a seventh ball be bowled in an over, then, even though it's a mistake, it's happened and it has to be catered for," Mr Baker said.

CricHQ developed the application to prototype stage, before being granted seed funding from economic development agency Grow Wellington.

Later, Mr Baker, a keen cricketer, attracted Fleming, whom he knows through sporting contacts (and claims to be the only player in Wellington to catch the former international out twice in a single day), and current Black Cap Brendon McCullum as investors.

The investments have allowed the staff numbers at CricHQ to rise to eight at the company's new base in Majoribanks St, which also includes a cricket media website and a cafe, Nude.

While a sponsor agreement means the application is at present free to download, Mr Baker said CricHQ planned to derive revenue by eventually charging for the software, as well as additional functions aimed at amateur coaches, such as fielding drills or videos.

"That's what we're really looking at being, a provider of solutions to amateur and grassroots cricket."

While the firm wants its software to be used by cricketers in New Zealand, Mr Baker said the main markets were likely to be the UK and India, where he expected Fleming's international profile would help attract attention.

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