Top Felpham cricketer on a good wicket

Leo Lindsay has created The Batsman to promote hand-to-eye co-ordination to enable fielders to hold on to catches.

He has sent details of his simple but effective device to the Indian Premier League's chairman Lalit Modi.

One of the most powerful men in world cricket, he is known through a family friend of Mr Lindsay's wife, Rosie, and wields enormous influence with the second of his yearly gatherings of the best players around the globe gaining plenty of attention.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club has also expressed an interest in buying The Batsman, which can be used with deliveries of up to 90mph.

This makes it suitable for everyone from school players to cricketers of Test match standard.

Builder Mr Lindsay (63), of Roundle Avenue, said: "My invention will help slip catchers to improve their accuracy. The fielders are some of the most important players on a cricket field and their importance is increasing with the growth of limited overs cricket.

"The Batsman can be used for two sets of slips, left and right-hand, at the same time to stop them having to wait around."

He knows all about the art of slip catching by holding the record for the number of catches '“ more than 250 '“ for his club, Magdalen, which plays next to Hampton Court. He completed his 33rd season for the outfit, close to his former home, last season.

He has spent a couple of thousand pounds putting his prototype together from steel. It is shaped like an arrow and throws out balls bowled at it from either a bowler or bowling machine.

A lack of moving points means the piece of equipment, likely to sell for 800, should be long-lasting.

Its simple design also rules out the need for any power and increases its ease of movement so a teenager can move it around indoors or outdoors.

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