By now, it is clear that the ability to introduce variations is another of Freebowler's features. You can place the ball with the seam in different positions to simulate different deliveries that bowlers bowl. There's a screw under the plastic cup on the sling, which can be tightened or loosened to adjust the length of the delivery. Similarly, the machine has three hooks, which let you vary the speed between 110 and 130 kmph.
S Nagesh, Chief Advisor at Freebowler, told Gadgets 360 that most electric bowling machines aren't good at bowling a random set of deliveries, which allows batsmen to know in advance which type of a delivery is going to be bowled. However, electric bowling machines are good if the batsman is practicing alone. The Freebowler needs a person to operate the machine, whereas some electric bowling machines allow you to load, say, 10 deliveries and bowl them at the batsman.
“Wherever we have made them to bat in two-three different set of conditions, they have said (Freebowler) is very close to playing in the nets with a real ball,” Nagesh said. “We don't want the batsman to anticipate and be ready. The surprise element which the bowler creates, that should come in the machine. If I tell (a batsman) that I am going to bowl good-length for 100 balls, mentally he already is going to be prepared. Nobody is going to tell you that in a real match.”
Having said that, the Freebowler is not without limitations. At the moment the Freebowler can mimic a short, medium pace bowler. The machine is not tall enough to simulate deliveries being bowled by a freakishly tall bowler such as Billy Stanlake.
“For professionals, we need to address the height issue. For junior players, up to under-19 this machine is perfectly fine,” Nagesh told Gadgets 360.
At the international level, 130kph is not a pace that will trouble any batsman. Freebowler can't hit 140-150kph, which is the speed most international team fast bowlers bowl at. The founder, Prateek Palanethra, said the company has had to walk a fine line between portability and speed. To integrate higher speeds, the Freebowler would need a heavier base, which makes the machine a lot less portable, he explained.
Finally, Freebowler is not a spinner yet. If you want to practice against spin, the machine won't be of much use right now. “We have tried a few prototypes but it is still at least six-eight months away. We wanted to get this product out first,” Palanethra said. He added that the company is also working on figuring out how to integrate a camera and some kind of sensors to give batsmen basic data such as how many deliveries they faced and how they played certain shots, etc.
The Freebowler also has components that will need to be replaced from time to time. The main component is the spring that gives the machine the power to bowl deliveries. Palanethra says, “The machine is completely modular. Even if a component breaks down or is damaged the maximum it'll cost to replace is around Rs. 1,300. The spring will cost around Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 1,300 and the plastic cup is at around Rs. 700 to Rs. 800.”
He adds that these components are built to last for 10,000 to 30,000 cycles depending on use. The act of arming the machine and bowling a delivery is one cycle. Palanethra told Gadgets 360 that with heavy use (four hours a day of nonstop use) these two components will last around two months. With normal use (two hours a day for up to five days a week), they'll last for six months or more.
You get all of this in a package that weighs around 27-30kg, and fits in a bag that's about the size of a standard cricket kit. The Freebowler is priced at Rs. 40,000, which is far lower than what most electric bowling machines cost. Freebowler is currently in discussions with multiple cricket academies across India and has around 100 pre-orders so far. The company also has a presence in international markets such as Australia and the US, and for now, its focus is on establishing a footprint in cricket academies across India.