by Abhishek Mukherjee
Contrary to popular belief, bowling machines are not a new concept. In fact, the first advertisement in a Wisden was of a bowling machine developed by – John Wisden. That was in 1867.
But Nicholas Wanostrocht (Nicholas Felix to everyone) designed one at least two decades before Wisden.
Felix was a cricketer (one of the greatest batsmen of his era), a classical scholar, a musician (could sing and play seven instruments), a linguist, an inventor, a writer, and an artist (his portraits are still there in the Lord's Pavilion), all in one.
Felix designed the Catapulta, a bowling machine, perhaps the first of its kind. One could adjust pace. The fastest possble ball could split the bat in two. The direction could also be changed.
Felix's most famous book, Felix on the Bat, came out in 1845. While it features some excellent insights on the sport as well as details about the machine and instructions on how to operate it.
A one-day match between Tichborne Down Club and a team called County Players was played next year. County Players scored 32 and 75 and Tichborne Down 65 in their only innings, so it was a draw.
But there was a catch (no pun intended). There was no bowler – though a man from the bowling side operated it. All batsmen had to face the Catapulta, while ten men fielded throughout.
There were a glitch or two. George Smith of Tichborne Down, for example, ran halfway down the pitch beforehand, converted it into a full-toss, and got ten (all run? overthrows? special scoring systems?). When Smith tried to repeat this, Chamberlayne, the bowler, changed the length and deceived Smith in the flight.
The match took place on 28 May 1846.
But even this was not the earliest known match against the machine. Here is a scorecard from a 1844 match (courtesy Sreeram). Do note how catapulta features here.
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