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What is the difference in terms of accuracy of Hawk-Eye technology when it comes to cricket and tennis?

The tennis authorities throughout the world (except for the French Open and some clay court tournaments) have accepted the Hawk-Eye technology, completely trusting its results and awarding decisions on its basis.

But in cricket, in the form of the Decision Review System (DRS), there has been and is a lot of controversy surrounding Hawk-Eye. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is completely against it and many others are skeptical about it.

So what is the difference in Hawk-Eye technology and philosophy when it comes to tennis and cricket?

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In tennis, Hawk-Eye is used to locate the impact of the ball on the flat ground relative to the field markings. The analog of that in cricket is locating the point where the ball pitched relative to the lines of the stumps. Those decisions are almost always uncontroversial, and the Test Match playing conditions specify that on this matter "evidence provided by technology should be regarded as definitive". (Notice that there is no "Umpire's Call" verdict on the point of pitching.)

The controversial aspects of Hawk-Eye in cricket are locating the point of impact and determining whether the ball would have hit the stumps. Those are much more difficult problems, both conceptually and technologically.

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  • +1. Question: I don't recall an instance of Hawk-Eye being shown or used on a full toss (meaning: hitting the batsman before hitting the ground). Did I just miss those or what?
    – user1564
    Commented Aug 19, 2013 at 19:33
  • I can't see why it wouldn't be used.
    – Peter Eisentraut
    Commented Aug 19, 2013 at 20:27
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    @Gugg Hawk-Eye indicated that Graeme Swann's "worst ball of the century," a full toss which dismissed Chris Rogers LBW, would have missed leg stump.
    – Spinner
    Commented Aug 19, 2013 at 21:14

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