The Germans may be crap at the summer game, but they reckon they know how to help the English back into their rightful place in the pantheon of world cricket.

For German scientists claim to have solved one of the great mysteries of life - how to judge whether a batsman is leg before wicket.

Siemens boffins have adapted missile tracking technology to calculate whether or not the ball would have hit the stumps to an accuracy of 5mm. Sunset + Vine, the TV company which produces Channel 4's cricket coverage, plans to use the technology next season, alongside the Snickometer, which detects the noise of the ball hitting the bat.

The England and Wales Cricket Board - the game's governing body - says it has no plans to adapt the technology, preferring instead to rely on the umpire's skill and judgement.

England supporters will be well aware of a disputed LBW dismissal of top West Indian batsman Brian Lara in the final test at the Oval. The removal of Lara saw the disappearance of all effective opposition to England's historic 3-1 series victory.

The Register says: "Hahaha! We won for the first time in 30 years!" ®

That LBW law in full:

Law 36: Leg Before Wicket

1. Out L.B.W.
The Striker shall be out L.B.W. in the circumstances set out below:-
(a) Striker Attempting to Play the Ball
The Striker shall be out L.B.W. if he first intercepts with any part of his person, dress or equipment a fair ball which would have hit the wicket and which has not previously touched his bat or a hand holding the bat, provided that:-
(i) The ball pitched, in a straight line between wicket and wicket or on the off side of the Striker's wicket, or was intercepted full pitch.
and
(ii) The point of impact is in a straight line between wicket and wicket, even if above the level of the bails.
(b) Striker Making No Attempt to Play the Ball
The Striker shall be out L.B.W. even if the ball is intercepted outside the line of the off-stump, if, in the opinion of the Umpire, he has made no genuine attempt to play the ball with his bat, but has intercepted the ball with some part of his person and if the other circumstances set out in (a) above apply.

Simple, eh? @reg;