Hotspot inventors want covering removed from bats

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (Reuters) - The inventors of cricket's 'Hotspot' technology have called for all protective covering to be removed from bats in order for the system to work properly.

England's Pietersen edges the ball and is caught by Australia's Haddin during the fourth Ashes cricket test match at the Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street near Durham

The ongoing five-match Ashes series between England and Australia has been dogged by controversial umpiring decisions and there have been several occasions when Hotspot has failed to pick up edges.

"The type and thickness of the protective coating unquestionably affects the thermal signature of the Hotspot system," BBG Sports said in a news release on Saturday.

"In layman's terms the protective coating definitely diminishes Hotspot marks. BBG Sports believes that in order to achieve optimum Hotspot results then the removal of protective coating from bat edges needs to occur."

England, 2-0 up in the series, will resume their first innings on 238 for nine when play starts on the second day of the fourth test in County Durham later on Saturday.

(Writing by Tony Jimenez; Editing by Peter Rutherford)