The Veckta came about because inventor Brian Carling wanted to help his son practice his batting. Brian had no skill with a cricket ball so tried various ways of making a ball cut off a pitch, including using a spin mat, before hitting upon the idea for the Veckta. Perfecting the launcher and accompanying ball took about 18 months. 'I love ripping a ball passed a batters outside edge,' he says. 'I feel like I'm Shane Warne. I almost forget that I'm cheating. It's so easy with the Veckta.'

We experimented with the ball alot, using various materials and designs. In the end the best material turned out to be PU foam, the same material bowling machines are made of. PU foam is soft enough not to damage a bat but still feels good to hit. The balls are lighter and smaller than cricket balls but when they are hit the feeling is similar to hitting a cricket ball.