麻豆社

A wooden machine that bowled out an Australian international cricketer four times in 1909 has been recreated by engineers at the University of Cambridge.

The contraption bowls at fifty kilometres an hour - far slower than professional players - but is able to spin the ball.

The original design was made by Doctor John Venn - more famous for creating the Venn diagram in mathematics.

The researchers remade it using only the original diagrams and a photograph.

They say it is an ingenious mix of "wood, string and maths".

It's being taken to events across the UK to showcase maths and engineering, as Victoria Polley finds out.