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MCC: Most cricket bats illegal
06/05/2008 17:54 - (SA)
London - The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC),
guardians of the laws of the game, plan to revise rules to make
most bats currently used in the international game illegal.
The MCC is aiming to clarify the law banning all composite
materials used in bats or handles.
John Stephenson, head of cricket for the club based at
Lord's, will present a paper to MCC members on Wednesday after
which a vote will be taken.
"We are concerned at the moment about the balance of the
game between bat and ball," Stephenson told Mumbai tabloid Mid
Day on Tuesday.
"While we do not want to discourage innovation, we want to
ensure bat manufacturers make bats made of willow and bat
handles of cane, rubber and glue."
The issue of whether batsmen were gaining an advantage came
up in 2006 when graphite bats of the kind used by Australia
captain Ricky Ponting were withdrawn from international cricket
by its manufacturer Kookaburra.
"We thought we had got there last year but Gray-Nicolls came
up with a bat handle with composite materials like graphite and
titanium," added Stephenson.
"So we decided to redefine the handle in terms of rubber,
cane and glue. It's the first time that the bat handle will be
defined in the laws of cricket.
"We want to shore it up now so that we do not have to
retrace our steps. It will also give something back to the
bowlers."
The MCC and bat manufacturers have agreed to an amicable
phasing out of "illegal" bats, Stephenson said.
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