Sport News

MCC to decide on composite bats

category: Cricket

07.05.2008 14:26

The MCC is to debate whether some modern cricket bats should be outlawed at a special meeting on Wednesday.

It will form part of a debate on the laws of cricket, of which the club are the guardians.

Law 6, which calls for "equal balance between bat and ball", will be reviewed regarding the composition and materials of modern bats and handles.

The use of carbon fibre and graphite has given bats extra strength, but also made them lighter.

And the MCC must decide whether this constitutes an unfair advantage for batsmen.

Modern bat handles are made with a hollow carbon-fibre shaft, fixed to the blade with a wooden plug, and housed in moulded foam, while traditional bat handles are a mix of cane and rubber, guarded by a linen thread, weighing up to six ounces more.

Modern bats make up the weight in the depth of their blades, increasing the potential force in the middle of the bat.

The special meeting will follow the MCC's annual general meeting, and aims to be more prescriptive of what may and may not be used legally to construct a bat.

The club researched the physics of contemporary cricket bat technology with bat-makers for several years before deciding to meet on a change to law 6.

Currently there is little prescription on bat-making beyond maximum width (4.25in), length (38in), and that the blade should be made entirely of wood.

In 2006, a bat made by Kookaburra and used by Australia captain Ricky Ponting, was deemed illegal because its blade was backed by a graphite strip which the MCC ruled was "likely to cause unacceptable damage to the ball" (Law 6.2).

The ruling was backed by the International Cricket Council and the bat was withdrawn by the manufacturers.

Any proposed change to the law concerning bats must be agreed upon by two-thirds of the 18,000 MCC members for it to take place.

If approval is given, the changes will not take effect until 1 October 2008 when all bats used in the professional game will have to meet the new standards, though any amateur player in possession of an illegal bat would be allowed to continue using it "for the rest of the bat's natural life".

The MCC, meanwhile, has also announced it is open to the idea of hosting neutral international test matches at Lord's. Though there is no particular match in mind there will be consultation with other cricket governing bodies.

Original text is here

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