Bats

MCC to come down hard on composite bats


Cricinfo staff


The MCC is keen to restore the balance between bat and ball by altering Law 6,
one that pertains to bat manufacture.


John Stephenson, the head of the MCC Laws Committee, will present a paper to
modify the law on Wednesday. "We are concerned at the moment about the balance
of the game between bat and ball," Stephenson told mid-day.com, the website of
a Mumbai-based tabloid.


"Kookaburra produced a bat with graphite binding on it [the one used by
Ponting in 2006], which we said did not conform to the laws of the game. That
caused a little bit of a difficulty for us. It meant that we had to redefine
or rewrite the law. We thought we had got there last year, but Gray Nicolls
came up with a bat handle with composite materials like graphite and titanium.
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."


No comprehensive research has proved the effect of graphite or titanium bats
on the power imparted to shots but Stephenson said the move was being
undertaken to preempt the huge influence superior technology could have on
bats. "We have engaged scientists to look at the impact," he said. "The use of
composite materials could already have had an impact and it could have an
impact in future too. It's a thin end of the wedge. If we allow technology to
develop, it might shift the balance down the line. 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.


Stephenson, who played a solitary Test for England in 1989, said all bat
manufacturers had been apprised of the situation at regular intervals. "The
MCC and bat manufacturers have agreed to an amicable phasing out of bats," he
said. "There are different time-frames fixed for phasing out, so that
manufacturers do not lose financially. From a certain period, the bats cannot
be used, from a certain period of time, the bats cannot be sold. Amateur
cricketers can use the bats till the natural life period. However, after
September, it cannot be used in international cricket.


"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. That's the rationale behind it, so that in 10 to 15 years, we still look
at a game that resembles what we watch now. That's our job - to safeguard the
health of the game."