MCC seeks action on use of graphite bats

Tuesday May 6, 09:08 PM

LONDON (Reuters) - 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 are 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were gaining an advantage came up in 2006 when graphite bats of the kind used by Australia captain Ricky Ponting were withdrawn from international cricket by its manufacturer Kookaburra.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.

(Additional reporting by Sanjay Rajan in Mumbai)

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