London, May 29 (Inditop): Former Australian batsman Stuart Law has become the first player to use the new Mongoose blade in a cricket competition.
This latest evolution in cricket bat design has sparked fears that younger players will be turned off bowling.
The Mongoose bat, with a handle as long as the blade, is not even the craziest design the Marylebone Cricket Club – the game’s lawmakers – have been presented this past year as Twenty20 spawns a new wave of invention, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
The MCC has already rejected dozens of submissions, including one bat with holes drilled into the blade for aerodynamic purposes, described by observers as a “Swiss cheese bat”. But they passed this one, used for the first time by former Australian batsman Stuart Law during a county Twenty20 match on Tuesday night.
The MCC found that it met all requirements under law six of regulations regarding the make-up of a bat, and they are not concerned about the possible ramifications for bowlers.
The Mongoose is tailor-made for the short format. Subtlety is not its strong suit. With a five-centimeter thick base that boasts a sweet spot twice the size of that on a traditional bat, even the pace bowler’s saving grace – a yorker – can be dispatched to the ropes.
“The Mongoose has the potential to revolutionise cricket,” said Law, who is contracted by the bat’s manufacturers to spruik its powers.
“Without changing your technique, the bat allows you to hit the ball harder and further. Its power is phenomenal. It’s a weapon of mass destruction,” Law added.
A company spokesman said there was “every chance” the bat, with a starting price of 159 pounds, could make an appearance at the Twenty20 World Cup as negotiations were under way with other international players.
The ICC has no problems with that prospect because it complies with MCC law, although, looking at its design, some wonder how that could be.
“When Twenty20 came in, people said it would be the death of the spin bowler, and, over time, it has proved that spin bowlers are the most successful. I don’t think we need to be worried about fast-tracking laws to help bowlers. We’ll see how it [influences games] and then obviously consider if laws need to be tailored,” MCC spokesman Neil Priscott said.
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