THE ‘BLADE’ RUNNERS

T20 has made shot-making superior to technical ability while innovative bat-makers strain at the leash to strengthen the batsman’s hands. A look at how guardians of cricket rules have so far ensured bats don't veer off the beaten path

Aluminium

Dennis Lillee caused a row in the Perth Test of the 1979-80 series against England by using an aluminium bat – he was partner of the company, ComBat, which made it. England skipper Mike Brearley protested and Australia skipper Greg Chappell forced Lillee — he argued no rule was flouted — to switch to a wooden bat. The umpires barred the aluminium bat, and rules were changed that said bats must be made entirely of wood

Kaboom

David Warner’s Gray Nicolls bat brand, raised concerns over bat size and their power, making battles with bowlers more lopsided. His T20 bat was reportedly 85mm at its thickest. MCC, the custodians of cricket laws, brought in regulations in

Oct, 2017, limiting bat width to a maximum of 108mm, depth to 67mm and edges to

40mm.

Mongoose

Marcus Codrington Fernandez, a creative director in advertising, invented the T20-specific bats that were made by Mongoose — 33% shorter blade and 43% larger handle. They were dubbed “a half-brick on a stick” by Australia’s Stuart Law. Matthew Hayden used its MMi3 version in the 2010 IPL.

arbon fibre

In 2005, Kookaburra released its “Kahuna” model bat, with carbon fibre-reinforced polymer support down the spine, which was used by Ricky Ponting and others like Mike Hussey and Sanath Jayasuriya. Following concerns it provided power advantage and absorbed shock better, MCC, custodians of cricket laws, ruled it flouted the laws.