Nearly two full seasons on since Gray Nicolls brought out the double-sided T20 bat, it’s been consigned to the “never again” file already. I was in my local specialist cricket shop between Christmas and New Year, and the two variations they had were both marked down to less than half price at that stage, with sales to date totalling 0. GN have discontinued the model.

Despite saying he would try the bat at some point, David Warner never used one in a game, and I’ve still not seen (not even in the nets) a reverse sweep – or any shot, for that matter – attempted using the back of the bat…

Another that I can recall seeing a short tv feature on was a bat where the blade was angled back from the handle. To try to explain that – if you put the blade flat on the ground, the handle would be off the ground, at a 10 or 15 degree angle. The idea apparently was to reduce shots going in the air. Never heard of it since (perhaps 4 or 5 years ago). It had ex test player Peter Sleep (I think playing league cricket in England at the time?) demonstrating it.

The MD of the manufacturer was interviewed on BBC radio and his response to the query whether the bat was legal was inconclusive. He obviously supllies bats to some of the England team presumably including KP who has made the switch hit his forte.

LAS

I thought the carbon fibre handle was banned and perhaps that is why they have no more stock.

However, the carbon fibre handle broke after just 6 games and less than 100 runs, now we are arguing about repair, replacement or refund. Gray Nichols are being very difficult and have already lost us (myself and three sons) as future customers. They are arguing that it was stock from three years ago.

Apparently, tennis players know and are used to supposedly indestructible carbon fibre racquets just busting, due to a hairline weakness. You live and learn.

Of more practical import, if you catch a leading edge on a traditional bat, the odds of it getting caught and bowled by the bowler is slim unless you absolutely time it “perfectly”. with the massive edges on today’s bats, leading edges back to the bowler are a much greater problem!!!!