Every code goes through a period where amendments must be made to the rules of the game, to prop up the curiosity factor or carry the game forward.
One-day international cricket, for instance, has been going through a series of minor alterations in rules ever since Twenty20 cricket burst onto the scene.
Meanwhile, debates rage on with regard to embracing technology in the world game, football.
To stay with cricket, why is it that the ball has to conform to rigid guidelines in terms of its size and weight and material used when there’s always more flexibility when it comes to the dimensions and weight of the bat?
As per the law, the weight of the bat can range from 1.1kg – 1.4kg and should not exceed 38 inches in length and 4.25 inches in width.
Now, with such a stretch, doesn’t this rule benefit the batsmen?
Moreover, it must be pointed out that the hand (or glove) is considered part of the bat.
The cricket bat has gone through significant changes ever since the game came into existence.
Around the 18th century, the first bat looked more like a hockey stick with the lack of standard dimensions at the time. Therefore, many batsmen opted for bats that shielded the stumps completely!
Later on, to overcome this, the size of the bat was limited to 4¼ inches and this proved a major advantage to batsmen since it led to the dawning of vertical and horizontal stroke play.
Subsequently, manufacturers used lighter willow to produce thinner yet heavier bats, thus resulting in the rise of finesse strokes such as the cut, the late-cut and the leg glance.
The late 1920s witnessed the arrival of heavier bats, used by illustrious batsmen such as Sir Don Bradman, Jack Hobbs and Bill Ponsford.
In the 1960s, Clive Lloyd and Graeme Pollock used bats weighing more than three pounds.
In the late 1970s, aluminium bats were used (by Dennis Lillee) but only for a brief period.
It was in the early 1980s that the ICC lent some regularity to the rule wherein: the cricket bat should only be made of wood.
Moving forward, to cash in on the entertainment quotient of Twenty20 cricket in the early 2000s, the bats manufactured came with a longer handle and an abridged yet meatier blade to boost stroke play.
In 2005, the bat with carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer support was produced but was immediately banned by the ICC as it favoured robust shot-making.
While the bat has changed beyond measure the ball, besides its colour, has remained uniform over the years.
This again supports the notion that cricket is truly a batsman’s game. The transformation of the bat also further mystifies the discussions that rumble on, whereby batsmen are compared from different eras.
The ICC could work towards making cricket a much more balanced affair between bat and ball.
dichccbinhduong4943
Roar Rookie
Nice article
drive cricket
Guest
Now of course i agree that is really a batman's game,.. i have always been their fan ever since i knew it.
k77sujith
Guest
Another bonus the bat has over ball is the switch-hit. While batters are allowed to do that, is there any such liberty for bowlers? Something like an arm-switch maybe to give the bowlers some leverage? I know it sounds awkward though.
k77sujith
Guest
True Jinesh...the batters are killing the game! Thanks.
jinesh
Guest
sadly cricket is a batsman's game...the ppl who run the sport feel the crowd jus come to watch sixes being hit.. its truly a bad time for bowlers who hv nothn in their favour...unfortunately u hardly find games which tests the batter's skill level n tats y crowd interest has been dwindling as ppl r tired of tis bang-bang cricket..atleast they shud standardise the pitches which wil giv the bowlers something to work with..
k77sujith
Guest
Oh ok...so probably the ICC should now come up with a law on bat dimensions. You're right...it's not stated as a law. Thank you Tim.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Thanks for your response. The links you point to state "usually weighs between 4 and 6 ounces over 2 pounds" and "Bats typically weigh from 2 lb 7 oz to 3 lb (1.1 to 1.4 kg) though there is no standard. Appendix E of the Laws of Cricket set out more precise specifications." In both cases they are "usual" and "typical", and not specified as laws. Interestingly, they both cite different weight ranges - 2lb 4oz to 2lb 6oz in one case, and 2lb 7oz to 3lb in the other. The second one says more precise details are found in Appendix E to the game's laws, but this refers to the bat overall and I have not seen a mention of the weight in the laws. This is a good piece, I was just hoping I had missed something in the laws of the game regarding bat weights.
k77sujith
Guest
Hi Tim.. I hope this helps: http://www.cricket-rules.com/Ground-and-Equipment.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_bat If you're not a fan of wiki, I compared the info from the first link with the same on wiki and found that they are the same. I agree with you in regards to the (maximum) weight necessary for the bat. You cite a good example of a batsman with an average of 35. Thanks.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
k77sujith, can you please point to the law restricting bat weight? Its something I have wanted to see introduced for a long time, not necessarily a minimum but certainly a maximum. After a quick look at Law 6 (The bat), and Appendix E, http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-6-the-bat,1027,AR.html I can't see it. Have I just missed it, or is it hidden away in another law. If it does exist, that would be one big step forward. The game will always be a contest between bat and ball though, its just that the measurement required to be deemed successful will need to change. There have been times when avaeraging 35 with the bat has been a pretty good Test figure, in most sides now that is dangerously close to having a player dropped.
k77sujith
Guest
Hi Johno....honestly I'm flattered by your comments...thank you very much. However, you got one thing wrong - I'm not as young as you think :)! I'd also like to let you know that I'm a huge fan of Test cricket/ODI and not so much into T20 :). As always, your insights are brilliant and one of the first knowledgeable persons to respond in a very unique way. Have noted your wisdom, Yoda style :). Thank you again. I do agree with the Ashes series 2005 (one of the best ever) and the others you've mentioned. But again, I think ODIs and T20s are proving to be a batsman's paradise. However, as for the great bowlers you've listed, I feel they come from an entirely different generation, when bowlers had their fair share. But do you reckon there would ever be a bowler in the modern game who can capture 500 plus wickets in any form of the game (I should've mentioned 'modern game' in the article)? Yes, there might be one or two, but isn't it always the batsmen who top headlines? Having said that, you raise a good point about the relation between viewership and pitches. Thank you again Johno...will be in touch. Good day.
Johnno
Guest
- k77sujith as always some great energy to your articles, and full of youthful energy and exburance. I love it and many other roarers do. -But i feel your youthful energy with the bat and love of being young and full of energy, has you misplaced young one. A bit of a rush of young blood. But that is good it shows your hungry and agressive and can be ironed out and matured over time like a fine wine, and tempered nicley and maturely like Biran Lara became or Andrew symonds. - I feel due to your youth and the younger genreation you are in, you have been seduced k77sijith by the quick adrenilina rush of T20 cricket that maximises and feeds your youthful adrenilan. -Like a beautiful young woman can cause a rush of blood in a young man, so can T20 k77sujith. -So I will give you some wise words Yoda star wars style and history lesson young jedi. -History if you look thorugh sport, there is this never ending fight to have an even cotnest between bat and ball, and attack and defence in all sports. -If you look cricket you will find if the pitch doctor or greenkeeper or curator produces a good pitch, despite improvments in cricket technology(bats and saftey equipment there is an even contest between bat and ball in all forms of the game) Examples Best examples ASHES tests 2005 in England, Ashes perth 3rd test ashes 2010/11, boxing day tests at MCG, south africa pitches often produces good wickets at wanderers in johanesburg. And england pitches generally provide fair contests. -Same in T20 world cup in england 2009 was fairly fair. -Sub continent pitches , and the west indies have been dustbowls and hopless pitches the last 10 years or so. -But west indies pitches have improved and most of the time the GABBA Brisbane produces a good test cricket pitch. -But i feel your youthful exeburance and being from a different generation you have been seduced or manipulaited by some admittedly uneven T20 contest between bat and ball k77sujith. -And if you look at the bowling strike rates of the great bowlers you will see they got wickets all the time most of the time (Akram,waqar younis,mcgrath,shane warne, Mcgill, jason gillespie, bruce reid, darren gough, devon malcom, graham swan kapil dev,botham.imran khan, breet lee,dennis lille, Hadlee. Don't even have to be great just world class -But if you look though history you will see an even contest alot but not always. Just been let down by bad pitches, and tv networks trying ot make 5 day pitches full of runs so they can make more advertising dollars. Lucky the tide is turning as tv netwroks relize no one will watch 5 days of 4 innings scores of 5/500 anymore. The fans have fought back and abandoned test cricket so the tv networks and media networks have had to produce better pitches as shown by west indies series recently and Ashes pitches have been good alot especially in the 2005 series in England. keep up the great articles k77sujith on cricket,soccer or anything, i love your articles they are amongst the best on the roar.