MCC rejects Bamboo bats, says it will be illegal

|| CF DESK ||

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has rejected the idea of using bamboo bats instead of willow, claiming that it would be "illegal" under existing rules, which require bats to be made entirely of wood and also prohibit lamination of the blade in bats intended for senior cricketers.

According to a study by Darshil Shah and Ben Tinkler-Davies from the University of Cambridge, bats made from bamboo are economically sustainable and are also stronger than the ones made from willow, which is traditionally used.

But Law 5.3.2 states that the blade of the bat must consist solely of wood, so it would require a change in the law for bamboo - which is a grass - to be considered.

"Any potential amendments to the Law would need to carefully take this into consideration, particularly the concept of the bat producing greater power. The Club has worked hard to ensure that bats aren't too powerful, taking steps in 2008 and 2017 to limit the materials and the size of the bats for this purpose," an MCC statement said.

"Sustainability is a relevant topic for MCC and indeed cricket, and this angle of willow alternatives should also be considered. With the researchers stating that the most suitable types of bamboo grow abundantly across China and that low-cost production could make bamboo bats a viable and ethical alternative to willow, this could provide a pertinent angle for further research and the possibility of reducing the cost of producing bats in different areas of the world."