ZexyZahid
Chairman of Selectors
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Ponting's bat just not cricket
From correspondents in Dubai
February 17, 2006
THE graphite-reinforced bat used by Australia captain Ricky Ponting is to be withdrawn after it was ruled to have contravened the laws of cricket.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed overnight (AEDT) that Kookaburra, the Australian manufacturer of the bat, had agreed to its immediate voluntary withdrawal from international cricket.
Kookaburra made its decision after it was told by the ICC that the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the body responsible for the rules of cricket, had deemed the bat contravened Law 6 and, in the MCC view, was illegal.
Law 6 states that the blade of the bat shall be made solely of wood, but that it may be covered with material for "strengthening, protection or repair" as long as the material doesn't damage the ball.
Kookaburra said today that it was extremely disappointed by the ruling.
"The MCC claims that the graphite cover forms an integral part of the blade and as such contravenes Law 6.1," Kookaburra Readers managing director Brett Elliot said in a statement.
"However, we maintain that the graphite is merely a superficial layer which, like any other covering permissible under Law 6.2, cannot be considered a composite element of the actual wooden blade of the bat."
Elliot said the purpose of the carbon graphite covering was to protect and strengthen the blade and to ensure the bat would last longer.
"The carbon fibre covering on the back of the bat is less than 1.56mm in thickness," he said.
"Over 60 per cent of cricket bats currently on the market have a cover similar to the Kookaburra graphite cover."
Kookaburra said the ruling applied only to international cricket, and that the bats could still be used in domestic cricket.
Several international players use the Kookaburra bat, including Ponting and Australia teammate Justin Langer, Sri Lanka dasher Sanath Jayasuriya and hard-hitting New Zealander Nathan Astle, and the the firm has undertaken to supply them with alternative blades as soon as possible.
The ICC accepted the firm's assurances that this would be done with all possible speed following the MCC investigation that began last year.
In 2005, while using the bat, Ponting became the world's top-ranked batsman and played his 100th Test, enjoying a run-glut that recently saw him awarded the Allan Border medal as Australia's player of the year.
He hit 1596 Test runs with seven centuries, and also scored 1137 runs in limited-overs internationals with another two hundreds.
Agence France-Presse
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18176706-39115,00.html
From correspondents in Dubai
February 17, 2006
THE graphite-reinforced bat used by Australia captain Ricky Ponting is to be withdrawn after it was ruled to have contravened the laws of cricket.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed overnight (AEDT) that Kookaburra, the Australian manufacturer of the bat, had agreed to its immediate voluntary withdrawal from international cricket.
Kookaburra made its decision after it was told by the ICC that the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the body responsible for the rules of cricket, had deemed the bat contravened Law 6 and, in the MCC view, was illegal.
Law 6 states that the blade of the bat shall be made solely of wood, but that it may be covered with material for "strengthening, protection or repair" as long as the material doesn't damage the ball.
Kookaburra said today that it was extremely disappointed by the ruling.
"The MCC claims that the graphite cover forms an integral part of the blade and as such contravenes Law 6.1," Kookaburra Readers managing director Brett Elliot said in a statement.
"However, we maintain that the graphite is merely a superficial layer which, like any other covering permissible under Law 6.2, cannot be considered a composite element of the actual wooden blade of the bat."
Elliot said the purpose of the carbon graphite covering was to protect and strengthen the blade and to ensure the bat would last longer.
"The carbon fibre covering on the back of the bat is less than 1.56mm in thickness," he said.
"Over 60 per cent of cricket bats currently on the market have a cover similar to the Kookaburra graphite cover."
Kookaburra said the ruling applied only to international cricket, and that the bats could still be used in domestic cricket.
Several international players use the Kookaburra bat, including Ponting and Australia teammate Justin Langer, Sri Lanka dasher Sanath Jayasuriya and hard-hitting New Zealander Nathan Astle, and the the firm has undertaken to supply them with alternative blades as soon as possible.
The ICC accepted the firm's assurances that this would be done with all possible speed following the MCC investigation that began last year.
In 2005, while using the bat, Ponting became the world's top-ranked batsman and played his 100th Test, enjoying a run-glut that recently saw him awarded the Allan Border medal as Australia's player of the year.
He hit 1596 Test runs with seven centuries, and also scored 1137 runs in limited-overs internationals with another two hundreds.
Agence France-Presse
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18176706-39115,00.html
