dayne
Club Cricketer
it appears as though there are some which do believe it isn't the shoe, its the athlete. this can be said about ricky pontings batting according to some.
kookaburra kahuna:
ANGRY England cricket officials want to ban Ricky Ponting's revolutionary bat, which has been strengthened by a thin strip of carbon graphite.
In a sign of paranoia just six weeks from the Ashes series, the MCC claims the black graphite used on the back of the Kookaburra bat gives the Australia skipper an unfair advantage in power.
As the game's lawmakers, the MCC is also unhappy with the bright fluorescent green Kookaburra stickers on the bat - dubbed the Kahuna - which they feel flouts the spirit of the game's laws.
The MCC has expressed its concerns to the International Cricket Council, which will discuss the matter as part of an overall review of bats at a meeting in Dubai next month.
The MCC, founded in 1787 and based at Lord's, was unable to respond to telephone calls and emails from the Herald Sun because it could not work out which department was allowed to talk publicly.
But one official, who did not want to be quoted, admitted Ponting's bat had become a major discussion point.
An ICC spokesman also confirmed the bat was up for review.
"At present there is an MCC process ongoing on this matter and, pending the completion of this process, the player is permitted to use the bat in question," he said.
Ponting has been in sparkling touch since using the prototype bat.
He crunched a double ton against Pakistan at the SCG, a slick century in the tsunami charity match at the MCG and was in superb touch in the recent series in New Zealand, making 293 runs at 97.66 in three Tests, 266 at 88.66 in four one-day internationals and an unbeaten 98 in the Twenty20 match.
The laws of the game say the blade of the bat may be covered with material for "strengthening, protection or repair" as long as the material doesn't damage the ball.
Kookaburra managing director Rob Elliot said it was "rubbish" to suggest the graphite provided extra power or would damage the ball.
He said the MCC wanted to ban the bat and felt it could be a part of the MCC's attempt to try to destabilise Australia's Ashes campaign.
"The carbon reinforces the strength of the blade but it also protects the blade," Elliot said.
"We designed the bat with the use of the carbon reinforcement to prolong the life of the bat because the player wants to use the bat for as long as possible.
"Providing it doesn't affect the wear and tear on the cricket ball, should they be worried?
"They are more worried about where this may end up than where it is now."
There is no law governing what type of stickers are allowed on a bat, only that 50 per cent of the bat must be free of advertising.
Victoria batsman and Kookaburra client Brad Hodge uses the same bat as Ponting while Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who recently severed ties with Kookaburra, had graphite and even more colourful stickers on his bat, dubbed "The Beast", last summer.
"I suppose the bat is out there in terms of presentation. It also stimulates interest in the game and improves the game," Elliot said.
"The MCC, it's a bit beyond their comprehension.
"I suppose they are worried cricket bats could go all colours of the rainbow.
"Perhaps they should look at the colour of cricket bats but as it stands now, you have no explanation about the colour of the cricket bat."
Ponting's manager Sam Halvorsen was surprised by the MCC's actions.
"Haven't they got far more important issues to deal with?" he said.
While the MCC no longer governs the game, having handed its power to the ICC, it still is the custodian of the laws of cricket. It could change the laws governing bats at an extraordinary general meeting.
taken from: http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,15034971-23212,00.html
kookaburra kahuna:
ANGRY England cricket officials want to ban Ricky Ponting's revolutionary bat, which has been strengthened by a thin strip of carbon graphite.
In a sign of paranoia just six weeks from the Ashes series, the MCC claims the black graphite used on the back of the Kookaburra bat gives the Australia skipper an unfair advantage in power.
As the game's lawmakers, the MCC is also unhappy with the bright fluorescent green Kookaburra stickers on the bat - dubbed the Kahuna - which they feel flouts the spirit of the game's laws.
The MCC has expressed its concerns to the International Cricket Council, which will discuss the matter as part of an overall review of bats at a meeting in Dubai next month.
The MCC, founded in 1787 and based at Lord's, was unable to respond to telephone calls and emails from the Herald Sun because it could not work out which department was allowed to talk publicly.
But one official, who did not want to be quoted, admitted Ponting's bat had become a major discussion point.
An ICC spokesman also confirmed the bat was up for review.
"At present there is an MCC process ongoing on this matter and, pending the completion of this process, the player is permitted to use the bat in question," he said.
Ponting has been in sparkling touch since using the prototype bat.
He crunched a double ton against Pakistan at the SCG, a slick century in the tsunami charity match at the MCG and was in superb touch in the recent series in New Zealand, making 293 runs at 97.66 in three Tests, 266 at 88.66 in four one-day internationals and an unbeaten 98 in the Twenty20 match.
The laws of the game say the blade of the bat may be covered with material for "strengthening, protection or repair" as long as the material doesn't damage the ball.
Kookaburra managing director Rob Elliot said it was "rubbish" to suggest the graphite provided extra power or would damage the ball.
He said the MCC wanted to ban the bat and felt it could be a part of the MCC's attempt to try to destabilise Australia's Ashes campaign.
"The carbon reinforces the strength of the blade but it also protects the blade," Elliot said.
"We designed the bat with the use of the carbon reinforcement to prolong the life of the bat because the player wants to use the bat for as long as possible.
"Providing it doesn't affect the wear and tear on the cricket ball, should they be worried?
"They are more worried about where this may end up than where it is now."
There is no law governing what type of stickers are allowed on a bat, only that 50 per cent of the bat must be free of advertising.
Victoria batsman and Kookaburra client Brad Hodge uses the same bat as Ponting while Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who recently severed ties with Kookaburra, had graphite and even more colourful stickers on his bat, dubbed "The Beast", last summer.
"I suppose the bat is out there in terms of presentation. It also stimulates interest in the game and improves the game," Elliot said.
"The MCC, it's a bit beyond their comprehension.
"I suppose they are worried cricket bats could go all colours of the rainbow.
"Perhaps they should look at the colour of cricket bats but as it stands now, you have no explanation about the colour of the cricket bat."
Ponting's manager Sam Halvorsen was surprised by the MCC's actions.
"Haven't they got far more important issues to deal with?" he said.
While the MCC no longer governs the game, having handed its power to the ICC, it still is the custodian of the laws of cricket. It could change the laws governing bats at an extraordinary general meeting.
taken from: http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,15034971-23212,00.html
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