Will bamboo bats be used in cricket? Here's what MCC has to say

Marylebone Cricket Club is based in London and governs the rules and regulations of cricket. Bamboo bats have been called for use in cricket instead of willow as it increases the sustainability of the bat. However, is MCC really keen on introducing it yet?

Of late, a proposal was put in place for the usage of bamboo bats in cricket. According to the University of Cambridge, a study suggested that usage of bamboo instead of willows could increase the bat's sustainability.

Darshil Shah, one of the researchers at the UOC, stated that the bat made of bamboo would be "stiffer, harder and stronger than those made of willow, although more brittle". "It is heavier than a willow bat, and we are looking to optimise that," he had told The Guardian.

However, upon being presented the proposal to the Marylebone Cricket Club, which governs the international cricketing laws, the idea was dropped upon a careful review. As per law 5.3.2, the blade has to be made solely of wood, while bamboo being grass, would need altering the present law.

"… 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," said MCC in a statement.

"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," it added.

Although the current proposal has been termed 'illegal' by MCC, it has welcome the experimentation of the same, saying "this angle of willow alternatives should also be considered".

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