Big Bash 2018-19: Innovative bat flip to replace coin toss

Big Bash, the connoisseur of innovation in T20 cricket, is at it again, this time with a tradition-busting idea of doing away with the 'coin' toss.

Instead, the beautiful figure of a cricket bat will decide who bats/bowls first in the pre-game ritual, replacing the 'heads' and 'tails' with 'hills' and 'flats'.

For the upcoming edition of the Big Bash, a 'specially designed' bat will be flipped to decide the outcome of the toss, with the mount or the flat part of the bat acting as two sides of the coin.

The exercise is fairly common in beach and backyard cricket, the exception being that the bat that will be flipped won't be your average playing bat.

It will be specially crafted bat that ensures a 50-50 probability of a 'hill' or a 'flat', ensuring that the equally divided probability of a coin toss stays.

Chris Lynn, who was recently appointed the captain of Brisbane Heat, will be the first skipper to kickstart the trend before the season opener on December 19.

As quoted by abc.net, Cricket Australia's head of the Big Bash League, Kim McConnie, said: "For me, it's a great moment which reflects what BBL is about. I've got it from great authority at our [bat maker] Kookaburra friends that this is a tested and weighted bat to deliver that equity.

Part of a cricketing tradition for over a century, the humble coin toss has recently gone through a rough storm, with the ICC itself considering scrapping the concept itself to balance out the home advantage to teams.

"Some people don't like change but I'd also challenge people to say when was the last time anyone watched the coin toss or really focused on it to a great extent? Now we are making it much more relevant to families, we are creating a moment which is much more fitting with kids", McConnie added.

After zing bails and umpire cams, Big Bash has tossed yet another unique trick into its kitty.