Bamboo bats make it much easier to negotiate a yorker, claims study 

A Cambridge University study has claimed that its prototype bamboo bat has a larger sweet spot compared to a traditional willow. According to the research, it would make a batsman’s life easier while dealing with a yorker.

The study, published in the Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, also asserted that its prototype bamboo bat was cheaper to produce, more sustainable and stronger than traditional willow blades.

According to co-author Darshil Shah, who represented Thailand in cricket at the youth level, bamboo bats would be “a batsman’s dream”. Shah elaborated:

“The sweet spot on a bamboo bat makes it much easier to hit a four off a yorker for starters, but it’s exciting for all kinds of strokes.”

The study found that while bamboo is 22 percent stiffer than willow, its sweet spot also performed 19 percent better. The prototype bat’s sweet spot is located closer to the toe, allowing it to transfer more energy to the ball, according to researchers.

The research also pointed out that willow trees need 15 years to mature and produce cricket bats, whereas bamboo requires just five to six years. It is also available in abundance in China, South America, southeast Asia and India as well.

The intriguing study further claimed that bamboo bats could lead to more poor countries taking to the sport, owing to the lower production costs.

Who do you reckon has the best Yorker in world cricket? #Baji #Sports #Cricket #Video pic.twitter.com/FSkn9TetXf

— Baji Live (@BajiLive) January 14, 2021

Co-author Ben Tinkler-Davies affirmed that light bamboo bats would make scoring runs easier for batsmen. He added:

“Whether you’re playing or spectating, you wouldn’t notice much of a difference. Because laminated bamboo is so strong, we’re very confident we can make a bamboo bat light enough, even for today’s fast-scoring, short forms of the game.”

Can bamboo bats be used in international cricket?

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the custodian of cricket laws, will need to approve the changes in case the players want to shift from traditional willows to bamboo bats.

It may be recalled that, back in 1979, former Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee used an aluminum bat, which led to a huge controversy. Subsequently, a law was brought in, which made it clear that cricket bats must be made of wood.

But Shah explained that using bamboo bats would be "within the spirit of the game".

“Playing with a bamboo bat would be within the spirit of the game because it’s a plant-based material. Cane, a type of grass, is already used in the handle. Tradition is important but think about how much cricket bats, pads, gloves and helmets have already evolved. If we can go back to having thinner blades but made from bamboo, while improving performance, outreach and sustainability, then why not?”

The game of cricket is already considered heavily loaded in favor of batsmen, particularly in the limited-overs formats, with powerplays and other field restrictions.

On this day, 1979, Dennis Lillee walked out with an aluminium bat (the brand was called ComBat) during a Test match.But a quiz question before all that.There were many surplus ComBats, so they tried to sell them for another purpose. What?(I shall answer this, don't worry)+ pic.twitter.com/WGrxk3J1pd

— Abhishek Mukherjee (@SachinAzharCT) (@ovshake42) December 15, 2020