How are bamboo bats different from traditional willows?
What's the story
The game of cricket has kept on evolving ever since its inception. We have already seen a new format and a new kind of ball.
And now, a group of researchers has suggested that 'bamboo bats' could change the sport.
University of Cambridge's Dr. Darshil Shah and Ben Tinkler-Davies, in their recent study, have signified the attributes of these bats.
We decode the same.
Strong
Bamboo bats are stronger as per the study
The study, published in 'The Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology', states that bamboo is stronger, and is able to hold much higher loads than willow.
Although the bats made with bamboo could be thinner, they could remain as strong as traditional willows.
This would benefit the batsmen as lighter blades can be swung faster transferring more energy to the ball.
Stiff
Bamboo is 22% stiffer than willow
The researchers discovered that bamboo is 22% stiffer than willow.
This increases the speed at which the ball leaves the bat.
During manufacture, the surface of cricket bats is compressed to create a hard layer.
Comparing the effect of 'knock-in' process on both the materials, it was found that the hardness of bamboo's surface increased to twice of willow, after five hours.
Sweet-spot
A sweeter sweet-spot!
The sweet-spot on the bamboo blade is believed to perform 19% better than that on a traditional willow bat.
In the research, this sweet-spot on the bamboo-made bat was about 20 mm wide and 40 mm long, larger than on a typical willow bat.
Moreover, it was positioned closer to the toe (12.5 cm from the toe at its sweetest point).
Spot
Threat to yorkers?
Remember how MS Dhoni made a mockery of Lasith Malinga's pin-point yorker in the IPL 2015?
He added his flair to the shot by standing deep into the crease, and then slapping the ball with the bat's toe.
Only Dhoni could have smacked the ball like that.
However, the yorkers could be more vulnerable against the toe of bamboo bats.
Sustainability
Bamboo is more sustainable than willow
The study points out there is a shortage of good-quality willows, which take nearly 15 years.
Even then, the bat-makers often throw away a large quantity (up to 30%) of the wood they source.
Paradoxically, bamboos mature twice as fast as willows.
It is interesting to note that less raw material is wasted during their manufacture.
MCC
MCC turns down the idea of using bamboo bats
"Bamboo is a grass not a wood so there would need to be discussions with the MCC", said the co-researcher Shah.
However, Law 5.3.2 states that the blade of the bat must consist solely of wood.
"Any potential amendments to the Law would need to carefully take this into consideration, particularly the concept of the bat producing greater power," a recent MCC stated.
Opinion
The bowlers will be further jeopardized
Over the years, the guardians of cricket have been against revolutionizing the basics of cricket.
The bamboo-made bat might be a lucrative addition, however, this could further mar the plight of bowlers, who already have a little margin of error.
For these to be introduced, the laws for bowlers need to be relaxed.
There should always be a fair balance between batsmen and bowlers.