BAMBOO BATS

May 13, 2021

The guardians of the cricket laws, The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), has turned down the idea of bats made with bamboo instead of willow.

About:

According to MCC it would be “illegal” under current laws, which says bats must be made only of wood and also bans lamination of the blade in bats meant for senior cricketers.
Currently, Law 5.3.2 states that the blade of the bat must consist solely of wood, so for bamboo (which is a grass) to be considered as a realistic alternative to willow would require a Law change.
But MCC did welcome the experiment, saying that “this angle of willow alternatives should also be considered.
A study by the University of Cambridge suggested that cricket bats made of bamboo offered a more sustainable alternative than the traditional ones made with willow.
According to researchers, the bamboo bat “was stiffer, harder and stronger than those made of willow, although more brittle”.
The research additionally brought up that willow trees need 15 years to develop and deliver cricket bats, while bamboo requires only five to six years. It is likewise accessible in wealth in China, South America, Southeast Asia, and India also.