I recently came across this interesting article on discussing the evolution of cricket bats through the years and the crafstmanship involved.
Quote:One has only to look at the weapons being used by first-class cricketers to see that the profile of bats has changed. Long gone is the traditional blade, the 2lb 5oz scimitar. Willows are no longer particularly willowy.
Yet, as many league cricketers can testify, while the modern bat may look like a mighty piece of wood with its huge 70mm edges, it is very far from the 3lb clubs used 20 and more years ago by Clive Lloyd, Graham Gooch and their like. The average weight of today's bats is around 2lb 9oz, and this in a craft where taking an ounce off a blade can make all the difference to those key criteria, balance and pick-up. So how have manufacturers managed to make 41 ounces look like 48 or more?
No surprises here, but Eoin Morgan believes the debate over bat's being too big is ridiculous.
Quote:"The bat-size debate is ridiculous," said Morgan, 28, who believes rule changes in ODIs have boosted scoring.
"I haven't come across a bat yet where I've said 'this is ridiculous, this should be outlawed'.
"The fact that you can concentrate on the bat size when the rule change has been made so that you bowl with two new balls... The ball is never any older than 25 overs and you have an extra man in the circle."
[quote author=dillinger10 link=topic=95563.msg617302#msg617302 date=1423332834]
Chris Gayle also weighed in, telling that "[a] big boy needs a big bat."
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