Double sided bat and grip revolution

[aussie1st]

Warner has already mastered Kevin Pietersen's switch-hit - whereby he turns from a left- to a right-handed stance as the bowler approaches. But Warner, 22, is also able to do this with either a left- or a right-handed grip as he faces. Sometimes he swaps hands and sometimes he doesn't, leading to a previously inconceivable range of possibilities.

The development of a two-sided bat by Gray-Nicholls promises only to increase the range of possibilities. Ed Cowan, another NSW player keen to explore the frontiers of contemporary batting, is one of many looking to baseball for inspiration. Deliberate practice for Twenty20 cricket is the first step, he says.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cr...1226318839870.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

More on the double sided bat

TWENTY20 has turned cricket on its head; now it is turning the bat around, with a revolutionary design to enable batsmen to hit the ball with both sides of the blade.

Batsmen, including Andrew Symonds, have been experimenting in practice with using the back of the bat but have been restricted by its angular shape. Now Gray-Nicolls has confirmed development of a prototype with a smaller, pressed hitting area on the reverse side.

The bat maker Stuart Kranzbuhler doubts Test batsmen would even consider the new model - but young hitters, looking for an advantage in Twenty20 cricket, are already interested.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cr...bat-out-of-hell/2008/11/12/1226318741187.html

John Buchann certainly is getting his wish with players being able to bat both sides. Certainly will add another factor to ODI cricket especially if the double sided bat comes into play. It would again make it harder for bowlers.

I just hope he doesn't hinder the development of some of these players in the longer form of the game. As I know Steven Smith is looking at some fancy shots to get a shot in the IPL and Cowan as well it seem.

 

[Kev]

I wonder how a double sided bat sits in with law 6. It does state that the blade should have a face, a back, a toe, sides and shoulders and it later goes on to define the face as the main striking area. Don't think it talks much about the back as such but I would have thought changing the back of the bat into a striking area is at odds with this recently revised area of the laws.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Don't know if it will pass either.


I don't see how it makes it all that easier for a batsman, because if you start the delivery a righty, then only what is a wide for a right hander will be judged against you even if you change the grip. So if you swap to lefty and get a ball full and wide of offstump, it won't be given as going down leg and be quite difficult to hit. As a bowler I'd love to keep bowling to batsmen who think they can pull this off. Keep a short third man and a deep point, and you are set. Kinda.

 

[aussie1st]

Don't really know how they plan on getting the bat pass, but GN says it meets the standards.

Agree on the switch hitting would add a fair bit of complication to the game. If they do it like the reverse sweep maybe it could work but if they are changing their stance during the bowlers run up then we will need rule changes for how they are treated and then it brings the argument for bowlers that they should be able to bowl from either side without telling the umpire/batsmen or which hand they plan on bowling from.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

I would love that rule really. Let bowler bowl with which hand or which side they want...

Only a T20/ODI gimmick though.

 

[smssia0112]

Well the MCC banned graphite bats so I doubt they'll be too happy with a double sided bat.

Looks like an unnecessary innovation for the sake of innovation to me. Would completely change the game and make it more difficult I guess.

 

[Annoyingdevil]

well it will be a nice to use as a weapon To be honest.
I just Afridi will love to use that bat

 

[Punk_Sk8r]

what is a graphite bat? A bat with big pictures on the back?

 

[smssia0112]

what is a graphite bat? A bat with big pictures on the back?

Graphite is a type of material, it was supposed to give bats extra power IIRC. Kookaburra used them, and yes they did have big pictures on the back.

 

[angryangy]

Seems like a pretty awkward way to play.

 

[SciD]

Only reverse sweep is shot that could be played more efficiently with this bat. Why bother going for it.

 

[Jit]

Only reverse sweep is shot that could be played more efficiently with this bat. Why bother going for it.

Ya agree this bat is only good for reverse sweep but then whats the pont of it if it is good for reverse sweep why bother buying it and using it in game.

 

[Insomniac]

I really don't want to see these bats come into play, just because it will diminish the value of the reverse sweep. Look at Younis Khan, he has perfected his reverse sweep, and now these bats will probably ruin the hard work and practice he has put into it (just one example - I'm sure theres many more players)

Honestly, why try to fix something thats not broken?

 

[Jericho]

i never sweep as it is, the alone reverse sweep. i dont think this will really help batsman in any great way.