“A big boy needs a big bat,” says Chris Gayle…
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West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has slammed the ICC’s proposal to crackdown on large-size bats.
ICC chief executive David Richardson said the size and thickness of modern bats are allowing batsman to get away with mistimed shots.
“The balance may have shifted a little bit too much because sometimes poor shots or mis-hits are going for six,” Richardson told ESPN Cricinfo.
“Let us try and rectify that.
“The bats are so good these days that the sweet spot is much larger than it would have been 10-15 years ago.
“The MCC, as law-makers, and the ICC will be looking at giving perhaps some consideration to placing limitations on the depth of a bat in particular.”
However Gayle disagrees, saying the emergence of more skilful bowlers counter-acts the big bats.
“A big boy needs a big bat,” Gayle told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“People keep saying it has become a batsman’s game, but bowlers are becoming more skilful too.”
In January, South Africa batsman A.B. de Villiers smashed the record for the quickest century ever after needing just 31 balls to reach his 100 against the West Indies in Johannesburg.
India’s Rohit Sharma hit the highest ODI score ever last year with a stunning 267 from 173 balls against Sri Lanka in Kolkata.
“No one begrudges an AB de Villiers, who plays some superb shots,” he said.
“Him, Brendon McCullum, Kumar Sangakkara, they are exceptionally talented and no one minds if they hit some great shots which go for six.
“But where some batsmen are mis-hitting balls and it is just carrying over the rope and going for a six instead of being caught at the boundary, that is what some cricket people believe has become unfair.”
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