NEW RULES

David Warner unperturbed by bat-size restrictions

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

Warner feels the opinion that bigger bats makes six-hitting an easier task is misleading. © Getty

Australia opener David Warner quashed the notion that the implementation of ICC's new rule that puts a restriction on bat sizes will have an impact on his game. According to the new rules, which will be in place from September 28, the bat dimensions have been reconfigured to an edge limit of 40mm and depth of 67mm (60mm for the depth plus an allowance of 7mm for a possible curve on the face of the bat). Warner's T20I bat reportedly exceeds the depth specification by 18mm.

The Australian opener revealed that he has already changed his bat, and has had to go back to the one which he started his career with.

"Well my bats have already been changed," Warner said on Wednesday (September 27). "I've been using them for the last couple of weeks. In Bangladesh, (I was) getting used to it. It is basically the same bat that I started my career with. So I just basically took it down to my bat maker and said, 'We just got to go back to what we started with'. It didn't really affect me then, so I don't think it'd affect me now."

The ICC's decision to introduce such a change stemmed from their concern for the skewed nature of the bat-v-ball contest in recent times. With 300 and even 350-plus totals becoming a regular occurrence, regulation of bat sizes was addressed in the ICC meeting earlier in June this year, when the reduced specifications were proposed as recommendations along with a host of other changes to the game.

Warner believes the idea that bigger bats aide in hitting sixes better was misleading. The 30-year-old had previously defended bat sizes, pointing towards benign pitches as being the reason for the batsmen having an upper hand over the bowlers.

"I think everyone's sort of been misled in a way where they think the big bats clear the fences easier than what the old bats used to. From where I stand on it, basically, we were hitting sixes with the bats five-six years ago and still hitting sixes today.

"At the end of the day, you obviously have to use what you're given and it's not going to make a difference at all."

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