ponting to be banned?

[shan]

i have just see the news on NDTV and the said that icc are loking to ban ponting because he used the bat that is illegal in cricket :L?

[Hussain]

wht cud be wrong wid Pointing's bat

[shan]

wht cud be wrong wid Pointing's bat

he used diffrent bat not normal bat i think :L?

[Hussain]

Fox News (http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,15034971-23209,00.html)


In a sign of paranoia just six weeks from the Ashes series, the MCC claims the black graphite used on the back of the Kookaburra bat gives the Australia skipper an unfair advantage in power.

As the game's lawmakers, the MCC is also unhappy with the bright fluorescent green Kookaburra stickers on the bat - dubbed the Kahuna - which they feel flouts the spirit of the game's laws.

The MCC has expressed its concerns to the International Cricket Council, which will discuss the matter as part of an overall review of bats at a meeting in Dubai next month.

The MCC, founded in 1787 and based at Lord's, was unable to respond to telephone calls and emails from the Herald Sun because it could not work out which department was allowed to talk publicly.

But one official, who did not want to be quoted, admitted Ponting's bat had become a major discussion point.

An ICC spokesman also confirmed the bat was up for review.

"At present there is an MCC process ongoing on this matter and, pending the completion of this process, the player is permitted to use the bat in question," he said.

Ponting has been in sparkling touch since using the prototype bat.

He crunched a double ton against Pakistan at the SCG, a slick century in the tsunami charity match at the MCG and was in superb touch in the recent series in New Zealand, making 293 runs at 97.66 in three Tests, 266 at 88.66 in four one-day internationals and an unbeaten 98 in the Twenty20 match.

The laws of the game say the blade of the bat may be covered with material for "strengthening, protection or repair" as long as the material doesn't damage the ball.

Kookaburra managing director Rob Elliot said it was "rubbish" to suggest the graphite provided extra power or would damage the ball.

He said the MCC wanted to ban the bat and felt it could be a part of the MCC's attempt to try to destabilise Australia's Ashes campaign.

"The carbon reinforces the strength of the blade but it also protects the blade," Elliot said.

"We designed the bat with the use of the carbon reinforcement to prolong the life of the bat because the player wants to use the bat for as long as possible.

"Providing it doesn't affect the wear and tear on the cricket ball, should they be worried?

"They are more worried about where this may end up than where it is now."

There is no law governing what type of stickers are allowed on a bat, only that 50 per cent of the bat must be free of advertising.

Victoria batsman and Kookaburra client Brad Hodge uses the same bat as Ponting while Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who recently severed ties with Kookaburra, had graphite and even more colourful stickers on his bat, dubbed "The Beast", last summer.

"I suppose the bat is out there in terms of presentation. It also stimulates interest in the game and improves the game," Elliot said.

"The MCC, it's a bit beyond their comprehension.

"I suppose they are worried cricket bats could go all colours of the rainbow.

"Perhaps they should look at the colour of cricket bats but as it stands now, you have no explanation about the colour of the cricket bat."

Ponting's manager Sam Halvorsen was surprised by the MCC's actions.

"Haven't they got far more important issues to deal with?" he said.

While the MCC no longer governs the game, having handed its power to the ICC, it still is the custodian of the laws of cricket. It could change the laws governing bats at an extraordinary general meeting.

[Saj]

I dont see any problem with the stickers pattern on the back of the bat !

At least it's not an alluminium bat as per Dennis Lillee.

[Love and Theft]

The English have started whining already....hahaha

[Rana Banana]

english player graham thorpe uses a similar bat kookabura beast that is the same design as pontings but his is a kahuna

[Gasherbrum]

what a joke. MCC need to take their head out of wherever it is.

[Love and Theft]

it will only get worse - as the england team gets spanked again and again by the awesome aussies.

[cricketcrazy]

England always try to come up with a controversy b4 the series to put extra pressure on the othe rteam.
They suck one of teh worst team in the world who only performs in England Ponting can hit a century against them even with a THAAPII (the bat kinda thing which people used to wash the clothes) :))

[MecnunK]

"England always try to come up with a controversy b4 the series to put extra pressure on the othe rteam. "

Completely unlike the aussies then?

[adi 101]

:)) :)) :)) first i thought it was from [tsn] but......

[Awesome Anjum]

Bottles are allowed to be thrown at cricketers in India, while the ICC sorts out bat stickers.

Get your damn priorities sorted out !

[cricketcrazy]

yep u r right AUssies r gettign wht they do to others, n i have no idea y they have a superb team they can win fairly but still they use cheap tactics ..

[karachiite]

you couldnt make this up coould you

:)) :)) :))

[Annie]

MCC alleges Australian captain Ricky Ponting

LONDON: England’s Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has demanded the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ban Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

The club has alleged that Ricky Ponting uses a carbon layer in his bat, which gives him an added advantage during stroke play. According to the Marylebone Cricket Club Ricky Ponting has violated the ICC’s code of conduct and so he must be banned as soon as possible.

According to the spokesman of the club Ponting scored a double century through this bat in the Sydney test against Pakistan however the bat making company has said that this allegation against Ponting is baseless and Ponting has not taken any added advantage through the bat.

The ICC would also analyze the matter in its meeting in Dubai next month.

Geo

LMAO

[HAFRIDI]

LOL

[Saj]

Contrary to earlier reports, Ricky Ponting's bat - which is reinforced by a thin carbon graphite strip running down the spine - has not yet received approval from the International Cricket Council. Earlier this week, MCC kicked up a minor storm by suggesting that the modification gives Ponting an unfair advantage, although this was dismissed in the Australian media as an attempt to destabilise the team in the run-up to this summer's Ashes.

Peter Young, a spokesman for Cricket Australia, confirmed that the Australian board had no objections, but an ICC spokesman told Cricinfo that the matter had been referred back to the MCC who, in their capacity as the guardian of the laws of cricket, would determine whether the bat conforms to the regulations.

"The bat is permitted pending a decision from MCC," added the spokesman, who explained that it is the ICC who decides on the playing conditions of cricket, and so had the power to override the laws if necessary. The whole issue will be examined in greater detail by the ICC Cricket Committee at their meeting in Dubai in May.

In a later press release, the ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed, confirmed that the issue of bat reinforcement was of growing significance. “The ICC is increasingly concerned with issues surrounding the way in which bats are manufactured and ‘enhanced’," said Speed. "During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 there were a number of oversized bats detected and manufacturers were put on notice that it was expected that they would produce bats that comply with the laws at all times.

“One of the concerns we currently have is with the practice of ‘corking’ bats. We are getting consistent reports of bats being corked and that is something that we will be investigating further. One of the potential implications that arises if corking is taking place is that we may need to be able to be able to see the blade clearly from all angles to see if it has been tampered with.”

Sam Halvorsen, Ponting's manager, termed the whole issue as "absolute nonsense", while Rob Elliot, the managing director of Kookaburra, said that Ponting's bat met all the criteria. "In cricket the balance between bat and ball is critical," Elliot said. "Golf and tennis have lost their way with the new technological advances in clubs and racquets. We understand more than anyone how important the fundamental elements of bat and ball are in cricket."

Ponting began using the bat in late December last year and cracked a fantastic double- century against Pakistan in the New Year's Test in Sydney. He carried on the momentum with a hundred in the tsunami-relief game before tearing the New Zealand attack to shreds in the recent series.

© Cricinfo

[tahaqureshi]

The fact that MCC has asked him to be BANNED without any warning of any sort shows that they are not doing it in the spirit of the game. They just want him banned. Under normal circumstances, the ICC would first have to ask him to not use it..if he doesn't comply THEN ban him..