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The Mongoose bat
There is a new cricket bat doing the rounds that is supposed to revolutionise the game. It is called the Mongoose.
The basic concept is that in Twenty20, where the need for agression is paramount, you do not need the shoulders/splice area of the bat, which are entirely defensive.
So the blade has been shortened and the handle lengthened, and the meat of the bat is constructed to ensure maximum hitting power. Apparantly, Stuart Law is impressed.
The problem with the whole “revolutionise the game” thing is that cricket tends to adapt to new methods and tactics. So the bowling will adapt. I wouldn’t fancy playing the fastest bowlers with half a blade. I suspect the fast bowlers would fancy their chances against batsmen who use it. We shall see.
There is also the possibility of the games lawmakers treating it with the same disdain as the aluminium bat.
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Comments (15)
Comment by Q
22nd May 2009, 9:29 pm
The lawmakers have approved the bat.
“The MCC Laws sub-committee has confirmed that the Mongoose bats are legal and allowed to be used in all levels of cricket. They conform to the new version of Law 6 and Appendix E, which came into force on 1st October 2008″
Comment by James
22nd May 2009, 11:29 pm
Having been fortunate enough to use a Mongoose, I can see why it will change the face of cricket, at least in the shorter forms of the game. The entire bat is now larger the middle of the average bat, so resultantly almost any time you pierce the infield, even with a gentle push, the ball will rocket to the boundary.
There is little to no need for the splice of the bat, particularly in 20:20 where the backward defensive is a non-existent shot. Indeed, tests undertaken at Imperial College London showed that only 2/1000 shots were played off the splice when the ball was fired from a machine at 90mph at a player in the nets.
With regard to the legal aspects, the Mongoose has been fully vetted and approved by the MCC, so it is here to stay, which is a jolly good thing for batsmen of all calibres, and potentially spells trouble for bowlers…
Comment by GoodCricketWicket
23rd May 2009, 12:08 am
Personally, I like a good balance between bat and ball. There has been talk of batsman being able to change to a Mongoose for powerplay overs, for instance, which the MCC have said may be contrary to the spirit of the game.
With there currently being much debate about the supremacy of batting over bowling already, I would say that any further advantage for the batsman is not in the best interests of the game.
Comment by Dan
23rd May 2009, 2:53 pm
I have also used the Mongoose in the nets at Lords and
I’ve been following its progress for a year now as I know the guy who invented it. When he applied for permission from the MCC, one of the reasons they thought it was ok was because it looked like it would give bowlers a bit of a chance and therefore retain the balance between bat and ball. If you connect it goes like a train, but as a bowler I’d also fancy my chances against a batsman coming in with one.
For what it’s worth, I think batsmen will love it once they’ve had a go….and us big thick quickies will think we can outwit a batsman who’s holding one.
The bat is being used for the first time in a Pro game on Tuesday when Stuart Law is taking it up to Durham for Derbyshire’s first 20/20 of the season.
Game on…
Comment by SJW Lewis
23rd May 2009, 9:20 pm
If it really does increase the speed the ball leaves the bat, is it not a danger to oncoming bowlers? Or umpries (following Hair’s recent comments).
Comment by snspring
24th May 2009, 10:07 am
i wouldn’t fancy being an umpire with one of these things being used.
They should all wear face masks – if the MCC have said ok to the mongoose bat, they should make all the old boys who umpire (most of them are in the league my club plays in) WEAR ALL THE CLOBBER BASEBALL UMPIRES WEAR.
or don’t we care about umpires?
Comment by Cricket Bats
25th May 2009, 1:38 pm
Is the MCC approval confined to 20/20. If not it should be, 20/20 is pure entertainment but its not cricket!
Comment by Leigh
5th June 2009, 10:11 pm
Where can I get a mongoose cricket bat please.
Comment by GoodCricketWicket
6th June 2009, 11:27 am
http://www.mongoosecricket.com/
Comment by china
7th June 2009, 12:45 pm
there well cool but wat would u do if the bowler bowls a bouncer
Comment by Tom
9th June 2009, 8:32 am
Hook it or duck under it I guess, you don’t see many bouncers in 20/20 really though.
Comment by Cricket Bats
9th June 2009, 12:03 pm
Ok the video shows you can attack with them and defend, but I certainly would not want to defend a quick short ball with one!
Comment by trott boy
17th July 2009, 12:45 am
The bloody thing works…Don’t knock till u try it…It does not matter how fast the bowler is bowling….
Comment by dilip singh(BILAsPUR,Chhattisgarh)
20th July 2009, 11:23 am
Great but i think during back foot stork specialy in bouncer it is very difficult to play with this Bat
Comment by trott boy
9th August 2009, 10:28 pm
Also the inventors of the bat are Armine Khan & M. Fernandez