THE LAWS OF CRICKET 2017 CODE (2nd edition – 2019)

© Marylebone Cricket Club

APPENDIX B: The bat (Law 5)

B.1 General guidance

B.1.1 Measurements – All provisions in sections B.2 to B.6 below are subject to the measurements and restrictions stated in the Law and this Appendix.

B.1.2 Adhesives – Throughout, adhesives are permitted only where essential and only in minimal quantity

B.1.3 Categories of bat – The specifications given below relate to Type A, B C and D bats unless specified otherwise.

B.2 Specifications for the Handle

B.2.1 One end of the handle is inserted into a recess in the blade as a means of joining the handle and the blade.

This lower portion is used purely for joining the blade and the handle together. It is  not part of the blade but, solely in interpreting B.3 and B.4 below, references to the blade shall be considered to extend also to this lower portion of the handle where relevant.

B.2.2. The handle may be glued where necessary and bound with twine along the upper portion.

Providing Law 5.5 is not contravened, the upper portion may be covered with materials solely to provide a surface suitable for gripping. Such covering is  an addition and is not part of the bat, except in relation to Law 5.6. The bottom of this grip should not extend below the point defined in B.2.4 below.

Twine binding and the covering grip may extend beyond the junction of the upper and lower portions of the handle, to cover part of the shoulders of the bat as defined in B.3.1.

No material may be placed on or inserted into the lower portion of the handle other than as permitted above together with the minimal adhesives or adhesive tape used solely for fixing these items, or for fixing the handle to the blade.

B.2.3 Materials in handle – As a proportion of the total volume of the handle, materials other than cane, wood or twine are restricted to one-tenth for Types A and B and one- fifth for Type C and Type D. Such materials must not project more than 3.25 in/8.26 cm into the lower portion of the handle

B.2.4 Binding and covering of handle – The permitted continuation beyond the junction of the upper and lower portions of the handle is restricted to a maximum, measured along the length of the handle, of

2.5 in/6.35 cm in for the twine binding

2.75 in/6.99 cm for the covering grip.

B.3 Specifications for the Blade

B.3.1 The blade has a face, a back, a toe, sides and shoulders

B.3.1.1 The face of the blade is its main striking surface and shall be flat or have a slight convex curve resulting from traditional pressing techniques. The back is the opposite surface.

B.3.1.2 The shoulders, sides and toe are the remaining surfaces, separating the face and the back.

B.3.1.3 The shoulders, one on each side of the handle, are along that portion of the blade between the first entry point of the handle and the point at which the blade first reaches its full width.

B.3.1.4 The toe is the surface opposite to the shoulders taken as a pair.

B.3.1.5 The sides, one each side of the blade, are along the rest of the blade, between the toe and the shoulders.

B.3.2 No material may be placed on or inserted into the blade other than as permitted in B.2.4, B.3.3. and Law 5.4 together with the minimal adhesives or adhesive tape used solely for fixing these items, or for fixing the handle to the blade.

B.3.3 Covering the blade. Type A and Type B bats shall have no covering on the blade except as permitted in Law 5.4. Type C and Type D bats may have a cloth covering on the blade. This may be treated as specified in B.4 below.

The cloth covering permitted for Type C and D bats shall be of thickness not exceeding 0.012 in /0.3 mm before treatment as in B.4.1.

Any materials referred to above, in Law 5.4 and B.4 below, are to be considered as part of the bat, which must still pass through the gauge as defined in B.8.

B.4 Protection and repair

B.4.1 The surface of the blade may be treated with non-solid materials to improve resistance to moisture penetration and/or mask natural blemishes in the appearance of the wood. Save for the purpose of giving a homogeneous appearance by masking natural blemishes, such treatment shall not materially alter the colour of the blade.

B.4.2 Materials can be used for protection and repair as stated in Law 5.4 and are additional to the blade. Note however Law 5.6.

Any such material shall not extend over any part of the back of the blade except in the case of Law 5.4.1 and then only when it is applied as a continuous wrapping covering the damaged area.

The repair material shall not extend along the length of the blade more than 0.79 in/2.0 cm in each direction beyond the limits of the damaged area. Where used as a continuous binding, any overlapping shall not breach the maximum of 0.04 in/0.1 cm in total thickness.

The use of non-solid material which when dry forms a hard layer more than 0.004 in/0.01 cm in thickness is not permitted.

Additionally, for protection from damage, for Bat Types B, C and D, material may be inserted at the toe and/or along the sides, parallel to the face of the blade.

B.4.3 Permitted coverings, repair material and toe guards, not exceeding their specified thicknesses, may be additional to the dimensions above, but the bat must still pass through the gauge as described in B.8.

B.5 Toe and side inserts

The wood used must not be more than 0.35 in/0.89 cm in thickness.

The toe insert shall not extend from the toe more than 2.5 in/6.35 cm up the blade at any point.

Neither side insert may extend from the edge more than 1 in/2.54 cm across the blade at any point.

B.6 Commercial identifications

These identifications may not exceed 0.008 in/0.02 cm in thickness. On the back of the blade they must occupy no more than 50% of the surface.  On the face of the blade, they must be confined within the top 9 in/22.86 cm, measured from where the bottom of the grip as defined in B.2.2 and B.2.4, would finish.

B.7 Type D Bats

Type D bats, as defined, shall comply with the size specifications and restrictions in Law 5 and this Appendix. The blade in addition may be

B.7.1 laminated but using only wood and with no more than three pieces.

B.7.2 coloured, providing Law 5.5 is not contravened.

B.8 Bat Gauge

All bats that conform to the Laws of Cricket must meet the specifications defined in Law 5.7. They must also, with or without protective coverings permitted in Law 5.4, be able to pass through a bat gauge, the dimensions and shape of which are shown in the diagram on the following page.