BRISBANE, Australia, CMC-The makers of a new bat being used by T20 superstar Chris Gayle say it does not give the flamboyant opener any special advantage and that the laws of the game have been adhered to.
Indian manufacturers Spartan made the gold-coloured bat and flew it over to Australia in time for Gayle’s opening match in the Big Bash League on Saturday.
The Jamaican born West Indian cricketer, who plays for Melbourne Renegades has become the first man in world cricket to use a willow of that colour.
“There is no metal in the gold colouring we are using in the bat. There are restrictions on what you can and can’t use in cricket bats,” declared Spartan boss Kunal Sharma.
“And you can’t put metals into bat products because they can enhance stroke play. This bat is fine because we haven’t changed the make-up of it”.
Gayle used the bat to launch a run chase in Renegades seven wicket win over Brisbane Heat in the third match of the BBL on Saturday, smashing two fours and two massive sixes in an exciting innings of 23.
“We have infused a gold colour in the timber wood of the bat and there is sheen of a gold spray over the bat,” Sharma said.
“There is a light spray of a beautiful gold colour over the bat, it is something that cricket hasn’t seen before”.
Meantime former Australia commentator Ricky Ponting is suggesting the weight of the bat may work against Gayle in the current BBL.
Gayle’s cameo was short-lived, when he was dismissed for 23 after mistiming a pull shot from Mark Steketee’s bowling and was caught at deep square-leg by Lendl Simmons.
“It’s exceptionally heavy. It’s got to be over the three pounds,” Ponting told Channel 10.
“If you get bouncers high enough, it’s got to be difficult to play cross-bat shots because the bat’s so heavy”.