Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting "believes the oversized bats used by players such as David Warner need to be banned from Test cricket," according to Peter Lalor of THE AUSTRALIAN. The call comes "amid rising concerns about safety and the imbalance between bat and ball in the modern game." Ponting said that the lightweight oversized bats that appeared on the scene last season "need to be regulated in Test match cricket, although he is happy for them to be used in the shorter formats." A small number of Gray-Nicolls Kaboom bats are in circulation. The Kaboom has an 8.5cm depth or edge "but is made of difficult-to-obtain light willow." In the right hands, "it gives a batsman a massive advantage." Ponting said, "Full credit to them. If they are there use them, if there's a better golf club or tennis racquet everyone will use it. It's nothing against the players." Ponting expects there "will be a call for a rule change." He said, "I think it will happen. I am going in a couple weeks for a World Cricket Committee meeting and that will be one of the topics talked about" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/5).
