THE new Ricky Ponting cricket bat that has been questioned by English lawmakers is being used with the approval of Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council.
The Marylebone Cricket Club has raised concerns with the ICC about a thin film of carbon graphite which runs down the back of the bat to strengthen it, fearing this may add to the bat's performance.
However, the MCC has not raised its concerns with bat maker Kookaburra but instead sent a letter to the ICC.
The bat has been approved by CA's technical committee.
Spokesman Peter Young said the committee believes that the new-age sticker running down the back of the bat does not do anything to enhance its performance.
"We've had a look at the type of bat and we're comfortable with it," Young said.
The MCC's original concerns appeared to come from the distinctive nature of the strip but there is considerable confusion within the MCC as to who should officially comment, with the communication and legal departments both saying the other was responsible for any public statement. As a result, none was forthcoming.
Since the ICC and the MCC were shown the bat by a Kookaburra representative at Lord's on September 1 last year, it has been released in England for general sale and proved exceptionally popular. The entire batch of about 2000 has been sold.
It will be released in Australia in July this year.
Ponting was playing in a corporate golf event in Brisbane yesterday and was unavailable for comment.
His manager Sam Halvorsen claimed the issue was "absolute nonsense".
"It's just part of the livery, it's not performance-enhancing," Halvorsen said of the strip.
Since Ponting began using the bat during the Boxing Day Test last year, he put a disappointing 2004 - in which he did not score a century in Test or one-day cricket - behind him, making an explosive start to this year.
He made a near-faultless double century against Pakistan during the New Year's Test in Sydney, scored a sparkling century in the tsunami appeal match soon after at the MCG then averaged almost 100 in three Tests against New Zealand and almost 90 in the one-day series.
Under MCC laws, strengthening the bat is explicitly allowed.
Rule 6.2 states: The blade may be covered with material for protection, strengthening or repair. Such material shall not exceed 1.56 millimetres in thickness, and shall not be likely to cause unacceptable damage to the ball.
Kookaburra managing director Rob Elliot said Ponting's bat complies in every detail.
He said Kookaburra was very aware of working with cricket authorities and within the rules and the spirit of the game because the company made most of the balls for Test cricket and all of the balls for one-day cricket.
"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."
Elliot said there was "absolutely not evidence" that the strip enhanced the performance of the bat in any way.
- MALCOLM CONN