Laws of Cricket: MCC allows bats that were previously ‘illegal’

Changes will be made to the laws of cricket to allow bats that were previously considered illegal in a bid to make the game more accessible to amateur players amid the rising cost of English willow.

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced a shake-up, external Law 5.8 entitled “Categories of Bats” is one of 73 changes that will come into effect on October 1, 2026 as part of a new edition of the laws being published.

From that date, the MCC will allow the use of laminated bats – known as D-type bats – made of up to three wooden pieces in open recreational cricket.

D-type bats were previously only allowed in junior cricket, but the MCC said it had taken the step in a bid to slow rising bat costs around the world.

Lamination is usually done where the English willow face is backed by a cheaper, lower performing willow, such as Kashmir.

Types A, B, and C bats are solid, one-piece blades made from a single piece of willow, and the bats are expected to remain that way at the top level of the game.

Bat manufacturers will also be allowed to use wood other than willow behind the face of the bat as part of the law change.

Fraser Stewart, director of MCC Laws, said the move comes after a significant amount of time testing the bats in collaboration with manufacturers and any performance advantage from Type D bats would be “marginal at best”.

“We felt that if anything could be done for the lower levels of the game that would help make the sport more affordable without changing the dynamics of the game, then it was a sensible step to take,” Stewart told BBC Sport.

Last year, the MCC held a conference at Lord’s that brought together key stakeholders to discuss the future of the bat industry.

The focus of the discussions was the reliance on English willow and its scarcity, which has led to rising prices in recent years.

Bat prices are said to have tripled following increased demand from South Asian countries, with some high-end models costing nearly £1,000.

“There’s not enough willow to go around,” Stewart added.

“So it’s about being as sustainable as possible as well. Let’s try to use as much of the tree as possible. Let’s try to be as sustainable as possible.”

“The manufacturers have been very supportive of this. They don’t want to charge huge amounts for bats.”

BBC Sport has learned that the MCC is exploring rackets made from alternative materials, but recognizes that they upset the balance of the game as well as potentially increasing the risk of injury.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge had previously suggested that bamboo could be used instead of willow to make bats.

Graphite-backed bats — which were banned in 2006 and recalled by manufacturers — have also been suggested as a solution.