Bat manufacturer blasts Hot Spot inventor's call for ban on coatings

A leading bat manufacturer has slammed the called for ban on protective coverings on bats, saying that it has been a standard practice for decades to cover a bat with a protective coating to prevent the timber from splintering.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Hot Spot's inventor Warren Brennan has urged the ICC to ban all such coatings on bats, saying that they prevent the nicks from showing in the technology, adding that his company has presented the ICC with 'conclusive proof' for the issue.

Stating that it is necessary to wrap a protective coating across the blade and around the front edge of bats to protect it from chips and splinters, Gray-Nicolls sponsorship and marketing manager Cameron Black said that they are not keen on removing the coatings as it is used to prolong the life of the bat and has been used for a long time.

According to Black, he cannot imagine that the coatings would have an impact on Hot Spot as it also has been around for a while and has not yet shown any such 'proof' before, although he admitted that the technology goes around the edge about a centimetre at the most.

Black further said that they even sell the coating and recommend players to put it on their bats, adding that they have not changed the way they prepare the bats for players.

Black also said that the company did not use silicone tape - the material named in a news report claiming players were being investigated for taping their bats to beat Hot Spot.

The polyurethane coating is used on the blades of helicopters and is permitted on bats under cricket's rules, the report added.