Warner hits back, says flat pitches should be blamed for Test run glut

Defending the use of modern-day cricket bats in the Test format, Australia vice-captain David Warner has pointed out that flat pitches are more to be blamed for the perceived imbalance between bat and ball rather than thick and lightweight bats.

Warner's comments came in the wake of former skipper Ricky Ponting's call to regulate the size and weight of bats in order to restore balance in the sport, which is increasingly becoming a batsman-dominated game.

According to present cricket rules, only length and width of bats are limited and not the depth or weight. This has paved way for the development of bats made from lighter materials but with thick edges such as one being used by big-hitting batsman Warner.

Refusing to blame bigger bats for the prolific run scoring in the Test arena, Warner observed that a lot of runs are being scored because batsmen are performing well.

"The wickets are pretty much dictating the Test arena at the moment and a lot of batters are scoring. A lot of runs have been scored in the last 12-18 months but you can't specifically say it's because of the big bats, because everyone around the county and the world is scoring a lot of runs," the 29-year-old was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Warner also applauded the makers for using the technology well and coming up with the lighter and larger bats.

Ponting, who accumulated 13,378 runs at a staggering average of 51.85 in his 168 Tests, had raised the debate at a recent Australian Cricket Society function. He, however, said that he didn't have any issues with such bats in the shorter forms of the game as it "survives on boundaries - fours and sixes".

Ponting had also said that he would take up the matter in next week's meeting of the MCC's World Cricket Committee at Lord's.

Welcoming the contradictory opinions, Warner said that the lighter bats have its own pros and cons while adding that he is also capable of using a much heavier bat.

"But we're getting bigger and stronger as well, we're capable of using those bats that are a bit heavy. From my point of view in Tests I use a smaller bat, unless I'm in the subcontinent when I use a heavier bat. My heavy bats might be a lot larger than other players' bats, but it's still the same cleft of wood," he added.