| Mongoose Bat
Former Australian opening
batsman Matthew Hayden on Thursday formally launched the evolutionary "Mongoose"
bat that has a longer handle and smaller blade but a bigger sweet spot
than the conventional cricket bat.
| "The Mongoose has the
potential to revolutionise cricket. Without changing your technique, the
bat allows you to hit the ball harder and further. Its power is phenomenal
and without a doubt, I am looking forward to playing many successful games
with it," Hayden said in Chennai.
The Mongoose is poised
to rewrite record books in the same way that titanium-headed drivers and
graphite rackets revolutionised golf and tennis. Because it can be lighter
in weight while still offering great power, the Mongoose is ideal for players
of all abilities and juniors. |
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The burly southpaw demonstrated
"power hitting" on the sidelines of a media conference here and endorsed
the product, saying it had a faster bat speed besides power designed specifically
for Twenty20 cricket
The Mongoose bat, named
after the animal known for its ferocity, is said to be a "ball crusher"
and Hayden, known for his big-hitting, said: "Cricket has advanced and
evolved over the years in terms of the way it is played and also the equipment.
Initially, I was skeptical of the Mongoose bat, but after playing three
balls and some adjustments, I quite liked it."
In the ensuing third edition
of Indian Premier League, Hayden, who represents Chennai Super Kings, along
with compatriot Andrew Symonds (Deccan Chargers) and West Indian Dwayne
Smith (Deccan Chargers), would be using the Mongoose bat, according to
its creator Marcus Codrington Fernandez, Director, Mongoose Cricket Ltd.
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Fernandez said the Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC) had declared the bat legal and permitted its use in
India and worldwide.
The handle of the Mongoose
bat is 43 per cent longer and the blade 33 per cent shorter than the conventional
bat. "Since there is no splice, the sweet spot is increased by 120 per
cent," he said.
For the moment, 100 bats
in two categories will be launched in India and all of them would be signed
by Hayden, according to Fernandez. They are priced at between Rs. 17,000
and Rs. 23,000.
Hayden said the bat has
good balance besides tremendous bat speed. "Twenty20 is about scoring runs
quickly. I am sure the Mongoose bat is ideal for this format. |
| "I am very excited by
the potential of this bat and I feel just like Twenty20, it will also be
accepted," Hayden said while asserting the small size of the bat would
not be a handicap in playing short-pitched balls or bouncers.
Fernandez hoped some of
the top Indian players would also endorse his product. "But Indian cricketers
are far too expensive, but provide a lot of value. I would love to have
somebody like Sachin Tendulkar or Virender Sehwag use the Mongoose bat,"
he said |
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