Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has defended Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) decision to reduce bat sizes in cricket, saying it is about finding the "balance between bat and ball".
Starting in October, the maximum dimensions of a cricket bat will be 108mm in width, 67mm in depth with 40mm edges.
The reduction in the bat size is one of a number changes made which will include send-offs by the fielding side against dismissed batsmen.
The 42-year old is on the MCC panel which made the decision along with Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara and former Australian wicket-keeper Rod Marsh.
Speaking to RadioLIVE's Saturday Sport, Ponting said it was about bringing a balance back to the game.
"The overall feeling across the panel is that the balance has gone a little too far in favour of the batsmen," Ponting told Brendon Telfar.
"We have 12 or 14 guys on the panel who talk long and hard about trying to find the balance between bat and ball in the game across all three formats.
"It's not about winding the clock back, we are just worried about where it might have got too. The modern bats most of the guys use will probably fit in within the current limitations."
The decision has not been well received by a number of former players, but the current crop appear to be in favour of the idea, according to Ponting.
"We consulted manufactures and players; 60 or 70 percent of the players felt the bats had got too big which made the decision easier.
"We asked all the bat companies for their thoughts and opinions on it all, and they felt they could make high-quality bats perform well under those limitations.
Former Blackcaps all-rounder Scott Styris is not a fan of this decision and took to Twitter to express his frustration.
"The inmates have taken over the asylum!!! Leave the bats alone," said Styris.
Former Australian batsman Dean Jones replied saying: "So should we put an Asterisk against batsmen of the past who used illegal bats? #ridiculous".
Ponting, who scored over 13,000 Test and ODI runs in his career, slammed Styris as he doesn't think it will make a major difference.
"The viewer wants to see highly entertaining cricket and that will still happen. I don't think anything will really change," said Ponting.
"I'm not sure if Scott really thought much about what he has had to say. If he hasn't it is a ridiculous accusation to come out and say.
"We are seeing batsmen now hitting sixes on some of the biggest cricket grounds in the world where the ball hits nowhere near the middle of the bat.
"Let's just see how it goes."
Newshub.
