London: The MCC World Cricket Committee has recommended the introduction of further limitations to the size of cricket bats within the laws of the game.

The committee, concerned that the balance between bat and ball "has tilted too far in the batsman's favour", has proposed that the thickness and depth of bats be limited and added that further discussion is required over the weight of bats, according to a cricket specific website.

The committee, which has no powers, but is respected as an independent voice in world cricket, makes recommendations to the MCC. The ICC chief executive, David Richardson, is in the committee.

The committee also called for cricket to be included in the Olympics and a change in Law 42.15, sometimes referred to as the Mankad Law, to ensure clarity over the issue of running out the non-striking batsman who leaves the crease before the point of release. The committee opined that such a batsman "is either taking advantage or acting carelessly and runs the risk of being legitimately run-out".

Mike Brearley, chairman of the committee, said: "The time has come to restrict the size of bat edges and the overall width [depth] of bats.... It was pointed out to us that, in 1905, the width of bats was 16mm and that, by 1980, it had increased to 18mm.

"It is now an average, in professional cricket, of 35-40mm and sometimes up to 60mm. That shows how fast the change has been."

Rod Marsh said: "The one thing we don't want to see is batsmen unable to hit fours and sixes... That's so far from what will happen. We just don't want to see the bat sizes get bigger. But when you see a guy try to hit the ball through midwicket and it flies for six over cover, you know something is wrong."

Ramiz Raja, however, had reservations about the proposed restrictions. The committee proposed that "further consultations will be held with bat manufacturers and scientists to finalise the exact measurements and to investigate the viability and need for a weight limit".

If progress is smooth, it is possible that an amended law could be ratified by the MCC's main committee as part of a new Code of Laws scheduled to be introduced in October 1, 2017.

The committee also stated that it believed that the "governance changes brought about by ICC in February 2014 were bad for the game." (Agencies)