Lancashire Slams Bat Testing After Salt Cleared

Lancashire County Cricket Club has voiced strong dissatisfaction over the procedures used to test bats for illegal dimensions, after their player Phil Salt was eventually cleared of any misconduct in the recent T20 Blast clash against Northamptonshire.

Salt, who struck an impressive 80 off 57 deliveries in Lancashire’s five-wicket win, was accused of violating ECB Directives 3.2 and 3.3 when his bat failed an initial on-field gauge test conducted by umpires Rob Bailey and Simon Widdup.

Post-Match Tests Deemed Inconclusive

After the match, further testing was performed. Though the bat was able to pass through the gauge multiple times, the results were not definitive. The Cricket Regulator later issued a statement confirming no disciplinary measures would be pursued against Salt.

Lancashire expressed frustration at how the episode was handled, emphasizing that Salt had been using the same bat consistently across competitions without any prior concerns.

“π‘·π’‰π’Šπ’ 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 π’•π’‰π’Šπ’” 𝒃𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 π’•π’˜π’ π’šπ’†π’‚π’“π’” 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π‘¬π’π’ˆπ’π’‚π’π’…, π‘³π’‚π’π’„π’‚π’”π’‰π’Šπ’“π’†, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝑷𝑳 π’˜π’Šπ’•π’‰ 𝒏𝒐 π’Šπ’”π’”π’–π’†,” π‘³π’‚π’π’„π’‚π’”π’‰π’Šπ’“π’† 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅.

The club added that the situation generated unnecessary speculation and negativity.

Club Calls for Improved Processes

Lancashire said the controversy could have been prevented if better procedures and training were in place to assess bat legality accurately.

“𝑨𝒕 π‘³π’‚π’π’„π’‚π’”π’‰π’Šπ’“π’†, π’˜π’† π’ƒπ’†π’π’Šπ’†π’—π’† π’•π’‰π’Šπ’” π’˜π’‰π’π’π’† 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 π’‚π’—π’π’Šπ’…π’†π’… π’˜π’Šπ’•π’‰ π’Šπ’Žπ’‘π’“π’π’—π’†π’… 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‡π’Šπ’†π’π’…, π’˜π’‰π’†π’•π’‰π’†π’“ 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒆 π’•π’‰π’“π’π’–π’ˆπ’‰ 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 π’†π’’π’–π’Šπ’‘π’Žπ’†π’π’• 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒓 π’‚π’…π’…π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’π’‚π’ π’•π’“π’‚π’Šπ’π’Šπ’π’ˆ,” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒃 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒅 π’Šπ’ π’•π’‰π’†π’Šπ’“ π’π’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π’”π’•π’‚π’•π’†π’Žπ’†π’π’•.

They also condemned the resulting media reports and social media backlash:

“𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 π’Šπ’π’‚π’‘π’‘π’“π’π’‘π’“π’Šπ’‚π’•π’† π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’•π’” π’Žπ’‚π’…π’† π’ƒπ’š π’Žπ’‚π’•π’„π’‰ π’„π’π’Žπ’Žπ’†π’π’•π’‚π’•π’π’“π’”, π’Šπ’π’‚π’„π’„π’–π’“π’‚π’•π’† π’‚π’“π’•π’Šπ’„π’π’†π’” π’˜π’“π’Šπ’•π’•π’†π’ π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’Žπ’†π’…π’Šπ’‚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’”π’π’Žπ’† π’–π’π’”π’‚π’—π’π’–π’“π’š π’”π’π’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π’Žπ’†π’…π’Šπ’‚ 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 π’•π’π’˜π’‚π’“π’…π’” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‘π’π’‚π’šπ’†π’“, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 π’‚π’—π’π’Šπ’…π’†π’….”

Previous Bat Controversies

The scrutiny over bat testing intensified last year when Essex’s Feroz Khushi was found using an oversized bat in a County Championship match against Nottinghamshire. The incident led to Essex being docked 12 points, which essentially ended their title challenge.

In its statement, the Cricket Regulator confirmed the match officials had acted properly under the regulations and acknowledged Lancashire and Salt’s cooperation during the investigation.

Also Read: Finn Allen Sidelined from MLC Playoffs and Zimbabwe Series

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