It’s quite evident that the starting point of a cricket match is a toss of a coin. The long-standing practice has been carried out for more than a century.
The Big Bash League (BBL), however, in 2018 took a step that was totally opposite to tradition and implemented a new rule. What exactly was the rule change?
The Australian T20 league brought in ‘bat flip’ as an alternative. What does it mean bat flip? Moreover, what is the intention behind doing it?
Let’s take a look at bat flip rule applied in BBL through this article.
Bat Flip in BBL
For a long time, the coin tossed being the deciding factor in cricket matches has been a topic of discussion. The BBL was the first to go and get rid of the coin but the toss still continues.
Only then the medium for the toss has been changed but the goal is still the same. So instead of a captain throwing a coin up in the air, the captain now flips a bat. And the opposite captain says between ‘hills’ or ‘flats’ rather than ‘heads’ or ‘tails’.
Read Also:- What Is The Accelerated Round in The IPL Auction?
Now, to the notices of every BBL game before it commences you will see the bat flip taking the place of the old-fashioned coin toss.
What was the reason for BBL to introduce the Bat Flip?
The BBL management or generally the Australians have always been in favor of bringing new ideas into the game. The LED stumps with zing bails, helmets with cameras, and the most recent ‘Power Surge’ are all instances of such innovations.
They seem to keep coming up with ideas that are quite unusual and will not be seen in other leagues or even in international matches. The bat flip is an example of this too.
The main goal of the bat flip is to create an exciting start to the match. They considered that the traditional coin toss does not catch much attention, thus why not do something different and shake up the routine?
This is how the bat flip was born and it became the ruling method in the backyard cricket played in Australia. In fact, the bat flip is usually done in the backyard cricket where players just determine who bats first.
The BBL took the concept of the backyard and made it local for the audience, especially the kids.
Is There a Specific Bat For The Flip?
Indeed, the BBL has bat specifically made for the flip. They know that, normal cricket bats do not give an even result.
So Australian cricket equipment manufacturer, Kookaburra, comes up with the solution by creating a special bat. The bat is designed in such a way that the weight is distributed evenly which helps in giving the desired 50-50 results.
