Photograph: University of Cambridge/PA

The Hotspot | Stumped for wood, bamboo bats offer cricket a substitute to leather on willow

Cricket faces a looming crisis regarding the traditional materials used to manufacture bats. Rising global temperatures driven by climate change and an expanding participant base have created a mismatch between supply and demand, putting pressure on conventional willow production.

With two hundred million active players worldwide, the annual harvest of half a million clefts in the United Kingdom and up to three million in Kashmir is falling short. In response, bamboo is emerging as a potential alternative material for bat makers.

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