Cricket-Paceman Hazlewood echoes Ponting concerns over bat sizes

(Fixes spelling of Hazlewood throughout) July 7 (Reuters) - Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has voiced his support to Ricky Ponting's suggestion that restrictions must be imposed on bat sizes in test cricket to negate an unfair advantage for the men at the crease. Former Australia skipper Ponting, raised concerns about the rising imbalance between bat and ball, adding that the topic of imposing bat size limits would be discussed when the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) World Cricket Committee met next week. A report commissioned by the MCC in 2014 found the thickness of bats had marginally increased in the last century and that edges had broadened by 300 percent, meaning mistimed shots could still find the boundary. However, with restrictions yet to be imposed on bat sizes by the World Cricket Committee, Hazlewood said applying such rules would be a positive move. "I'm all for it," the 25-year-old told reporters. "Some of those cricket bats going around the dressing sheds at the moment are unbelievably big. "Obviously (Australia opener) David Warner, and (top order batsman) Usman Khawaja has got a few big ones as well. I'm all for it." Hazlewood, a member of the 2015 World Cup winning squad, added that any rule change should be applied to the longest version of the game, rather than to curb the excitement of the one-day format. "I think he's (Ponting) made a good point about just in test matches," Hazlewood added. "One-day cricket (is) a little bit different, I think the crowds come to see the fours and sixes and big hits. But in test cricket, definitely I think he's made a pretty good point." (Reporting by Nivedita Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)