The Crackit

What’s a ‘Crackit’? It’s a cross between a cricket bat and a tennis racket. It had the shape of a bat but is strung like a racket, and is the invention of Matt King, who played rugby for Melbourne Storm and now represents Warrington.

"It's a lightweight version of a cricket bat, but it's strung and is just like a tennis racket,” King told BBC Radio Merseyside. "It's designed to help kids play cricket a little bit easier and hopefully get families outside and enjoying the outdoors together.”

King said the idea of the Crackit was borne out of his childhood, when his sister would play cricket with a tennis racket because the bat was too heavy, and is now in talks with manufacturers. “We've designed one at the moment and it's a working prototype, but it's a little bit heavier than we would have liked. We're in the process now of getting the weight down and still trying to maintain the strength it has at the moment.”