<P> A cricket bat is a specialised piece of equipment used by batsmen in the sport of cricket to hit the ball , typically consisting of a cane handle attached to a flat - fronted willow - wood blade . The length of the bat may be no more than 38 inches ( 965 mm ) and the width no more than 4.25 inches ( 108 mm ) . Its use is first mentioned in 1624 . Since 1979 , a rule change stipulated that bats can only be made from wood . </P>
what is the width of a cricket bat
no more than 4.25 inches