VIJITHA HERATH of the University of Paderborn, Germany, has offered a scientific perspective on the issue.

"A squash ball is a rubber ball. Unlike a cricket [leather] ball, it compresses when pressure is applied on it. When the pressure is released, it takes its original shape. In short, it acts like a spring (for example, a motorcycle shock absorber).

"So what happens when a batman has a squash ball in the palm of his bottom hand?

"When a batsman swings the bat until it hits the ball, there is pressure on his bottom hand. This pressure compresses the squash ball thus storing energy in the ball similar to a spring. Just after the ball hits the bat (ball still touching the bat) this pressure starts to relax while the bat is moving forward.

"At the same time the energy stored in the squash ball releases its energy to the bat in the form of kinetic energy. The result is that the bat moves faster than normal.

"As a result, the release-speed of the cricket ball becomes faster, resulting in the ball travelling further before hitting the ground. Therefore, it results in more sixes and fours being scored.

"The downside is because the bat travels faster than normal, the batsmen might lose control of the bat. This happened once in Adam Gilchrist's innings when the bat slipped out of his hand and fell behind the wicket."