Australia captain Ricky Ponting's bat was ruled illegal by the International Cricket Council on Thursday.
The Marylebone Cricket Club informed the ICC that the graphite-reinforced bat contravened one of its laws, but bat-maker Kookaburra disagreed.
Kookaburra, which has voluntarily withdrawn the bat from international cricket, said in a statement that the 1.56mm carbon fiber cover was legal because it was "merely a superficial layer which ... cannot be considered a composite element of the actual wooden blade of the bat."
Kookaburra said three leading independent experts believed the bat -- launched in December 2004 -- was legal.
"Numerous international players have used the bat without issue," the statement said. "For example, Ricky Ponting has used the bat in 53 one-day internationals and test matches without complaint from opposition players or umpires. However, Kookaburra fully respects both the laws of cricket and the spirit of cricket and has therefore reached agreement with the ICC to voluntarily withdraw the bats from international cricket," he said.
Kookaburra, which has made cricket equipment since 1890, said it would review the MCC's evidence "before deciding on the next course of action."
The MCC first investigated the bat's design in April to see if it complied with laws regarding the composition of the blade, the thickness of covering material, and the damage it does the ball.
The ICC approved the bat the following month, despite the MCC's concerns that the graphite gave the user an unfair power advantage.
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