Australia are to don sleeveless shirts for their assault on the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa next month, Cricket Australia said on Wednesday.
Purported by manufacturers Adidas to be the world's first sleeveless cricket top, the shirt will apparently give Ricky Ponting's world champion one-day side increased muscle support and comfort at all temperatures.
More familiar on the world's tennis courts where similar versions are sported by the likes of Rafael Nadal and James Blake, the sleeveless shirt will "deliver a performance advantage to the players on the field", according to the manufacturers.
"The ICC World Twenty20 tournament will involve fast games with short recovery periods," skipper Ponting said in a statement from the side's Queensland training camp.
"This new uniform has been specifically designed with the players' comfort and performance in mind".
In a far cry from the baggy cotton, collared, long-sleeved shirts of years gone by, the new design's compression layers will 'give players an extra kick of power by storing and returning energy as muscles expand and contract'.
Australia will debut the new strip in their opening match of the tournament against Zimbabwe at Newlands, Cape Town on September 12.
"Cricket Australia have taken the initiative to develop a highly innovative uniform that will deliver the team a competitive edge on the field," coach Tim Nielsen said.
