Custom Bats Cricket Forum

Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Cover_Drive on March 12, 2011, 04:24:13 PM

Title: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 12, 2011, 04:24:13 PM
So another bat to my collection and this time its Millichamp & Hall Harlequin :)

This bat was at ProDirect and when I saw it I was flattered and wanted to buy it right away but I couldn't order it myself so I gave shout to a person who have always helped me and have been perfect and most helpful guy for me and its no other than, Asad Qureshi (Bhai) at UziSports :D. Every time I get a bat from Asad Bhai his service is better and better and better and it impress me even more than what he had impressed me earlier. So the bar of Asad Bhai is above 100% and is always increasing, such a helpful and down to earth guy he is. If everyone in our world is like Asad Qureshi then I am sure this world will be worry free and perfect seriously it is really really difficult to come across a person like Asad Bhai. In UK I don't think I need anyone else when Asad Bhai can do everything for me! So he ordered and shipped me the bat in Canada!

I don't know what shipping Asad Bhai used but the bat was here in 4 business days from UK to Canada which I find very impressive! I didn't get time to write a review so anyways got the bat on Thursday (was suppose to get it on Wednesday but no one was home). When I opened the bat it looked brilliant, everything was perfect! Handle is oval and thicker than my Salix, Newbery, MB Malik and GM Icon LE which did surprise me a bit as I thought it was standard but either way it feels nice in my hands.

The pickup on this bat is fabulous, it is brilliant!! I am not sure of exact weight as ProDirect said it was Medium but I am not sure of exact weight but personally it seems to be perfect for me. The shape and profile looks good and I like it as well. The spine is good as well.

I slightly got disappointed with the finishing but it could be because I have probably seen best finished bats earlier. So when I compare the finishing of this bat with my Salix, Newbery, GM and MB Malik I didn't find it better than those four. From the feel of the bat it looks it will require oiling. I am not saying finishing is not good but its not as good as Salix, Newbery, MB Malik or GM.

Overall very good bat and I am loving it! Great work by M&H as well!

At last, here are the pictures, hope you guys like it!

Feel free to ask any questions and criticisms are always welcome :)

Enjoy!

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/1-19.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/2-19.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/3-20.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/4-16.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/5-15.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/6-12.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/7-11.jpg)

More to follow...
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 12, 2011, 04:24:55 PM
More..

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/8-9.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/9-8.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/10-8.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/11-9.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/12-5.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/13-4.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/14-3.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/15-3.jpg)
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 12, 2011, 04:25:44 PM
More...

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/16-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/17-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/18-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/19-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/20-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/21-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/22-6.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/23-2.jpg)
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 12, 2011, 04:26:43 PM
Last set...

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/24-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/25-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/26-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/27-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/28-2.jpg)

(http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/ac91/minhasuz/29-2.jpg)
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: mdl_1979 on March 12, 2011, 04:30:56 PM
Your floor is impressively clean.  Not a speck of dust in sight!  Nice bat too!
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 12, 2011, 04:33:28 PM
Thanks for the both compliments mate :)

My mom will not sleep until she sees anything dirty in the house, everything is always clean :facepalm:
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Whispering Death on March 12, 2011, 04:35:56 PM
make sure you get all the different sides and angles of the bat!

 ;)
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: procricket on March 12, 2011, 04:43:34 PM
lovely looking cricket bat there ans agree about Asad
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: tim2000s on March 12, 2011, 04:52:17 PM
I am surprised that's it isn't as well finished as your malik and gm. My experience of m&h is that they are one of the better ones…
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: 100 not out on March 12, 2011, 05:40:24 PM
Got one of these, they are good. higher middle though, so good for jul/ aug tracks
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: 100 not out on March 12, 2011, 07:14:25 PM
Too much concaving for my taste, plank with a fin, looks nice wood though.


a bit harsh
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Whispering Death on March 12, 2011, 07:16:17 PM
no M&H is a plank but are all a bit over-priced, considering not all are handmade in taunton
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: 100 not out on March 12, 2011, 07:17:16 PM
No comment
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 12, 2011, 09:07:14 PM
Tim, I was surprised as well. Both GM and Malik have very good finishing.

W.Death - I paid £225

100 - people said Icon have high middle but played with it today and its really not that high I would say.

awp - Thank you very much :)

Thanks a lot guys :)
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: sgcricket on March 13, 2011, 01:37:21 AM
looks a very good bat.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: awp on March 13, 2011, 01:50:50 AM

a bit harsh

you're right, apologies, original post removed.  was looking on my phone so prob best not to comment based on such small pics.  Pic 2 on reply 2 does make it look a bit that way though.  Apologies again. Excellent photographs.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: awp on March 13, 2011, 01:52:58 AM
Tim, I was surprised as well. Both GM and Malik have very good finishing.

W.Death - I paid £225

100 - people said Icon have high middle but played with it today and its really not that high I would say.

awp - Thank you very much :)

Thanks a lot guys :)

CD - please see above, my apologies.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 13, 2011, 04:06:26 AM
you're right, apologies, original post removed.  was looking on my phone so prob best not to comment based on such small pics.  Pic 2 on reply 2 does make it look a bit that way though.  Apologies again. Excellent photographs.

LOOOL mate ill be serious this was not required at all, seriously!! I didn't take it wrong nor I got offended, you didn't had to apologize, I knew you weren't saying it from your heart.

At the end its just a piece of timber, so relax mate!! :D :D

Nevertheless it was very very kind of you seriously!

Thank you very much as I earlier said :)
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: langer17 on March 13, 2011, 10:29:05 AM
I wish shipping was that quick for me.

12 days for my bat,
Now I am upto 18 days waiting for my gloves and havent heard anything about them, needless to say, I am not happy with Royal Mail.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: coverpoint_pro on March 15, 2011, 04:59:53 PM
Ive just got one mate, i absolutely love it already! Such a nice middle and the pick up is brilliant!
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: 100 not out on March 15, 2011, 05:01:55 PM
Do you have any pics?
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: coverpoint_pro on March 15, 2011, 05:06:14 PM
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=10169.0

I got it off yash, not much has changed, just obviously a few ball marks!
Its the first m&h i have owned, and im extremely happy with it!
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 21, 2011, 05:08:47 AM
I am not sure if its M&H or what but I oiled the back once and face twice and it looks all dark now, the grains look opened up etc

When I move my fingers I notice the moisture.

I have oiled bats in past but none have changed its colour as quickly as this.

Oh and yeah when I first oiled the face, the oiled soaked in within few minutes and it looked ultra dry, with second coat it went in quickly as well but not as quick as first.

Thoughts please ?
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: tim2000s on March 21, 2011, 09:14:41 AM
I am not sure if its M&H or what but I oiled the back once and face twice and it looks all dark now, the grains look opened up etc

When I move my fingers I notice the moisture.

I have oiled bats in past but none have changed its colour as quickly as this.

Oh and yeah when I first oiled the face, the oiled soaked in within few minutes and it looked ultra dry, with second coat it went in quickly as well but not as quick as first.

Thoughts please ?
If you look at the picture of my M&H in my My Bats thread, although it has a hammer edge sheet fitted, it had a coat of oil prior to that being attached. The grains opened up on that one.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Talisman on March 21, 2011, 10:30:49 AM
An old bat.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: jonpinson on March 21, 2011, 10:48:05 AM
Yeh it sounds like it has been sat in a warm show room for a while. I've had similar happen with old bats I have bought and you can see the oil getting sucked in to the wood and vanishing within a few seconds.

I hope the over dryness won't have an effect on the life on the bat.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Talisman on March 21, 2011, 11:05:26 AM
You now get charged extra for it.......
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 21, 2011, 01:20:53 PM
Hmm so one of the reason for it being sold for a cheap/bargain price at ProDirect could be that this is piece from old stock, the bat literally hasn't face a ball yet...

Mike does this dryness/grains opening up etc affects bats life in any way?

Does grain being opened up means I don't have to knock it anymore ?
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Talisman on March 21, 2011, 01:28:53 PM
It will have a shorter life if drier, but by how much is anyone's guess.

You will still have to knock it in.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 21, 2011, 01:32:48 PM
Cheers make sense.

But after two coats on front do you think it is still dry? As I earlier said when I move my fingers over the face and back I feel mositure.

Also I have heard dry bats turn greyish so there was a greyish line running through the edge...
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Talisman on March 21, 2011, 01:39:39 PM
I have no idea how much your coats would be compared to my 2 coats, don't over worry about it, a bat is better drier than over oiled.

Damp bats turn grey, not dry ones, you are probably over concerned, knock it in and enjoy it.
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 21, 2011, 01:42:02 PM
Certainly a relief pal thanks a ton, I appreciate it!

I think I will wait for another few days before using it, won't use in indoors now as club has got new balls plus concrete surface....too danger for a new bat :D

Cheers!
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Canners on March 21, 2011, 01:51:24 PM

that certainly looks a beauty, and if its anywhere as good as the one i had you wont be disappointed :)
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: Cover_Drive on March 23, 2011, 06:52:51 PM
I might be asking again Mike but today while I was rounding off the edges I see the face being quite dry! I will be apply the scuff sheet so I don't think I should oil the face, right ?

The back is still moisture and I can feel that...
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: haider-k on March 23, 2011, 09:52:52 PM
Not my type of bat, but what a beauty!
Title: Re: Millichamp & Hall Harlequin Review
Post by: tim2000s on March 23, 2011, 10:35:24 PM
CD, you're the one with the bat in your hands so only you can decide whether to oil. The scuff sheet stops moisture loss from theblade but also reduces cracking and damage. If you don't oil it I'd be very surprised if you had problems.