Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: tim2000s on January 24, 2012, 10:34:07 PM
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..... and use it for the first time against real cricket balls rather than Bolas?
This is a cheap Slazenger bat from Sports Direct that has a rubbish facing on it. It was cheap (£65) and came with a sticker saying that Slazenger had (kindly) knocked it in for me...
On hitting the ball it made a rather high pitched ping, as though it was pressed quite hard, but the ball certainly came off well. But what happens I hear you asking?
Well, if it is a Slazenger, then not a lot. The crappy scuff facing that has been put on it has fractured whenever I hit the ball but actually the face of the bat has faired up reasonably well, with no deep seam indentations. Quie a surprise really!
Here are the pictures:
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/tim2000s/IMG_20120124_212339.jpg)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/tim2000s/IMG_20120124_212324.jpg)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/tim2000s/IMG_20120124_212311.jpg)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/tim2000s/IMG_20120124_212300.jpg)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/tim2000s/IMG_20120124_212251.jpg)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/tim2000s/IMG_20120124_212243.jpg)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/tim2000s/IMG_20120124_212238.jpg)
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not many cracks in the middle there Tim ;)
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take the scuff off and show me the face. Bet it's cracked somewhere. The scuff doesn't fracture like that unless the wood has been damaged.
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How did it play? Grains look decent
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How much knocking in does use against Bola balls do?
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How much knocking in does use against Bola balls do?
not much, I don't think, they just don't harm the bat, if in doubt use the mallet.
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can't be much. Not as much weight and no seam, therefore the force and potential damage is much less for the same speed. Bat hammer would do more good.
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not much, I don't think, they just don't harm the bat, if in doubt use the mallet.
I wouldn't say I was in doubt as such, just hoping it might save me a couple hours knocking in :D
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take the scuff off and show me the face. Bet it's cracked somewhere. The scuff doesn't fracture like that unless the wood has been damaged.
This stuff does - it's very thin and almost like a varnish. It comes of in flakes. If I had a macro lens I'd do a close up, but the wood really doesn't appear damaged. It looks like the varnish/scuff isn't as flexible.
not many cracks in the middle there Tim ;)
That's right Buzz, being such a proper batsman, I was able to pick the rotation of the ball and avoid the seam for the ones I hit out of the middle ;) :D
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I have seen such scuff sheets in past, they crack when ball makes a contact with them.
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This stuff does - it's very thin and almost like a varnish. It comes of in flakes. If I had a macro lens I'd do a close up, but the wood really doesn't appear damaged. It looks like the varnish/scuff isn't as flexible.
Had 2 scuff sheets similar recently, readers and kooks I think, and if you peel it away funny enough a crack appears.
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Had 2 scuff sheets similar recently, readers and kooks I think, and if you peel it away funny enough a crack appears.
Ok, I'll take your word for it and assume that the willow has cracked underneath. I really can't be bothered with trying to peel the sheet of tiny little bits at a time.
Which also probably means that, actually, Slazenger bats with a sticker that says "To save you the trouble, we've done it for you, properly" are just talking bull, and you're gonna need that mallet...
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don't blame you, I wasted several scuff sheets pre-xmas doing the same thing to damaged bats.
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Though I thought I had knocked it in :(
(http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h428/englishwillow/IMG_0350.jpg)
(http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h428/englishwillow/IMG_0349.jpg)
(http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h428/englishwillow/IMG_0352.jpg)
(http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h428/englishwillow/IMG_0354.jpg)