Custom Bats Cricket Forum

Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Cover_Drive on November 13, 2012, 04:52:46 AM

Title: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Cover_Drive on November 13, 2012, 04:52:46 AM
Since bat prices are sky-rocketing as every minute passes by, which means we pay premium price for our beloved willows. So my question is simple, when you buy a bat (online or in store) what do you look out for? Do you look for specific edge size? Handle type? and so on.

Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: toby176 on November 13, 2012, 05:44:15 AM
I'm really quite fussy about my handle, I like it to be very oval and not to think, not to thin and just have a specific feel.

For example, A made of mine has a Bradbury Players X which is the best bat from Bradbury and destined for someone playing for Western Australia. It has the best ping I have ever felt on any bat! Better then my H4L. But the handle is just horrific! Its not even round, it seems to be slightly oval but the other way to what they usually are! So that. A big bat is also nice to see, but its a bit down the list of important-ness.

What do you look for mate?
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: ammo on November 13, 2012, 06:12:59 AM
I look for pick-up(handel counts in this) and ping.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: ItsJustCricket on November 13, 2012, 06:36:48 AM
Middle position (low), ping, pick-up, nice grains, attractive stickers (although this one is less important for me than it used to be)...
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Buzz on November 13, 2012, 07:00:30 AM
something that will give me 1500 runs and 3 hundreds!
the handle shape is important, but can be slightly adjusted, weight and pick up are also very important for me. Then it is all about performance and middle position.

the bat needs to make me feel like I will score runs with it every time I play.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: toenails97 on November 13, 2012, 07:32:12 AM
I look at the finish (I regard salix very highly!), the weight and pick up, how much meats in the middle of the bat, where the middle is and mostly ping then grain structure
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: vividgreen on November 13, 2012, 07:40:31 AM
The pickup, balance and feel of the bat - i love bats that feel lighter than they actually are, so fatique doesn't set in when your mid innings looking for your second wind. Occassionally you find a bat that just feels perfect and when this happens you are destined to score runs because you have no outside distractions from your equipment.

Obviously the middle is very important (bigger the sweet spot the better)

My best bat was a Screaming Cat of 2.9 that felt like a 2.7 and played beautifully from its first net session - currently full of fiberglass tape holding it together (goes like a rocket).
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Simmy on November 13, 2012, 07:42:36 AM
ive had alot of bats... and i dont think im fussy i will use anything...

as long as the middle is good and in the right place for me and it can clear the boundry i am happy!

usually like an oval handle but im not fussed if its round
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: RightArmRapid on November 13, 2012, 07:49:53 AM
I expect it to sail over the boundary when properly middled, beyond this im not overly bothered.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: tim2000s on November 13, 2012, 08:05:40 AM
I expect that when held, the bat will transform me into Kevin Pietersen, allowing me to score runs with ease to every corner of the park, and dominate every bowler I face (we don't have any left arm spinners). It doesn't need to be massive, just ping awesomely and make me a much better player... ;)

And when I return to planet earth, it just has to "feel" right.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: ammo on November 13, 2012, 11:07:21 AM
You have changed the way i think about bats now  ;)
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Perkins17 on November 13, 2012, 11:23:05 AM
I like a nice round handle with indentations for my bottom hand but i like one at about 14oz to help with pick up and then  performance but Barr that I'm not massively fussed as long as it picks up well
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Colesy on November 13, 2012, 11:32:17 AM
I like bats with mid middles, no concaving, oval handles and traditional edges that pick up well.

What I use is a bat with a mid/low middle, lots of concaving, slight oval handle, medium bowed edges and picks up well. I'm happy if it works for me.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: trypewriter on November 13, 2012, 11:45:02 AM
If it taps up exceptionally well I can be very forgiving in almost all other areas, including handle shape. For me, dead weight is more important than pick up. Anything 2-12 and up is too much for me these days.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: PeteW on November 13, 2012, 11:46:31 AM
1) small edges and big spine height.
I really don't understand why there's this trend to waste precious willow on the edges - to me it seems like the batsman's equivalent of setting a field for poor bowling.

2) low middle
I'm a predominantly back-foot player, but even when I'm playing pull shots I find I'm trying (though admittedly not always succeeding..) to hit the ball off the lower portion of the blade - I guess it's travelling faster.

3) good pick up
far more important to me than dead weight. Obviously not too heavy, but not too light either.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Cover_Drive on November 13, 2012, 04:25:37 PM
Handle is extremely vital for me, but then if I like a specific shape then I have to forgo handle from manufacturer as I can adjust it to my liking by tinkering around. Semi-oval, with bottom being thick is my preference.

In terms of shape I look for something which has no concaving, middle to low swell. In addition, I'm also not big have of big bows, slight bow (or no bow) is what I prefer more than having big bow like Asian bats.

Pick-up and balance is very important as well. I look for good pickup but not something too light (an example would be Icon). From scale of 1-5, I look for pickup to be around 3/4.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Manormanic on November 13, 2012, 04:29:27 PM
ooooh......I want it to resemble a railway sleeper, with at least 30 grains! :)
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Alvaro on November 13, 2012, 04:35:41 PM
English willow
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Manormanic on November 13, 2012, 04:37:00 PM
yes, an English willow railway sleeper with at least 30 grains! :)
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: yvk3103 on November 13, 2012, 05:12:06 PM
Performance, pick-up, imposing profile, good grains and sub £250 price
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Cover_Drive on November 13, 2012, 05:27:51 PM
English willow

You're so old school man, wake up! Look around, people are fighting over to get a Canadian willow bats, they are recherché!

Its all about Canadian willow these days pal :D

 :D
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Alvaro on November 13, 2012, 05:55:11 PM
Oh Uzair, you do make me chuckle.
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: procricket on November 13, 2012, 10:09:20 PM
Pick up ,feels right in the hand.


And for my strangeness I like white willow with no heartwood but pick up and the overall feel is important.

I can never grow into a bat either it is nice from pick up or it not for me
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: SOULMAN1012 on November 13, 2012, 10:44:47 PM
Pro Cricket i totally agree. i know as soon as i pick it up and how it feels in the hand if i will like that bat on how it feels and picks up. After that a couple of tap ups with a ball and im done.

Always take my current match gloves when me though when ever i am going to get a bat where ever possible
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: Cover_Drive on November 14, 2012, 01:07:42 AM
Pick up ,feels right in the hand.


And for my strangeness I like white willow with no heartwood but pick up and the overall feel is important.

I can never grow into a bat either it is nice from pick up or it not for me

I don't know why I too prefer a 'white' looking cleft over darker one, now not trying to be racist here :(
Title: Re: What do you expect in your bat?
Post by: pacman75cricket on November 14, 2012, 06:31:55 AM
I remember when I was first buying bats top end bats had. Description unbleached english willow.

So maybe you've been brainwashed?