Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: FvanN on January 23, 2014, 10:16:11 PM
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Having never owned a top of the line 'Pro' bat I thought I would ask is there really that much difference between a grade 1 bat that retails for under £200 and a 'pro' bat that sells for over £300.
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Having never owned a top of the line 'Pro' bat I thought I would ask is there really that much difference between a grade 1 bat that retails for under £200 and a 'pro' bat that sells for over £300.
Not hugely. The pro's will get the best clefts (Lower density, better grains etc.) BUT we know this doesn't mean the best performance.
They just get the choice of what they want and what suits them best.
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Mr Hosking will be the best equipped to answer this one. The man with more pro bats than errrrrr a pro.
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Not hugely. The pro's will get the best clefts (Lower density, better grains etc.) BUT we know this doesn't mean the best performance.
They just get the choice of what they want and what suits them best.
I was thinking more about the bats available to us not so gifted players :)
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Most pro bats are no different that me or you use but the proper Top line batsman pro bats are different in every way.
Out perform,bigger,more value but they simply do not last as long but boy there good to have whilst they last.
Most so called Pro bats are not either..
Unless you see it with the batch i wouldn't call them pro bats..
Most proffesionals are less fussy than people on here the ones i have meet played against and been told about..
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Most pro bats are no different that me or you use but the proper Top line batsman pro bats are different in every way.
Out perform,bigger,more value but they simply do not last as long but boy there good to have whilst they last.
Most so called Pro bats are not either..
Unless you see it with the batch i wouldn't call them pro bats..
Most proffesionals are less fussy than people on here the ones i have meet played against and been told about..
Usually really lightly pressed but they dont need them to last as they will just get another out of the wrapper!
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Usually really lightly pressed but they dont need them to last as they will just get another out of the wrapper!
The ones i have seen where pressed the same way as anybody bats they where just lighter due to density and and that is the reason they get catastrophic breaks due to the density not pressing. Some of them just get the best bits of wood but i wouldn't say the ones i have seen where pressed any different than mine or your normal bats.
For me the best shop bats or custom bats will be just as good
And the selection process by the maker i guess will be different than a shop bat as well.
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I have a pro bat from Newbery & Salix. These are the best bats I have owned that was a genuine pro cleft. I would say the difference is the size of cleft to weight ratio and then the ping. By ping I mean its instant no knocking in, opening up it just flies instantly.
I have no doubt that others will be just as good bunt my opinion genuine pro bats graded by someone that can really tell a special cleft will be a better bat. Downside it will be very soft so to gain most from it, it won't last long. To make it last longer you would knock it in and condense fibres to make it just like most regular top grade available in shops if that makes sense.
Those are my views anyway.
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Are we talking pro grade (G1+) bats, as bought in the shops? If so - probably not a massive difference between that and a regular £200 bat. Obviously you'll get some better than others, go and handpick a £200 bat that suits you and it'll be as good/if not better than anything at the £300 level.
Are we talking about pro, as in Div 2 Ave. County Batsman? Again, probably not much difference than you get from the shelf.
If we're talking Top 10 in the world, Tendulkar level pro - then of course they'll get the lowest density best performing clefts made by the best batmakers. But what makes the difference is the skill.
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What Tom said. The real difference between pro willow and off the shelf willow is the hands holding it.
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I feel the International Pro level batsmen's bats are defintely different (much lighter and better performing), the ones we see in the store are usually not the ones pro use. I have seen most of us (club level cricketer's) breaking more bats than Pros do usually, it's down to the batsmen who weild the weapon. I remember commentator during a match when Tendulkar's scored his 97'th or 98'th Ton (not sure, could be 1 or more here and there) that he has scored 37% of his centuries with the same bat, that would be around 33-35 Tons. I also know Sachin takes a lot of care of his bats.
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I think he scored 14-15 centuries with that particular bat.
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One factor worth considering is that the pros play far more cricket, day in, day out, therefore, if they do have a favourite bat it will be very thoroughly played in. I think that a lot of us weekend warriors (myself included) get impatient with our bats and don't give them as much chance to totally open up.
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I think he scored 14-15 centuries with that particular bat.
I thought the commentator was comparing with all 100 or 97-98 centuries hes scored, nevertheless even 15 international centuries with 1 bat would be amazing, has to be a serious piece of willow looking at the fact the amount of cricket he played.
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So Pro 'pro' bats aside. .
So if a grade 1 £200 bat will perform almost as well or as well as a £300+ bat the added cost must surely be down to looks ?
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So Pro 'pro' bats aside. .
So if a grade 1 £200 bat will perform almost as well or as well as a £300+ bat the added cost must surely be down to looks ?
yes aesthetics is the major factor in the added cost.
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yes aesthetics is the major factor in the added cost.
Throw in a bit of clever marketing and hey presto! Profit!
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On the topic of Pro bats, do the Pros really use the bats manufactured by the maker or just put stickers on? How many intl cricketers actually use the actual bat with the advertised shape etc..?
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On the topic of Pro bats, do the Pros really use the bats manufactured by the maker or just put stickers on? How many intl cricketers actually use the actual bat with the advertised shape etc..?
Not sure how anyone can answer that other than - some do, some don't.
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Agree with Tom here.
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I've been blessed with two bats destined for pro's but reallocated to my untalented hands.
The first was a Newbery. It looks non-descript, feels no different, but pings, well it pings like nothing I've ever seen.
The latest, and current match bat, is a H4L. Matt let me rummage through his stash and hand pick a raw cleft last year. I came away with a bat which is way too good for me. In my hands it looks OK, but I lent it to our best batter and he sent the ball miles. SO impressed, he ordered an exact copy from Matt.
Are they different? Yes.
Do they go better? Yes.
Do they make us feel good? Of course!
Do they make us better? Nope.
In short, some people will always want the best, but I'll take any bat which works, regardless of grade.
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I've been blessed with two bats destined for pro's but reallocated to my untalented hands.
The first was a Newbery. It looks non-descript, feels no different, but pings, well it pings like nothing I've ever seen.
The latest, and current match bat, is a H4L. Matt let me rummage through his stash and hand pick a raw cleft last year. I came away with a bat which is way too good for me. In my hands it looks OK, but I lent it to our best batter and he sent the ball miles. SO impressed, he ordered an exact copy from Matt.
Are they different? Yes.
Do they go better? Yes.
Do they make us feel good? Of course!
Do they make us better? Nope.
In short, some people will always want the best, but I'll take any bat which works, regardless of grade.
Ah but are they worth the extra £150+ price tag??
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Ah but are they worth the extra £150+ price tag??
Not in my eyes.
I wouldn't pay the money the money asked by most of the brands for the best clefts.
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Spend your money on coaching if you want more out of batting.
No bat will make you good if your crap.
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Spend your money on coaching if you want more out of batting.
No bat will make you good if your crap.
Incorrect, I've just spent, well, a lot on a GN E41 Test bat and I can tell as I shadow bat that I'm going to be much better this year compared to last year! ;)
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Spend your money on coaching if you want more out of batting.
No bat will make you good if your crap.
Nuff said.
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No bat will make you good if your crap.
True, but if you're any good, a quality bat will make a difference. Might just be in the head, but it does make a difference. Seen it many times.
Ask Sachin.
http://youtu.be/P9ymPOcYmvQ (http://youtu.be/P9ymPOcYmvQ)
P.S. Can't stand Harsha Bhogle, but as they say "don't dismiss good info just because you don't like the source"
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Spend your money on coaching if you want more out of batting.
No bat will make you good if your crap.
This.
Get weekly coaching for a year, plus do extra bowling machine sessions in between and you will notice a bigger difference than simply changing bats.
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I have a shahid afridi bat that he took to the Hong Kong 6's he uses a surprisingly light bat, it was 2'9. Nothing particularly special about the bat but he did hit an almighty 6 with it, at least 100 metres before he chucked it (gave it to someone who swapped it for one of my bats) and started using one of Abdul razzaq's bat (monstrous, biggest bat I have ever seen).
The bat looks like a standard SS bat which it was with boomboom stickers. Standard SS shape which I don't like as the middle is too low but if you get it out of the middle it does fly.
In conclusion for me a 'pro bat' is just a bat that a pro uses or has used it doesn't make it better. The most important thing is whether the bat suits you I.e. Low middle front foot player and high middle back foot player. The difference in quality isn't drastic. If you are after a soft pressed bat with a huge profile just look at a CA bat. I believe you'll find a lot of players use or have used their bats. From what I have heard/seen to name a few examples of non CA sponsored players: Amla (uses 2'5!!!!! All in his wrists), Kohli and De Villiers.
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Lad at my club got his hands on two genuine pro bats from a lad at Notts
Absolute guns but he's used one in nets already and its spit
Doesn't matter how good the bat is if you don't prep it properly.
Too many club players want the best kit but honestly don't know what to do with it
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I think the best advice I've seen in this thread is save some money on the bat and invest it in coaching.
I'd love to do this, but I'm worried that coaches only want to work with 14-year-olds with prospects of playing for counties, not 24-year-olds who just want to score some village runs.
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I think the best advice I've seen in this thread is save some money on the bat and invest it in coaching.
I'd love to do this, but I'm worried that coaches only want to work with 14-year-olds with prospects of playing for counties, not 24-year-olds who just want to score some village runs.
If you're in the east of England, speak to Vitas, they'll sort you out mate :)
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I think the best advice I've seen in this thread is save some money on the bat and invest it in coaching.
I'd love to do this, but I'm worried that coaches only want to work with 14-year-olds with prospects of playing for counties, not 24-year-olds who just want to score some village runs.
Coaches will work with anyone who is paying...
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i had an up close look at a fair few yesterday whilst down at hampshire, Carbs bat was about 2.12 he reckoned and had a bit of heartwood on the outside edge for a LH.
Others in the changing room included a couple of Slazengers inc the huge 5lbs training bat, GM, Willostix, Newberys and some Kooks. Nothing that looked or felt any different to me from what we all see and buy on here.
The major difference being the people at the end of them....feeding the machine to MC at 65 he nearly took me out a few times with straight drives and they certainly came back quicker than I fired them down at!
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When Brendan Nash come to to kent 2yrs ago I made home 3 bats he picked out , 1 bat is his match bat which was still going from the that visit 2 seasons ago and 2000 first class runs and one day runs later! 8 staight grains, not massive 2.8 just a top performing cleft ...
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I believe that cricket is a psychological game and in my opinion having a good bat is no different. And by good bat I mean performance wise and not the aesthetics.
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Yes cricket can be a psychological game if you allow it to. And yes a good performing light low density close grained lightly pressed bat can make a difference. That said having owned pro bats that could hit the ball 10 yards further i have discarded them because they did not feel right in the hands. For me when you pickup a bat in your normal batting stance the handle and the blade of the bat need to feel as if they are an extension of your arms.
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Ive got a pro issue kook, Whilst im impressed with everything about the bat, Its on a par with my £145 itias bat in its prime.
The only difference is the ping. The middle on the recoil is pheonominal, wheras the middle on the itias was good i still had to put alot of effort behind it.
I really think its luck of the draw with willow and performance. Ok pro issue bats may be more asthetically pleasing but is there really any evidence to prove they perform better.
The pro bat i have, for some reason has certainly given my a psychological boost, which has improved the quality of my game due to the confidence boost