Custom Bats Cricket Forum

Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Silver Bullet on January 18, 2015, 02:50:19 AM

Title: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Silver Bullet on January 18, 2015, 02:50:19 AM
What is the consensus around here on bowling machines and bowling machines balls. I've heard people say absolutely don't use anything but your netbat against a bowling machine.

I've also seen a lot of people use the bowling machine to open up the grains.

What's the verdict ?
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: The Palmist on January 18, 2015, 04:17:23 AM
Very subjective  matter this  and every bat will behave differently.

In my opinion  as long the bat is prepared properly, I don't  see any issues with using  the bat against  bowling machine. I don't  believe in the whole  net bat malarkey anyway. So go ahead and get the most of your spent.

I would  suggest watching  out of cheapo  balls used by bowlers. Our bowlers  all use the  balls from a club bucket which is of reasonable quality.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: InternalTraining on January 18, 2015, 04:55:57 AM
Depends on the bats you have. I wouldn't take some of my nicer bats in a net session let alone in front of a Bola. I have a separate butterfly stain bat for Bola since the bat is harder and can take consistent abuse. I have the same philosophy for winter net sessions where the surface is hard (astro turf on top of concrete) and pitch is shorter (18/19 yards). Cheaper balls are another nuisance that can ruin a nice bat.



Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: lazza32 on January 18, 2015, 08:05:45 AM
If it's good enough for pros it's good enough for me

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: smilley792 on January 18, 2015, 08:32:28 AM
I have used the bola to knock countless bats in. Never had an issue.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Focus Cricket on January 18, 2015, 08:35:39 AM
If it's good enough for pros it's good enough for me

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Pro's don't pay for bats, so they don't care if they break - they just pull another one out of their bag.
I would suggest to use an older stick as most manufacturers will not warrant bats damaged with signs of heavy bowling machine usage.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: DaanalSeed on January 18, 2015, 08:36:45 AM
Hold on a tick, I was under the impression that Bola balls are as soft if not softer than a regular cricket ball. In which case why is it such a problem? Wouldn't it be like using an old ball which is recommended anyway? And instead of looking for seam marks, you're looking for dimples.

And if Bola balls are harder than a cricket ball, doesn't it make it more like using a mallet? Which people use to knock in bats?

So not sure what the issue is, regardless of the hardness of a Bola ball. I myself haven't used a bowling machine purely to knock in or open up bats, but I do like the idea.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: lazza32 on January 18, 2015, 08:37:15 AM
Yes they do care. Even pro's have favourite bats.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: smilley792 on January 18, 2015, 08:44:12 AM
Pro's don't pay for bats, so they don't care if they break - they just pull another one out of their bag.
I would suggest to use an older stick as most manufacturers will not warrant bats damaged with signs of heavy bowling machine usage.

Pros have favourite bats. They have them repaired over and over again from very far gone positions.

They care alot!!
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Sykesy51 on January 18, 2015, 08:58:31 AM
Bola balls are softer than cricket balls but the issue is not how hard the ball is.  Most bat breakages happen in nets due to the fact that you are hitting a ball much more often than in a match situation - maybe a ball every 10 seconds on average rather than every 30 seconds...

Willow is obviously a natural material and needs to 'recover' once hit.  If you do not allow for the timber to 'recover' then the fibres are more likely to break.

Then take into account that, when using a bowling machine, you are more likely to be hitting the same part of the face of the bat (when practising the same shot) then this is when real problems start to occur.  Either ensure you allow time for your bat to recover before hitting the next ball or use a bat more suited for this situation.  As a coach I can also say that taking a few extra seconds to consider the shot you've played will also help your practice sessions.

Cheers, Andy
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Boondougal on January 18, 2015, 09:03:23 AM
I'm pretty certain there is more potential for damage in the first over of a game when the ball is its hardest and your timing is at its worst than from a bola ball.
It's a piece of wood.... We all have our favourites but if we didn't want them to get damaged we wouldn't use them. If the new bat has been knocked in I don't see an issue.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: InternalTraining on January 18, 2015, 09:17:14 AM
^ A knocked in bat is fine against a new ball but you are not hitting the same area, like a Bola ball, over and over again. This effect becomes even more pronounced at higher speeds. I have personally experienced this. To practice at higher speeds, I used a light bat for my Bola sessions. The bat face got destroyed in a season.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: InternalTraining on January 18, 2015, 09:19:32 AM
Bola balls are softer than cricket balls but the issue is not how hard the ball is. 

They hurt like hell. :D
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: smilley792 on January 18, 2015, 09:47:53 AM
My thoughts on people's theories. Not saying I'm. Right just what j think.

Bola balls may be a tad softer, but the important thing is they have no seam! Remember it's the seam off a new ball/decent old ball that will cause indents and damage to the face. All balls will damage a non knocked in edge.

Cricket balls also hurt! I had a Ruptured spleen to prove.

Theory of not letting bat recover between shots. Anyone with a heavy mallet or a lignin vitae mallet giving the bat death isn't waiting between strikes and you tend to concentrate on areas.
To knock a bat in should we wait between strikes? Can see knocking in going from 3 hrs to 24hrs if so. 


Repeatably hitting same are of bat, wish I was good enough to Repeatably hit the same area!!

Your bat was destroyed after a season of bola balls. Well I'm not suprised.  You will hit around 8 to 10x as many balls in a machine session to a regular game.  So a full season on bola would be like 8 seasons in the middle. And after 8 seasons. I'd expect my bat face to be worse for wear!


Biggest problem with bola and indoor nets with any bat! Yorkers!!! Do not dig them out. Ever.
you have a hard ball travelling at speed. You are trapping it into a very very hard floor that unlike a wicket. Has no give. The only thing that is gonna give is the toe of the bat!


Me I'm happy to use a bat in normal.nets. Bola machines and matches no matter what's it's cost sentimental value. I bought it to be used.  So shall try and get a good run out of it.

If it breaks. Well it means I can just buy more bats.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: WalkingWicket37 on January 18, 2015, 09:51:42 AM
I've never had an issue using a new bat against the machine.
I used my Six6 against the machine every week last season and it ended up pinging wonderfully by the start of the season. Hitting hundreds, if not thousands, of soft balls helps a bat "open up" - who knew  ;)
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: cjicricket on January 18, 2015, 10:21:46 AM
Bowling machine with correct bola balls is a great way to knock your bat in! never had any issues!
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Seniorplayer on January 18, 2015, 10:36:28 AM
Bola balls are softer than cricket balls but the issue is not how hard the ball is.  Most bat breakages happen in nets due to the fact that you are hitting a ball much more often than in a match situation - maybe a ball every 10 seconds on average rather than every 30 seconds...

Willow is obviously a natural material and needs to 'recover' once hit.  If you do not allow for the timber to 'recover' then the fibres are more likely to break.

Then take into account that, when using a bowling machine, you are more likely to be hitting the same part of the face of the bat (when practising the same shot) then this is when real problems start to occur.  Either ensure you allow time for your bat to recover before hitting the next ball or use a bat more suited for this situation.  As a coach I can also say that taking a few extra seconds to consider the shot you've played will also help your practice sessions.

Cheers, Andy
.   More good reasons to have a net bat the same spec as your match bat. for me  Yorkers  are more likely to damage your bat indoors. Their was a brand new Salix for sale on here this week only used in nets with Yorker damage
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Silver Bullet on January 18, 2015, 05:27:47 PM

Bowling machine with correct bola balls is a great way to knock your bat in! never had any issues!

How do you tell what's a correct Bola ball and what's not ?
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: brokenbat on January 19, 2015, 12:51:11 AM
I always use a new bat vs the machine, many, many times before using it vs a real ball. I think if the balls feel "plastic" then they are probably wrong.. if they feel slight rubbery, then they are the correct bola balls.

I also set the machine on big swing - I actually WANT the edges to be hit so that they are even more ready for the real thing. Never had even a surface crack, but its important to note that I am extremely thorough with the mallet first.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: The Palmist on January 19, 2015, 09:42:05 AM
Don't  use your match bat  in nets
Don't  use it when it rains
dont use it when the ball is new
don't  use it when the bowlers are bowling yorkers
don't  use it when pitch is staying low
don't  use it when  your timing is off

.......and your bat will last a life time

p.s. probably missed a few don'ts
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: ppccopener on January 19, 2015, 09:47:51 AM
I don't do any of the above but you did miss don't lend you bat to anyone else.....
otherwise you could then have the problem of your mate breaking your bat and not offering to pay for a replacement :)
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: ppccopener on January 19, 2015, 09:51:16 AM
im sure there are other on here who have had this conversation
''yeah sorry mate the £450 Amplus that split in two against the metal stumps how you fixed to sort me out?

''i'm mortified really really sorry about that I won't ask to use it ever again,let me buy you a beer'
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Over Gully on January 19, 2015, 09:51:25 AM
I was always taught using a new bat v bowling machine is a no-no, but my theory is that if the bat is ready to use against a new cricket ball, then it's ready to face anything. I do have a 2nd net bat and it has had extensive bowling machine use and it has held up fine, so provided it is knocked in and not straight from the shop and into use, you should be fine. Bats are made of natural materials and they can break. A mate I played with in Perth bought a brand new Puma a few years back, hit his first ball with it in a game for six over deep long-on, 2nd ball plays a forward defensive and it snapped in half!
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: The Palmist on January 19, 2015, 10:10:08 AM
I don't do any of the above but you did miss don't lend you bat to anyone else.....
otherwise you could then have the problem of your mate breaking your bat and not offering to pay for a replacement :)

Absolutely, there is an interesting  thread  about kit borrowers.

I hated it when a frequent  borrower of my bat used to just  drag it across pitch. I offered  to sell it to  him but why would you  pay for a bat when  you can use it for free.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Seniorplayer on January 19, 2015, 10:18:10 AM
I don't do any of the above but you did miss don't lend you bat to anyone else.....
otherwise you could then have the problem of your mate breaking your bat and not offering to pay for a replacement :)

This happened to me I lent my £250.00 GN to a teammate who hit the indoor floor with the toe of the bat and it snapped in half he walked up the net handed me the two half's of the bat didn't offer to pay towards a replacement or apologise but had the audacity to state the bat must have a fault.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: ppccopener on January 19, 2015, 10:31:58 AM
This happened to me I lent my £250.00 GN to a teammate who hit the indoor floor with the toe of the bat and it snapped in half he walked up the net handed me the two half's of the bat didn't offer to pay towards a replacement or apologise but had the audacity to state the bat must have a fault.

that's the ultimate nightmare for any clubbie,he was probably right thou if it did go in half
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: WalkingWicket37 on January 19, 2015, 10:34:02 AM
im sure there are other on here who have had this conversation
''yeah sorry mate the £450 Amplus that split in two against the metal stumps how you fixed to sort me out?

''i'm mortified really really sorry about that I won't ask to use it ever again,let me buy you a beer'

Last year the club bellend helped himself to my old Purist saying "it was old so I knew you wouldn't mind me using it to mess about. By the way I've split it"
He then handed it back and walked off. He's lucky I didn't want to risk further damage or if have wraped it round his head!  >:(
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Stuey on January 19, 2015, 10:55:49 AM
Last year the club bellend helped himself to my old Purist saying "it was old so I knew you wouldn't mind me using it to mess about. By the way I've split it"
He then handed it back and walked off. He's lucky I didn't want to risk further damage or if have wraped it round his head!  >:(
Sounds like he is due a 'yes no' call and a wide grin as he trudges past.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Vitas Cricket on January 19, 2015, 11:48:45 AM
Pro's don't pay for bats, so they don't care if they break - they just pull another one out of their bag.
I would suggest to use an older stick as most manufacturers will not warrant bats damaged with signs of heavy bowling machine usage.

Tripe

Bola balls are softer than cricket balls but the issue is not how hard the ball is.  Most bat breakages happen in nets due to the fact that you are hitting a ball much more often than in a match situation - maybe a ball every 10 seconds on average rather than every 30 seconds...

Willow is obviously a natural material and needs to 'recover' once hit.  If you do not allow for the timber to 'recover' then the fibres are more likely to break.

Then take into account that, when using a bowling machine, you are more likely to be hitting the same part of the face of the bat (when practising the same shot) then this is when real problems start to occur.  Either ensure you allow time for your bat to recover before hitting the next ball or use a bat more suited for this situation.  As a coach I can also say that taking a few extra seconds to consider the shot you've played will also help your practice sessions.

Cheers, Andy

Guess i should stop launching my lignum vitae mallet at bats when knocking them in then. Jason from Hammer Cricket, Gary from B&S and others with a knocking in machine slamming a teflon ball into the bat at high velocity should pack up and stop offering their service too.

Not meaning to come across hostile, but there is a lot of misinformation on the forum, and this thread particularly.

The ONLY risk to your bat when facing a BOLA is the combination of a hard surface and the players decision to drive at a yorker. I refuse to set our machine up to bowl very full for this reason.

To re-iterate. A bowling machine, a knocking in machine, a bat mallet, all great ways to knock a bat in. Unless you are very unfortunate, you aren't going to do much knocking in of your toe/edges on a BOLA. But once edges and toe are sorted with mallet/machine and the middle has had some attention, apply a scuff sheet and hit the nets to face a BOLA.

Based on some opinions in this topic, i'm questioning whether i should actually use my new bat, or simply mount it in a frame and hang on the wall. Other than avoiding a new cricket ball for as long as you can during the early days of owning your bat (and cheap balls altogether if you can) you should use your bat at every opportunity, enjoy it, score some runs with it. Eventually after (hopefully) a lot of use and runs it will let you down, what with it being made from a living thing. Then the fun can begin again shopping for a new one :)
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: jamesisapayne on January 19, 2015, 12:12:19 PM
I've never heard as much rubbish a some of the comments on this post.

It's fine to use a bowling machine to knock a bat in. End of.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: Boondougal on January 19, 2015, 12:12:34 PM

Tripe

Guess i should stop launching my lignum vitae mallet at bats when knocking them in then. Jason from Hammer Cricket, Gary from B&S and others with a knocking in machine slamming a teflon ball into the bat at high velocity should pack up and stop offering their service too.

Not meaning to come across hostile, but there is a lot of misinformation on the forum, and this thread particularly.

The ONLY risk to your bat when facing a BOLA is the combination of a hard surface and the players decision to drive at a yorker. I refuse to set our machine up to bowl very full for this reason.

To re-iterate. A bowling machine, a knocking in machine, a bat mallet, all great ways to knock a bat in. Unless you are very unfortunate, you aren't going to do much knocking in of your toe/edges on a BOLA. But once edges and toe are sorted with mallet/machine and the middle has had some attention, apply a scuff sheet and hit the nets to face a BOLA.

Based on some opinions in this topic, i'm questioning whether i should actually use my new bat, or simply mount it in a frame and hang on the wall. Other than avoiding a new cricket ball for as long as you can during the early days of owning your bat (and cheap balls altogether if you can) you should use your bat at every opportunity, enjoy it, score some runs with it. Eventually after (hopefully) a lot of use and runs it will let you down, what with it being made from a living thing. Then the fun can begin again shopping for a new one :)

Love it!
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: jamesisapayne on January 19, 2015, 12:18:36 PM
Jake = Hits. Nail. On. Head.
Title: Re: Using a New Bat Against a Bowling Machine
Post by: The Palmist on January 19, 2015, 12:27:19 PM
To add to the tripe some even say that you should knock your bat for full season and only use it in match next year.