Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: NT50 on September 20, 2015, 02:59:27 PM
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Hello all!
Having not played cricket since i was about 10 (19 now) i'm finally getting back into it and am going to start playing again next year.
Obviously i'm going to be looking for a bat, but as i'm pretty clueless on the subject i thought this would be the place to ask!
I've been to a few nets session with a mate who plays for the team i'm joining and used other people's bats as i don't have my own, and from what i can tell a fairly lightweight bat would suit me as i'm only 5'6-ish and not particularly strong! The bats that suited me best were apparently 2.5/2.7's (i'll confess, no idea what that means)
Everyone else seems to spend up to £150-odd on bats ( from what i've been told, it's a very low standard and mostly consists of friendly's so not many people splash out!)
I live fairly close to @Vitas Cricket so will probably end up popping down there to buy a bat!
So with that little piece of information, any idea as to what i should be looking at?
Thanks for any help you can give me!
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Good on you, it's a great sport and the best for socialising. A B&S Assegai would possibly suit, they are available at Vitas.Alternatively get one made, Red ink, Aldred and other makers will do you one within a £150 budget.
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Good on you, it's a great sport and the best for socialising. A B&S Assegai would possibly suit, they are available at Vitas.Alternatively get one made, Red ink, Aldred and other makers will do you one within a £150 budget.
Indeed, one of the two reasons i'm taking it up!
Do you mean this one?
http://www.vitascricket.co.uk/products.php?id=1258 (http://www.vitascricket.co.uk/products.php?id=1258)
Looks nice! What's the difference between this 3 star and the 5 star that makes the latter 2x as expensive? Is it to do with the quality of material?
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Check out the Aldred section and get yourself a butterfly willow bat custom made to your requirements..
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http://www.vitascricket.co.uk/products.php?id=1258[/url]
Looks nice! What's the difference between this 3 star and the 5 star that makes the latter 2x as expensive? Is it to do with the quality of material?
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Yes. The 3 star is a lower grade willow than the 5 star. this just means that it doesn't look as pretty, it has no effect on the performance.
alternativelyCheck out the Aldred section and get yourself a butterfly willow bat custom made to your requirements..
I have an Aldred and I would recommend one to anyone. From memory you can get a butterfly grade for £130 or £135. This again might not be pretty looking willow but it will be an excellent bat.
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Awesome! Not bothered what it looks like, as long as it performs ;) Will definitely start pursuing that when the new season comes around!
On the topic of equipment: How much should i be looking to spend on gloves/pads/helmet/whites/spikes?
I imagine a lot of them would be things to go and try on rather than gamble online
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I think a starting point would be to go to your nearest retailer.
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Awesome! Not bothered what it looks like, as long as it performs ;) Will definitely start pursuing that when the new season comes around!
On the topic of equipment: How much should i be looking to spend on gloves/pads/helmet/whites/spikes?
I imagine a lot of them would be things to go and try on rather than gamble online
Check the Brllinggam and Smith UK web site out £80 bundle offer on pads gloves and duffle bag, also Hell 4 Leather have a sale on at the mo, both look very nice..
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For the money you want to spend try forum sponser Red ink and have a bat made to your own specifications as iwhen bat purchasing theres nothing better than having a bat handmade.
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(Bellingham and Smith) sorry
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If you are not going to face express pace bowling I wouldn't worry about getting expensive pads or gloves. Good deals on pads especially can be found second hand.
New gloves are a must. Get ones that feel comfortable for you.
You should try on a helmet first as the fit will be personal preference.
I have asics spikes which are excellent. However there are loads of cheaper options that all do the job. Again, you need to try them on as some are slightly smaller/narrower than others.
Good deals can be found now as retailers/players want rid of last year's stock.
You should be able to get it all for around £100 I would say.
Enjoy your shopping
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Second hand you could sort yourself out for much less. About half. At 5 foot 6 youth size pads are probably what you are after and you can easily pick up a pair for a tenner.
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Thanks to everyone for their input so far, really appreciate it!
In terms of bowling, it's slow so like you said i'm sure 2nd hand pads will do! I did buy some cheap sports direct pads for a fancy dress a few months ago, they were too big length wise but my calf's didn't fit through the bit you put your foot through! (i cannot for the life of me think of the word i'm looking for!) In terms of gloves i'm comfortably youth as i have the hands of an 8 year-old midget.
Will definitely try on boots as my ankles are dodgy so i have to be comfortable in them, same with helmet.
Any particular brands to look for on offers?
Cheers guys!
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http://www.sportsshoes.com/products/cricket/ (http://www.sportsshoes.com/products/cricket/)
This is a good place to look if you know what size you're after.
You can't really beat Asics 100no for thirty readies
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Thanks to everyone for their input so far, really appreciate it!
In terms of bowling, it's slow so like you said i'm sure 2nd hand pads will do! I did buy some cheap sports direct pads for a fancy dress a few months ago, they were too big length wise but my calf's didn't fit through the bit you put your foot through! (i cannot for the life of me think of the word i'm looking for!) In terms of gloves i'm comfortably youth as i have the hands of an 8 year-old midget.
Will definitely try on boots as my ankles are dodgy so i have to be comfortable in them, same with helmet.
Any particular brands to look for on offers?
Cheers guys!
With regard to batting pads i am the same hieght and use youths size if you go for a bigger size they will hinder you when you run.
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@NT50 straps?
I can't recall putting my foot through any batting pads, but have a sneaky suspicion you may have been putting your leg through the knee roll! ???
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@NT50 straps?
I can't recall putting my foot through any batting pads, but have a sneaky suspicion you may have been putting your leg through the knee roll! ???
I don't think i explained it very well, the top strap (that was the word that escaped me) was very tight and it wouldn't quite do up, though they were very cheap pads, the ones i used in a net session a few months ago were looser but would stop me running if needed so i'll have to find a medium!
i think i know what you're getting at, and although i've done some very stupid things in my time, i'm yet to do that haha!
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i think i know what you're getting at, and although i've done some very stupid things in my time, i'm yet to do that haha!
As crazy as it sounds I've seen it done more than once, and not always by juniors as you'd expect!
My personal favourite was when I saw it at school trials (this is going years back now, but it still sticks in my memory), a bloke in the year above me put his whole leg through the knee roll when padding up, and used a pair of left handed gloves out of the team kit bag (he was right handed). To top it all off he had his bottom upside down/the wrong way round on the bat, so both his thumbs were touching in the middle of the handle. You couldn't have made it up without seeing it :D
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A bloke in the year above me put his whole leg through the knee roll when padding up. To top it all off he had his bottom upside down on the bat, so both his thumbs were touching in the middle of the handle.
:o
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Sounds like something i would do to be fair, i can lack common sense on occasions!
I also need to look at getting a box as well, are thigh guards commonplace in lower leagues or is that something seen higher up where bowlers are fairly pacey?
In terms of shoes, i imagine spikes may not be a good fit as there's quite a few astro wickets in the league!
Lots of stuff to consider before winter nets start then!
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I also need to look at getting a box as well,
This is the most important piece of protective equipment. If you forget your box and get hit, I guaranteed you'll never forget it again! I'd also suggest getting a pair or batting shorts or a jock strap to keep it in place
are thigh guards commonplace in lower leagues or is that something seen higher up where bowlers are fairly pacey?
I haven't played lower league stuff for a few years now, but I can recall almost everyone had a thigh guard of some description. As a rule of thumb I'd say get at least a cheap outer thigh guard. A cheap one won't be too thick/obvious under your whites and will provide some protection. Cricket balls are hard, and don't need to be travelling that quickly to hurt/leave a bruise! Since I got my Aero P2s I don't feel comfortable batting without an inner and outer thigh guard any more.
In terms of shoes, i imagine spikes may not be a good fit as there's quite a few astro wickets in the league!
If you're playing mostly on astro wickets I'd look to invest in some rubber see cricket shoes. I know New Balance and Adidas both make some, and I'm sure Kookaburra and Gray Nicolls have some in their shoe ranges too. Normal trainers would do the job, but I'm a big believer in wearing cricket shoes to play cricket in. That's just me though...
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Sounds like something i would do to be fair, i can lack common sense on occasions!
I also need to look at getting a box as well, are thigh guards commonplace in lower leagues or is that something seen higher up where bowlers are fairly pacey?
In terms of shoes, i imagine spikes may not be a good fit as there's quite a few astro wickets in the league!
Lots of stuff to consider before winter nets start then!
Thigh guards are common all over the leagues, even I now wear one after being hit one too many times on the same bruise this year in the nets. Just because the ball is going slow doesn't mean it won't hurt like hell if it hits an unpadded area.
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Looks like thigh pads are on the agenda as well then!
I did get hit in the nuts by a ball that was mid-way between a tennis ball and a proper one before, even that winded me so a box was always on my list!
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In terms of shoes, i imagine spikes may not be a good fit as there's quite a few astro wickets in the league!
Lots of stuff to consider before winter nets start then!
I have some basics strike rate 3 spikes that come with blank plugs for turning them into rubbers when needed, and they're currently £40 in the basics outlet store. Gets you the best of both worlds.
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@NT50
Feel free to pop by when we re-open next week, we have a few items that are (or shortly will be) reduced to make way for 2016 stock
If you would prefer to choose from a much wider selection of equipment, 2016 stock will start arriving In mid/late October and will all be here well in time for Christmas
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@NT50
Feel free to pop by when we re-open next week, we have a few items that are (or shortly will be) reduced to make way for 2016 stock
If you would prefer to choose from a much wider selection of equipment, 2016 stock will start arriving In mid/late October and will all be here well in time for Christmas
Will probably be some point close to November/December as i'm a bit short on money at the minute!
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Will probably be some point close to November/December as i'm a bit short on money at the minute!
Would have popped in next week had West Ham not let me down for £250 on a bet :(
Just going to pretend i didn't want a bat anyway :(
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Caved in during the Black Friday madness and brought a Ton Power Blaster from Vitas, couldn't say no at £45!
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I have an Aldred and I would recommend one to anyone. From memory you can get a butterfly grade for £130 or £135. This again might not be pretty looking willow but it will be an excellent bat.
Aldred butterfly is £145 this year, prices gone up, but still s good choice and price for a custom bat, Jake at Vitas will definitely sort you out something if you pop down, maybe a Harrow size bat would suit you for your height and the weight you require?
Happy shopping and welcome back to cricket.
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NT - I'd strongly suggest you pop down to @Vitas Cricket and have a nose around. It will also allow you to pick up a few bats and check their weights and balance etc.
Jake's a good lad (even if he looks grumpy!) and he'll give you impartial advice - nothing beats being able to touch, feel and sniff the kit.
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nothing beats being able to touch, feel and sniff the kit.
Can anything be better than the smell of new cricket gear!
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The tips on looking at youths pads and gloves are serious. You get a better fit and save loads.
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I'm 5'10 but use youth pads because my shins are really small
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