Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => CA => Topic started by: WalkingWicket37 on April 01, 2016, 08:24:40 PM
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As some of you may know I went to Asad's store the other week and I found it very hard to resist the CA bats he had in stock.
There was a method to the madness of leaving without one though (and the fact I bought a New Balance made up for it...). I had my eye on one on a well known auction site.
I stumbled upon this listing, and put it on my watch list hoping I'd bag a bargain. It may sound like a forum cliche, but CA is a brand I've always liked but never given the attention it deserves. I know a lot of people rate CA highly, and one of the best bats I've ever used was an old CA Plus 150,000. The ones in Uzi Sports re-kindled my love for the Pakistan made brand and convinced me I wanted one. As the forum was in it's dead period when the auction ended I was safe from the curse of the Bargain Spots thread. I paid less than £50 posted for this stick.
It was listed as "New Other - Unused, left in storage and grip removed". I'm not sure I believe this ad there appears to be some ball marks near the stickers. Hmmm... ???
Used or not, it seems to be in fairly good condition for it's age and responds well. No idea of weight as I haven't weighed it yet, nor have I measured any of it, but when I tapped up an old ball lets just say it put a smile on my face. It feels light and being an older model isn't a huge bat, but is a full shape.
The only disappointment is the blob of filler near the bottom of the right hander's outside edge.
There are 7 evenish, fairly straight grains that run through the toe and a few speckles on the face.
Enough waffle about nothing, I'll weight it, measure it and do a 'ping test' video tomorrow. Now for the pictures from when it arrived (yesterday)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160331_183020_zpsvnqf6a2w.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160331_183020_zpsvnqf6a2w.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160331_183025_zpsxcqf5pxk.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160331_183025_zpsxcqf5pxk.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160331_183034_zpsflrxh7wa.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160331_183034_zpsflrxh7wa.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160331_183048_zpsw0fwah93.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160331_183048_zpsw0fwah93.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/IMG-20160331-WA0016_zpseeasskil.jpeg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/IMG-20160331-WA0016_zpseeasskil.jpeg.html)
Bonus picture, I also got some new shoes yesterday
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/IMG-20160331-WA0010_zpsq4mayvbu.jpeg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/IMG-20160331-WA0010_zpsq4mayvbu.jpeg.html)
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Your shoes match your mokka
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Your shoes match your mokka
Both as manly as eachother?
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Not a fan of the shoes cam. Gotta go with adidas hamburg or gazelle ; )
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Wait.........!!! @smilley792 @WalkingWicket37 Are those Fluffy socks you are wearing??
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Both as manly as eachother?
I might not have a manly taste in shoes or cars, still shag birds though... ;)
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Wait.........!!! @smilley792 @WalkingWicket37 Are those Fluffy socks you are wearing??
Possibly but they aren't meant to be, they were once hiking socks but they're now paper thin and bobbly. No holes in them so i refuse to throw them out!
Why buy socks when you can spend the money on cars and bats
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I might not have a manly taste in shoes or cars, still shag birds though... ;)
Isn't that beastiality?
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I might not have a manly taste in shoes or cars, still shag birds though... ;)
It's a bloody good job Bill Oddie hasn't done a bird watching programme in a while if that's the case ;)
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Like that bat a lot!
Love the grains, but for me the bat seems almost loud and proud of the made in Pakistan
Walk out with that bat and wristily smack the ball to all parts.
I'm on me fifth Stella after nets tonight, and getting a bit blurry eyed and strangely aggressive (where's the missus hiding?)
But I'm sure that bat would still be a stunner in the morning :)
Trainers an socks are the dogs danglies too
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One of those stickers says "used and recommended by"
Are you supposed to write your name there?
Or is that where the sharpie was let loose in the olden days?
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Good find!
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Right then, quick update on this. No ping test video yet, but I've had the scales and tape measure out.
A couple if bits I didn't mention in the OP:
This bat has a nice semi oval handle. I was expecting it to be round so this came as a pleasant surprise. It's a 3 spring handle with cork inserts.
Some people say that SH CA bats come up smaller than an English made SH. To see if this was true, I put it in between 2 H4Ls. I picked a Warbird and an NV for this test. Because they are both full size in length, but the Warbird has dropped shoulders being a SBLH, if the CA was smaller it would be clear. It actually has the longest blade of the 3 bats (only by a couple of MM) and is definitely the same overall length.
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160402_154508_zpszb3kq2vi.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160402_154508_zpszb3kq2vi.jpg.html)
And now for the vital stats
Weight in its current state: 2lb6.5 (as pictured, no grip or scuff sheet)
Peak edge size: 28mm
Edges at shoulder: 12mm
Edges at toe: 15mm
Thickest point of toe: 27mm
Spine height: 59mm
Concaving: none
And as it's a CA, who apparently make narrower bats, I measured the width too.
Face width (middle): 107mm
Face width (shoulders): 105mm
Face width (toe): 106mm
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160402_152528_zps3xvitvy1.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160402_152528_zps3xvitvy1.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160402_153516_zpsoo250p47.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160402_153516_zpsoo250p47.jpg.html)
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What are those trainers Cam - I love them!!!!
ps. bats not bad.
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This is a fantastic looking bat @WalkingWicket37
Top bat badgering.
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Ah, back when I started, that is what CA bats looked like. Now they tend to be slightly shorter bladed, but that one is a gem. Never saw a bad CA back then, and they seemed to last longer too!
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My favorite bat of all time, and as you can probably tell from my screen name. I still have mine, and it was actually the CA gold model before this one.
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Nice bat ... Busting all CA myths eh ?
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Right then, still no "ping test" video, but the bat is now ready to be used!
I tried to raise the dents in the face as much as possible, then gave the face a fairly aggressive sand down.
Following this I removed the edge stickers and gave the whole bat a fine sanding round the stickers. After I got the willow to a slightly lighter colour and a nice smooth finish all over I applied a coat of oil. That's all I felt I needed to do to get this bat into a usable state, it was in rather good condition for it's age.
I have just applied half a chevron grip to the bottom half of the handle and a white kookaburra players grip on top. I also put a helicopter scuff sheet on and the bat is good to go. It now weighs a rather nice 2lb9.75 with all that applied :D
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160403_212832_zpsrfxsddwa.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160403_212832_zpsrfxsddwa.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160403_213003_zpspocztxhc.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160403_213003_zpspocztxhc.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160403_213024_zpspg0jnkbh.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160403_213024_zpspg0jnkbh.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160403_213037_zpsjwnremoi.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160403_213037_zpsjwnremoi.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/20160403_212817_zpssqosptmf.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/20160403_212817_zpssqosptmf.jpg.html)
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Needs using now Cam
Lovely that
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Looks Brand New! good clean up!
how does it ping?
all the old bats i have bought done seem to get better after the refurb.
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Here is a quick overview and ping test on the bat, hopefully this answers questions about performance :)
https://youtu.be/BSKfYQB88Nc
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Looks great Cam, nice work
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Nice grip that...
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Here is a quick overview and ping test on the bat, hopefully this answers questions about performance :)
Great Find! looks like it will do some damage to some red leather!