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Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: justnotcricket86 on December 19, 2010, 09:44:51 PM

Title: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: justnotcricket86 on December 19, 2010, 09:44:51 PM
Would then like to label it as kook...

Could anyone shed some light? Chap at my club has asked me and thought I would ask!

Cheers
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: yvk3103 on December 19, 2010, 09:47:59 PM
Ask him to join this forum.......

there are more pro bats knocking around on this forum than in the professional circuit ;)

As him to make a trip to some real podshavers and see if they have some rejects and convince them to sell him one - £££ will be high though

On a serous note - Why does everyone want a Pros bat? - Quality? Performance?? Hype??? at the end one needs talent and skill to put it to as good a use as the Pro would have........Just a thought
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: tim2000s on December 19, 2010, 09:56:54 PM
Ask him to join this forum.......

there are more pro bats knocking around on this forum than in the professional circuit ;)

As him to make a trip to some real podshavers and see if they have some rejects and convince them to sell him one - £££ will be high though

On a serous note - Why does everyone want a Pros bat? - Quality? Performance?? Hype??? at the end one needs talent and skill to put it to as good a use as the Pro would have........Just a thought
To be honest, kudos, the knowledge that the piece of wood in your hand has been made for the best so should in theory perform as the best would expect, and it also helps you to be confident in what you are doing.  It's mostly psychological.
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: jonpinson on December 19, 2010, 09:59:03 PM
Depends what you mean by pro bat. If you mean a bat that has been specifically made for or assigned to a pro, I know Talisman can get these.

If you mean a 'pro quality' bat, well just about any maker can help you there, including your Mr Pack.

Don't fall into the trap that a pro bat will be massively better than anything else. It usually just means low density willow, which will perform well but not have a long life.
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: justnotcricket86 on December 19, 2010, 09:59:46 PM
It's not for me mate, I have given him the website for this so hoping he gets involved.

I have never looked for a pro bat before, I don't see the point. What's good for KP may not be good for me (if you know what I mean) Plus, they are not exactly made with longevity in mind...

I have passed him Rob Pack's number already, he will get a gem from there
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: jonpinson on December 19, 2010, 10:02:20 PM
It's not for me mate, I have given him the website for this so hoping he gets involved.

I have never looked for a pro bat before, I don't see the point. What's good for KP may not be good for me (if you know what I mean) Plus, they are not exactly made with longevity in mind...

I have passed him Rob Pack's number already, he will get a gem from there

Yeah I was speaking as I assumed you would be acting on you friend's behalf :)
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: Ayrtek Cricket on December 19, 2010, 10:02:26 PM
The bat that we gave to the lad at glos is the same as the bat I would sell to any member of the forum....I would like to think everyone gets treated evenly when it comes to kit, our pro helmets are the same as those you buy and the 3 England lads we issued lids too were standard blue helmets!

Tell him to buy any decent bat and buy some kook stickers if he's that way inclined, any bat maker on here could sort him out with something better than what he could buy off the shelf at your local cricket shop i would like to think....
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: justnotcricket86 on December 19, 2010, 10:06:31 PM
I have advised him that he should seek out someone like Rob, Nick @ M&H (the two guys I am familiar with anyway) although SAF, Redback etc etc are well worth a look.

If I'm honest, I was interested in how you get a pro bat as well! Not something I have much knowledge in, you learn something new every day!
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: yvk3103 on December 19, 2010, 10:09:23 PM
The easy bit:
Just ask your mate to walk into a shop and shortlist bats on their pick-up. Once he is through with this, as him to start tapping the bats with the ballet and get tp 4-5 bats that he feels are the best of the lot.

The tough bit:
From 4-5 bats shortlisted pick the one up that has the best feel/pick-up and fits his budget.

Personally, this is what I do. It pays to have a good rapport with the staff in the shop. I highly repect the guys at Barrington Sports as they allow me to take my time, get bat after bat from their warehouse and on a coupel of occassions even stayed beyond their noral business hours.

Best to try this out at the sports shop you/your friend vist more frequently as the people there will recognise you and be more helpful. (They remeber the faces not the purchases!!!)
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: yvk3103 on December 19, 2010, 10:12:00 PM
I have advised him that he should seek out someone like Rob, Nick @ M&H (the two guys I am familiar with anyway) although SAF, Redback etc etc are well worth a look.

If I'm honest, I was interested in how you get a pro bat as well! Not something I have much knowledge in, you learn something new every day!

Good shout. Both Rob and Nick are very good. Look no further.



Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: Ayrtek Cricket on December 19, 2010, 10:13:29 PM
The easy bit:
Just ask your mate to walk into a shop and shortlist bats on their pick-up. Once he is through with this, as him to start tapping the bats with the ballet and get tp 4-5 bats that he feels are the best of the lot.

The tough bit:
From 4-5 bats shortlisted pick the one up that has the best feel/pick-up and fits his budget.

Personally, this is what I do. It pays to have a good rapport with the staff in the shop. I highly repect the guys at Barrington Sports as they allow me to take my time, get bat after bat from their warehouse and on a coupel of occassions even stayed beyond their noral business hours.

Best to try this out at the sports shop you/your friend vist more frequently as the people there will recognise you and be more helpful. (They remeber the faces not the purchases!!!)

this has no baring on as to how he would get hold of a Pro bat ???
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: procricket on December 19, 2010, 10:14:08 PM
Depends what you mean by pro bat. If you mean a bat that has been specifically made for or assigned to a pro, I know Talisman can get these.

If you mean a 'pro quality' bat, well just about any maker can help you there, including your Mr Pack.

Don't fall into the trap that a pro bat will be massively better than anything else. It usually just means low density willow, which will perform well but not have a long life.

Good point there most so called bats are based more on pick up and lightness of the cleft more than performance or looks.

Remember facing a moving sphere at 80mph plus most planks have a middle and would find the boundary..

There is no such thing as a Pro Bat per say there low density clefts,,quality performance clefts,,and good looking clefts. Ian Bell is a big bat man who demands all 3 apparently

Most of the proffesionals i have meet and know do not care so much for grains and looks as long as it pick up well and has the wood in the right area...

Remember nobody can go to JS Wrights and just order top clefts or all grade 1 they have to buy a order of all grades unless there a middle man
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: yvk3103 on December 19, 2010, 10:17:50 PM
this has no baring on as to how he would get hold of a Pro bat ???

Yes, but I was more focusing on him getting the right bat rather than getting over-charged for a pro or so called pro bat to realize it is not the right bat......
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: johan95 on December 19, 2010, 10:21:57 PM
The point being made is that pro bats aren't really worth it, as they won't last as long. Easier would be to ask any batmaker on here to make a bat to his specs, and then see what comes out of it. Though if he's heart set on a pro bat, we've already identified who you should be contacting!
 :)
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: Tom on December 19, 2010, 11:58:22 PM
Theres an amazing amount of pro bats on here - I wouldn't trust any of them unless there's some good proof of it. There was apparently a 'Andrew Symonds' bat floating around here made recently by an English bat maker. Believable - but Symonds has not used an English made bat for the past 2 years. Doesn't stop such claims being made though,

The best place to get a real pro bat is out of their bag and believe me lots of them do get rid/sell them.

I can get my hands on 1/2 a season but the reality is unless its a top top pro they're not really any better than the cream of the shop bats.
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: Cover_Drive on December 20, 2010, 12:59:22 AM
Try to get of a person who is with the national team or knows the players very well! :D:D
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: SkipperJ on December 20, 2010, 01:19:17 AM
...On a serous note - Why does everyone want a Pros bat? - Quality? Performance?? Hype??? at the end one needs talent and skill to put it to as good a use as the Pro would have........Just a thought

Because, assuming your skill/talent level has matured/plateaud and is not gonna change much, one of the few ways to improve your game is through "better" equipment.

Many batsmen (non-pros who don't have a platter of bats to choose from) will tell you that they played better with their favorite "gun" bat and wish they could have it back. OTH you will also have people saying stuff like "if only I had this bat back when..."
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: ianbuchanan on December 20, 2010, 01:19:47 AM
I'm still waiting for my Mum's business partner to get me hold of one of Ian Blackwell's old sticks, they are like best buddies at the moment!
Title: Re: Best way to get hold of a pro bat
Post by: steelcouch on December 20, 2010, 06:50:59 AM
I thought Symonds was with Monggose for a bit-Would some or all of the bats used then have been made in England, or were they all stickered Aussie GNs?

Also i dont think anyone did say Pro bats werent worth it.
If we were not interested in gaining something from bats and equipment why are we all on here?

The best wood tends to go to the pros ad if you can find something that suits your style then it can give you that edge, both with better kit and mentally.

Would it be better than a good custom?? who knows

Good luck in your search and remember not everything that glitters is gold