Print

[Sitonit]

Ricking Ponting was batting and the camera was focused on his bat ...
Ian Healy commentating with Adam Gilchrist goes: 'These international players get their bats made with the willow that no one else sees'.

This clearly tells us that "THAT" willow is not available to us. I guess no matter how vigorously one claims that there bat is made of specially hand selected super best of the best of G1 ++++++++ English Willow, it doesn't hold the full truth. Not really.

[Alvaro]

or healy is spouting rubbish, which isn't unheard of ...

[Jamieh]

Who's to say the bat maker didn't give the same line to ponting/healy when they arrived to get a bat made... "oh yes Ian, this willow has been set aside just for you, honest!"

Having said that, think it would be pretty fair to say that bat makers would put aside the best bits for the cash cows/sponsored pro's. Think it would make sense for them to have a "reserve bin" the best pieces go in for any sponsored/top pro's as they'd want the best bats in the hands of the best players.

Is all just salesmanship!

[leeroy_acko]

Healy is pretty well versed in the stash market though, he often comments on what players are using, and also has a stake in GCCC.

[Talisman]

Maybe the bat design itself rather than the willow is unavailable, maybe something you might need to keep quiet about?

[SAF Bats]

Talisman I think he stated willow not bat design... I know you may have been confused as you make available all the best willow to your favourite customer ;-)

[Talisman]

Ian Healy may have got in trouble for stating the truth!

[Watsontotty]

Its pretty simple the willow which is used for most pros bats ain't available to the common person ! so what Healy said isnt anything new but is something which is not spoken about a lot.

[aaron]

or maybe your just thinking into this way too deeply? and he mearly said it because it was a absolute tank he was using?