I currently use a Spyder bat which is frankly outstanding and i scored heaps of runs last season with it, mainly in the air. The response of the wood is brilliant and more than you'll need. any shot that is more than a defensive shot rockets to the boundary and aerially will clear the ropes when hit pretty much anywhere on the bat.
http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j468/mabbutt74/IMG_1030.jpgWhat is also incredibly reassuring is the service you get from Gary, who is clearly both very knowledgeable and also very well connected in the world of bats meaning he gets his hands on a very rich source of good willow. He has supplied some of the greats both bats and equipment over recent years.
He knows they type of bats i am after and looks out for exceptional examples at that spec. Some of you might have seen a recent sale of some pretty nice and interesting lighter bats i did which included a Strauss bats, a Dutch player's RNS and a 16 grain blank and wont be surprised that i look for balanced lighter bats which have highly responsive wood shaped in the hitting zone and less in the toes and the shoulders. I'm not fixated on 10 dead straight grains with no heartwood etc, but i do like a bat to have more than 6 and ideally pronounced grains.
These Spyder Bats are as good as anything i have played with and are really well made. What is clear is that the batmaker knows how to get the most out of the cleft rather than simply replicating a particular current trend. The press on the bat is a good, they go from the off, but also open up into something quite spectacular and you can feel and hear off the mallet that response and resonance of the bat is just right.
To be honest there is not that much of "my" type of wood about and if there is it is often made into something bigger for today's trends.
So , when he contacted to say he had something that fitted the bill then i jumped on it.
It weighs in about 2lb 8.8 overall weight and picks up a bit lighter than that on the back lift. What i especially like about these bats is that when it comes through from the back lift it has a smooth assurance, if that makes sense that is sometimes lacking on very light bats. Perfect for me, light in pick up and overall weight but with the assurance of almost 2lb 9 coming through smoothly.
http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j468/mabbutt74/IMG_1029.jpgEdges are 40 mm at largest
spine is 55 mm
http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j468/mabbutt74/IMG_1027.jpgNine 1/2 almost dead straight grains running through it
3 are heartwood which will be be on my inside edge as a left hander
Profile is said to "very similar" to the Kholi profile. ( i just hope it makes me play like him )
And this one is possibly a tiny bit smaller in the toe and very fractionally bigger in the edge and the spine than my other one.
http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j468/mabbutt74/IMG_1028_1.jpgReally happy with it!
Ordered it and it arrived the next day with extra grips,a protective face and a sticker sheet for me to apply, as i am incredibly fussy about extra weight.
the stickers/ brand of Spyder bats has improved over time and they are in fact much nicer in the flesh.
Price, and it feels like i get a special deal although i just think they are well priced.
This one cost me £200 and is WAY WAY better than most things twice the price big brands offer.
I would say these are as good as anything out there on the market, ( and I live in Sussex and have both held and owned some very good bats indeed)
I would say that they are the best value i have come across and when you add to this the fantastic customer service from someone i implicitly trust in all things cricket kit makes Spyder bats and absolutely cracking and enjoyable buy.
I also got my son a feather weight size one cricket bat which i think retails for £10. SO much better than those dogs you get at other sports shops, if you can find anything that small and at a third of the price.
If you enjoy buying great bats then a Spyder bat is one for the bucket list.
http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j468/mabbutt74/IMG_1031.jpgOne happy man!
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Topic: Another Fantastic Spyder Bat (Read 4455 times)