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[100 not out]

I often have some very weird thoughts. . . here is my latest one.

We often here that certain brands grade bats on performance. From what i've seen this generally means whacking the bat with a wooden mallet to see the response. i bought a mongoose mmi3 yesterday it was a custom one.. . .(one up from bottom of the range). . .before buying i tested out a few of these bats including  higher priced ones. i tested out the response with a quality readers ball and bought the best one i thought, even though it was cheaper than the others. When i got home and used my wooden mallet it felt quite a bit less responsive than it did with ball.. My question is that, is whacking with a mallet ( hard wood) a good way of measuring performance. Or should it be done by knocking up a few balls. after all we will using balls and not mallets. i'd be interested to here your thoughts.

[Beachcricket]

I agree that the mallet can be deceptive, you compare so many bats in a shop and there is essentially very little "scientific control". I've had bats that are belters in the shop and then have turned to planks under a mallet.
I have started taking my own hockey ball to the shop so there is greater consistency, I can therefore make a fairer comparison.

[Talisman]

Tapping a ball up in a shop will give you feel, but hitting with a mallet will give far more as it is closer to the strength of a shot.

[Howzat]

I think someone said once if your tapping with a ball you might subconciously hit harder with the bat you like the best

[will5210]

Does anyone have any mallet testing tips, because I think i'm a bit crap at it!

How hard do you hit? Do you use a hardwood mallet or the type with the ball on the end?
I suppose the sound comes into it as well?

All my bats feel more or less the same to me really, though the Joker feels a little better than the others. Although, like Leo said, it could be because its my new favorite!

[armie]

I would generally tap the mallet very softly to avoid indentations while testing a bat. It gives some idea of the stroke as well as which areas are more likely to play better. If you hit the mallet hard on the bat, it would not always be a good measure, in my opinion. I have an absolute belter that i am using these days but gives a really poor response to the wooden mallet. So it is certainly not definitive that the mallet would give you the exact picture. Bat Makers obviously have all the knowledge in the world and know how to spot one  that should play better then other similar looking bats and are the best place for such an advice.

[Beachcricket]

What mallet does Julian Millichamp use? It looks like a Thor Super plastic mallet.

[procricket]

i find the old nail test many of the asian players use is a good way of finding out how good a bats is

[will5210]

i find the old nail test many of the asian players use is a good way of finding out how good a bats is

The aisan guys at our club do that. I asked him what he's listening for, and he said it should sound like a ping pong ball bouncing.

My nails don't seem suitable when I do it though - I must not have the knack for it! lol

[Talisman]

i find the old nail test many of the asian players use is a good way of finding out how good a bats is

What does it show, what are the results you look for? I find it stupid but have had people amaze me by picking out a belter just by doing it.

I would get a mallet with a broad flat face, like the M&H or Puma mallets, they can hit the face firmly and give a good response. I look for frequency from the tapping, the rebound from the face and the vibration in the handle. You should make sure that the bat feels good all over with a little vibration as possible. Use your old bats to start with to get a measure of what you like and what you wish to avoid.

[procricket]

it is without doubt finding your grading technique and sticking to it i say .

funny though last time i was in england when i went to one of the biggest cricket retailers up north my mate wanted to buy a bat from the shop his test of a bat is which stickers are on it ie 2000 or say 3000.

i just looked at him and said "what" he then did as was asked and the 320 pound plank he just got without even picking it up?


i have tried the bat since and to be fair it is a good one but goes to show the truth no bat is the same and it a bit of a gamble no matter what you know and depends on what you want a long life average bat or a one minute wonder.