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[WillyorWonty]

Big edge plus big middle with no concaving, but what would be a big middle?

If the edge was 40mm+ what would you look for in middle size?

[cleanbowled]

Big edge plus big middle with no concaving, but what would be a big middle?

If the edge was 40mm+ what would you look for in middle size?

60mm would me the absolute minimum for me, more like 65 and up preferably at the peak of the spine.  I go over 3lb though so 70mm or more is what I would like at that weight.

Going back to the topic, isn't the point that big edges on a bat widen or broaden the sweet spot, or to phrase it another way, there is a better chance of you hitting balls hard even if you don't hit the middle perfectly, ie they are much more forgiving which is why you see plenty of sixes from shots that are not quite off the middle. Hope that made sense. And like others have said it also helps give many people more confidence (and perhaps undermines the opposing bowler's confidence to some extent when he sees a huge bat vs the older bats say a decade ago)

[brokenbat]

I like using bigger bats, BUT I honestly don't think it matters. Case in point - the scoop! Nobody ever complained about that bat having less punch, yet it has a big hole in the back!

[tim2000s]

60mm would me the absolute minimum for me, more like 65 and up preferably at the peak of the spine.  I go over 3lb though so 70mm or more is what I would like at that weight.

Going back to the topic, isn't the point that big edges on a bat widen or broaden the sweet spot, or to phrase it another way, there is a better chance of you hitting balls hard even if you don't hit the middle perfectly, ie they are much more forgiving which is why you see plenty of sixes from shots that are not quite off the middle. Hope that made sense. And like others have said it also helps give many people more confidence (and perhaps undermines the opposing bowler's confidence to some extent when he sees a huge bat vs the older bats say a decade ago)

It's such a batsman thing to say that a bowler is bothered about the size of a batsman's bat.

We aren't. Generally, we don't notice. What we care about is the position that you get into when we bowl our first ball at you as we are trying to assess how to bowl at you if we don't know you.

Sorry to ruin your illusions. It's purely about how a batsman thinks about his wood...

[cleanbowled]

No illusions on my part Tim, I did say perhaps. It probably has no effect, but if there were to be some effect I would argue that today's bats were more likely to do so then yesteryears. Have bowled a bit (though only part time in more recent times) so I understand your point perfectly as well.

[Gingerbusiness]

As a bowler, I like edges.

The bigger your edge, the greater my chances