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[petehosk]

* But I strongly disagree with the 'ping is more important at a lower level' statement.

Didn't make it clear! What I was trying to say is that most people at non-pro level tend to see what the response is like and the feel and pickup is secondary.
I personally try to go by feel and pickup knowing that majority of bats I get tend to perform anyway. Although I am by no means a quality player, especially on current form 
But if you had of asked me a few years ago, and if you would ask a number of players, then they would be prepared to play with a bat which is a couple of ounces heavier than they would normally use in order to have a canon of a bat! Whereas the pro players would not sacrifice that feel!

[Northern monkey]

Pros are only gonna get a choice of the best willow in the batmakers eyes.
You'd be stupid to hand a brand ambassador a plank

Look at some of the bats on TV , not only do they perform well, but most look stunning too
My lad played cricket with Tom Bruce over the winter, and he's sponsored by kooks,,but he 'paid' an Indian supplier to make him three bats which he then stickered up
My son said the Indian bats were unreal,,picked up like a feather and pinged the length of the blade.

[Yorkershire]

a choice of the best willow in the batmakers eyes

This. I'm sure pro bats are great but their skill level is a multiple levels above ours. Also how does the batmaker rate a bat? Didn't Millichamp claim bats with 7-9 (or similar) grains perform the best? Saw the recent pics of Younis Khans' bat and there were less than 10 grains.

Yet we see people claim 'Pro Bat' on cosmetics...

[Kulli]

When it comes to looks Pro's will get what they want for the most cases I presume, whether that's better or not is no different to those of us who swear by 7/10/150 grains, heartwood, osv.

[Johnny]

I've netted with a NZ international bat before. Yes, it was bloody good, but it wasn't magically better than any other bat I've had, either custom made, or off the shelf. I guess the pros get to reject the planks (whereas in my experience, an amateur would plod along for a bit hoping it 'opens up'), but I don't think the pick of the pro bats will be better than the pick of what is mere mortals are able to get hold of.

[Coach]

As stated in your initial post even within international teams guys swap, share & get jealous of each others bats. Some of the bats in that arena are truely a phenomenal, others are good but not as magical as you would expect. As Symonds said the bowlers tend not to get the best of the best but still better than anything shop sold.

[InternalTraining]

As stated in your initial post even within international al teams guys swap, share & get jealous of each others bats. Some of the bats in that arena are truely a phenomenal, others are good but not as magical as you would expect. As Symonds said the bowlers tend not to get the best of the best but still better than anything shop sold.

It is sad that as a forum we don't have that level of access to such bats. We are a minority group that hasn't broken thru that "glass cieling". We are Hillary Clintons of the bat world.

[procricket]

I've heard stories of pros scoring thousands of runs with Grade 2s and 3s bought from sports shops. I'm sure Dave will back me up on this.

very very true.

let you bat lose moisture and watch the seem mark come back

soft pressed my (No Swearing Please).

[procricket]

its all in the mind

doesn't stop us getting or lusting

[t2ylo]

Slightly off topic but my old coach was David Houghton once borrowed my fairly inexpensive Kookaburra for practice & a net and gave it back with a big smile & told me it was a cracker
He might just have been being nice but I reckon the pros scream most things out of the middle & it's more about feel for them.

[procricket]

it all about feel and pick up to them they tend to trust and if there a bit duff we end up with them

[Alvaro]

I've heard stories of pros scoring thousands of runs with Grade 2s and 3s bought from sports shops. I'm sure Dave will back me up on this.

Like Shane Watson and his Flare 303?