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[100 not out]

technically batsmen are poorer now than in the good old days. that is if you think the mcc coaching manual is corret.

[tim2000s]

As someone who up until relatively recently I was in the big heavy bat camp. In the last two years I've got lighter and lighter. My instinct is 2 lb 9.5. I find it easier to brandish than most I've used previously and I'm timing better at the lighter weight. Just an observation, but I think you are right.

[Number4]

Thats fair enough and as I said in the first post, if a heavy bat works best for you, so be it. I'm thinking more about those of us who might benefit from loosing a couple of ounces to see the results.

I went to a lighter bat for the reasons you mentioned. I was facing faster bowlers and was hoping the lighter bat would help with bat speed etc etc. Don't know why but it didn't help my game at all

[19reading87]

My 2.7 was flying today

[procricket]

Agree with the op i have always used under 2lb 10oz and through my twentys playing on better wickets went to around 2lb 6oz

My main worry is then juniors as to many of them use bloody heavier bats than me and wonder why there late and play with just there bottom hand..

[PedalsMcgrew]

Forgive what may well be a daft question but is it fair to say that a lighter bat is a less powerful bat?

I equate weight with power so I use a 2' 12 in the belief that I hit the ball further. Thinking about it, if I used a 2' 7 - 2' 8 my bat speed may well be higher but, if a heavier bat is a more powerful one, would the increase in bat speed of a lighter bat make up for the difference?

[lazza32]

I have noticed the poms on this forum tend to use 2.10 plus where as here in oz we usually max out at 2.9, are the pitches that low and slow in england?

[Johng]

In high grade cricket in Aus it is rare to find anyone batting above 2.10 as the surface is a lot harder than in England so the ball tends to bounce and come on a lot more so a higher bat speed is required. A lot of our visiting UK players tend to have to go down in weight as more often than not they find their bat to be a little to heavy for Aus condition.

[tim2000s]

I think it is fair to say that most club pitches, even good ones, are generally not terribly hard and bouncy.

 having said that, momentum is equally proportional to velocity and mass, and that the force required to change momentum is limited by strength, a lighter bat will allow greater acceleration for a given force and therefore create greater momentum. All Newtonian.

You have one way to hit further - increase your strength, as that's the only way you are going to increase the force available to accelerate the bat.

[jimba101]

I have always used around the 2.10-11 mark, i cant physically pick up anything heavier than that lol I ordered my newest bat 2.8-9 and i cant feel much difference if i'm honest. I would say at club level, theres probably alot of people under misconception that if you have a huge 3lb 2oz bat your gonna hit loads of sixes because its more powerful, when actually for most people a bat that heavy is probably gonna effect there range of shots and timing too.

[Simmy]

I am often early on shots when using a lighter bat 2.12 seems to be perfect for me

[PedalsMcgrew]

I think it is fair to say that most club pitches, even good ones, are generally not terribly hard and bouncy.

 having said that, momentum is equally proportional to velocity and mass, and that the force required to change momentum is limited by strength, a lighter bat will allow greater acceleration for a given force and therefore create greater momentum. All Newtonian.

You have one way to hit further - increase your strength, as that's the only way you are going to increase the force available to accelerate the bat.

Surely if you are striking the ball with an object that has more mass then more power is transferred to the ball? ie if I drive into the back of a range rover on my 'blade at 30 mph then I will probably dent it a bit (and die) but if I drive into the back of the range rover in my car at 30 mph then I will probably push it forward a few feet?

I'm confused!

If bat weight really doesn't make any difference at all to shot power then I think I might have to buy something light.....which is as good a reason as any to buy another bat!

[Buzz]

I think we are forgetting that Acceleration = Mass x velocity - which is why having a heavier bat can increase the acceleration of your swing speed thus mean you can hit the ball further - but you need to have worked on your guns... to keep the velocity high.

or something.

where is someone who knows what you are talking about when you need them

[tim2000s]

Force = Mass x Acceleration, or f=ma. a = (v-u)/t, therefore, f=m(v-u)/t, f=rate of change of momentum.

If f is a constant i.e. you can't give your muscles additional strength in a short period of time to increase the force they supply, then u=0; At the top of the backlift there is no velocity. As m increases, v must therefore decrease and vice versa for a given f. Bear in mind that g (gravity) will also help accelerate.

To this end, the only way to increase v for a given m is by increasing f, or in other words, increasing your strength.

Surely if you are striking the ball with an object that has more mass then more power is transferred to the ball? ie if I drive into the back of a range rover on my 'blade at 30 mph then I will probably dent it a bit (and die) but if I drive into the back of the range rover in my car at 30 mph then I will probably push it forward a few feet?

I'm confused!

If bat weight really doesn't make any difference at all to shot power then I think I might have to buy something light.....which is as good a reason as any to buy another bat!

Yes, this is true, but what you are looking for is force. In both these cases, the acceleration, a is huge, and the bike has a lower mass so therefore exerts much less force on the car in front.

Equally, the force required for the bike to accelerate up to 30mph is much lower because the bike has a lower mass, so your 'blade does 0-60 with an engine producing 120 hp in 3 secs, whereas your car with an engine producing 150 hp takes 8 seconds because it has only 1.25 times the force to apply and weighs more than twice as much...

[rp27]

mass x velocity is momentum, not acceleration