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[skippy]

Whats you ideal grains on a cricket bat?
I like all sapwood, ruler straight. About 10-18 grains would do me nicely!

These are my fav grains, recently seen on another forum...


Anyone else seen any nice grains? 

[Andy]

I could do with these grains thank you!



This is probably the ideal face for me

[Howzat]

Looking good, like the pads aswell!

[Arthur]

Yeah I agree, nice and straight, all sapwood, around 10-14 I prefer though, don't like my face too "crowded", i.e. not a fan of the 20 grain Asian bats that are half heartwood. Also don't like huge edges, prefer a simple profile.
Agreed Andy, that willow looks sweet.

[Mr Cricket]

absolutely dead straight all the way down evenly spaced at about 1cm with no heartwood. However, they are reserved for the pros by most companies

[niceonechoppy]

Straight grains, 9-12, Evenly spaced, half heartwood. Nice profile, job done.

[yvk3103]

I prefer:

8-12 grains (some heartwood is fine). Though have had bats with 16-18 grains also, but the performance was better on the 8-12 grain bats (at least for a longer time). The 16+ grain bats played well from start but did not perform very well over a period of time.

Has a BAS with half heartwood this season and it was amazing. Played really very well, but broke fron the shoulder towards the end of the season. However, cannot complaint as it got me over 600 runs

[19reading87]

I prefer:

8-12 grains (some heartwood is fine). Though have had bats with 16-18 grains also, but the performance was better on the 8-12 grain bats (at least for a longer time). The 16+ grain bats played well from start but did not perform very well over a period of time.






Has a BAS with half heartwood this season and it was amazing. Played really very well, but broke fron the shoulder towards the end of the season. However, cannot complaint as it got me over 600 runs

How many grains did the BAS have mate???

[yvk3103]

How many grains did the BAS have mate???

One correction, the BAS with heartwood did not last due to the crack appearing in the shoulder. The other BAS I got (with 12 grains) was the one I used for most of the season. So bot the BAS put together got me approx 600+ runs. The 12 grainer has played really well butt he grains have opned up and I think it will be more of a net bat this season.

All the BAS that I have had were with 9-14 grains. But the Blasters with 9 brains were the best.

[Apple]

All I care about is evenly spaced and nice a clean.

[Chris1976]

I want 7-10 grains ....lots of arguements about whats best etc etc but for me this would personally be ideal.
I would want it in at least Grade 1 but SuperBest gorgeous looking straight grains etc would look amazing.
Its quite nice to be in a position now where I can take my pick of bats that we make, although last season I picked out a grade 2 because it happend to pick up well and had a gorgeous ping to it.... plus not many people ask for lower grades so I thought I'd use it or it might sit unsold.

[SillyShilly]

"At least Grade 1".......i didnt know it got better than that? I bet the grade 2 performs just as well as any of you grade 1 and aboves.

[Chris1976]

I just pinched this online as a guide for you... SuperBest would be Grade 1 plus... I know it can be misleading.

Grade 1 plus - G1+.... the very best of English willow, often reserved for the manufacturers own Pro Players and utilised in such bats described as Limited Edition, Ultimate, SPS or Pro-Performance. Unbleached with straight even grains and absolute minimal marking or discolouration in the face.
Grade 1 - G1 .... top quality English Willow, used in such bats described as Pro, Original, Titanium, Premier or Players. Good straight grain structure and unbleached with minimal marking or discolouration in the face.
Grade 2 - G2 ... Unbleached English Willow with some irregular grain patterning and some minor blemishes and possible reddening in the blade.
Grade 3 - G3 ..... Usually unbleached English Willow with irregular grain pattern and some marking and discolouration in the blade.
Grade 4 - G4 ... English Willow usually bleached and often non oil with a covering to the face of the bat.

[SillyShilly]

Thankyou, but having graded several thousand clefts myself i have a vague idea of how the clefts are graded - i know grading of willow is subjective and companies will often upgrade 3's to 2's and 2's to 1's - It just annoys me when i see people talk about superbest grade 1 +++ blah blah blah - very often the light clefts which are reserved for the pro's are not grade 1 cosmetically.

[Tom]

"At least Grade 1".......i didnt know it got better than that? I bet the grade 2 performs just as well as any of you grade 1 and aboves.

Have you spoken to the Watlings at Anglian?