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[smokem]

I would imagine it's good for custom bat makers that they are restricted to wood.

If they could use man made materials then bats would be made by GM, GN, Kook, Nike Reebok.

With wood even the top bat makers are restricted to the quality of the cleft and the skill of the bat maker.

If they could make them out of carbon fibre would brands such as Aldred, H4L, Bulldog etc be able to start up/exist?

I can't see why not. It's just a different skill set. Look at what Ayrtek have done with helmets for example.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Paul, that's very true.  I was talking with a mate during the lunch break during the waca test just gone.  We've both been to atleast 1 day of the perth test ever since we were 5 or 6, we're both 40 now..... the 3 hardest hit shots ive ever seen were struck by; viv, robin smith and andrew symonds.  Interestingly 2 of those were 4's and symonds orthodox off drive (shield match) was fielded by a mid off 2/3 the way to the fence, the fielder then ran off the ground with broken fingers,  serious striker symonds.  So obviously ive seen balls go further, but not as far as I can remember were any actually travelling as fast as the 3 I mention above.

However, what does strike me as evidence of the superiority of the 'modern bat' is that mishits now clear the ropes.  How many times now do you see blokes clear the ropes and when the camera goes back to the batsman, he's inspecting the toe of his bat in disgust!  Also seems some not overly large blokes that dont really hit it that well clear the pickets easily (bailey).

Well I used to be a specialist point fielder and to robin smith you used to drop 10 yards further back. People do clear the boundaries I agree but they always have. I can remember two players that I thought I had done with the slower ball and lulled them into the trap with my men out ready and as I shouted catch it I turned to see it land in the stands Neil smith Warwickshire and Chris cairns New Zealand. At the end of the day they have got enough middle on it to make the difference. If you hit one towards the edge all that happens is that the bat naturally twists in the hand so you don't make the full contact but if it near enough to the main middle area of the bat your grip, swing path and swing speed group together to give the ball the momentum it needs to travel to the boundary. From a coaches point of view you can swing as hard as you want but if your technique isn't there the percentages of hitting the ball a long way are very slim. If your technique is good the percentages of hitting the ball consistently and distance are a lot higher with less effort. Combine this with strength and conditioning you are onto a winner. Why are professionals so good? Because they do the simple things really well and that then allows them to develop and evolve their finer skills.
 I come across many players in league cricket that can hit it miles as far as any county player but can they do it consistently? No they can't as they don't have the basics behind them to do it no matter how big their bat is but they live by the idea that they can hit it a long way, but how often. I can't hit it a long way, but I can hit the boundary and I find it harder to hit further against club bowlers with no pace as you have to hit it. County players use the pace of the ball even the spin bowlers have pace at that level someone like kumble was played like a seamer and in fact he bowled at 70 mph at times. The best make it look easy because of technique and could score runs with boycotts stick of rhubarb the bat is just the icing on the cake which when middles makes it harder for boycotts mum to catch it in her pinnie 

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

I can't see why not. It's just a different skill set. Look at what Ayrtek have done with helmets for example.

I reckon the outlay for the development and machinery for it would blow small companies away. I have seen the research at Loughborough that goes into golf clubs and its millions of pounds. The cost of research is incredible and they employ scientists to to it for them. I am no scientist and I certainly couldn't afford to employ one. Then you would have patents and copyrights of the materials used on top of all that.

[trypewriter]

Well I used to be a specialist point fielder and to robin smith you used to drop 10 yards further back. People do clear the boundaries I agree but they always have. I can remember two players that I thought I had done with the slower ball and lulled them into the trap with my men out ready and as I shouted catch it I turned to see it land in the stands Neil smith Warwickshire and Chris cairns New Zealand. At the end of the day they have got enough middle on it to make the difference. If you hit one towards the edge all that happens is that the bat naturally twists in the hand so you don't make the full contact but if it near enough to the main middle area of the bat your grip, swing path and swing speed group together to give the ball the momentum it needs to travel to the boundary. From a coaches point of view you can swing as hard as you want but if your technique isn't there the percentages of hitting the ball a long way are very slim. If your technique is good the percentages of hitting the ball consistently and distance are a lot higher with less effort. Combine this with strength and conditioning you are onto a winner. Why are professionals so good? Because they do the simple things really well and that then allows them to develop and evolve their finer skills.
 I come across many players in league cricket that can hit it miles as far as any county player but can they do it consistently? No they can't as they don't have the basics behind them to do it no matter how big their bat is but they live by the idea that they can hit it a long way, but how often. I can't hit it a long way, but I can hit the boundary and I find it harder to hit further against club bowlers with no pace as you have to hit it. County players use the pace of the ball even the spin bowlers have pace at that level someone like kumble was played like a seamer and in fact he bowled at 70 mph at times. The best make it look easy because of technique and could score runs with boycotts stick of rhubarb the bat is just the icing on the cake which when middles makes it harder for boycotts mum to catch it in her pinnie 

I remember a work colleague who accidentally got roped into a league game way above his level. He had a torrid time at the crease and told me: 'I was facing a spinner and when he hit me on the pads IT HURT!'

In similar vein some very good club cricketers I knew played in a benefit game with some of your old county guys (before your time) the top five all had a number of centuries to their names and one guy was coming in on the back of a 178 NO. They couldn't put bat to ball and Derbyshire had to bring John Wright on to bowl to give them a chance - and he took a 'fifer'.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Yes i find it difficult when I bowl in league cricket as the majority of batters get the ball to unusual areas compared to what I spent a career getting used to. Also in the league you generally get away with playing with your pad whereas in county cricket if you play with you pad you are given out. In fact umpires in second eleven would tell you down the wicket," we here to use the bat sunshine use your pad and your gone". But then In league cricket they won't give the lbw and then out the blue they will give someone and it will be a howler.
 I always say to people although county cricket is played the same as club cricket it is a totally different game in the way it is executed. People used to get cocky to me and reckon they could have a go at county level because they had seen me off or not got out to me but I always said to them fair enough well played but if it was in county cricket you would have had to see off Devon Malcolm Phillip defreitas dominic cork before I even get chance to bowl. That brings a whole new outlook to it the game it's not just one decent bowler in the team.

[awp]

Paul, I meant to ask earlier in this thread, can you say why the clefts in the op are handled at the ends that they are? Given the butterfly is a cosmetic issue only, wouldn't putting the handle at the other end have minimised the visual impact of the stain on the playing face of the bats? Interested to know.

[smokem]

Paul, I meant to ask earlier in this thread, can you say why the clefts in the op are handled at the ends that they are? Given the butterfly is a cosmetic issue only, wouldn't putting the handle at the other end have minimised the visual impact of the stain on the playing face of the bats? Interested to know.

I believe areas with the butterfly stains are meant to be harder and the ball flies off it.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Yes the stain does tend to be a little harder also you are governed or I certainly am the way I do it by the way the grain runs through the toe of the bat.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Yes i find it difficult when I bowl in league cricket as the majority of batters get the ball to unusual areas compared to what I spent a career getting used to. Also in the league you generally get away with playing with your pad whereas in county cricket if you play with you pad you are given out. In fact umpires in second eleven would tell you down the wicket," we here to use the bat sunshine use your pad and your gone". But then In league cricket they won't give the lbw and then out the blue they will give someone and it will be a howler.
 I always say to people although county cricket is played the same as club cricket it is a totally different game in the way it is executed. People used to get cocky to me and reckon they could have a go at county level because they had seen me off or not got out to me but I always said to them fair enough well played but if it was in county cricket you would have had to see off Devon Malcolm Phillip defreitas dominic cork before I even get chance to bowl. That brings a whole new outlook to it the game it's not just one decent bowler in the team.

The player most effective in a club match will not always be the one best suited to stepping up a level.

[GarrettJ]

Yes the stain does tend to be a little harder also you are governed or I certainly am the way I do it by the way the grain runs through the toe of the bat.

the straighter it runs through the toe the less likely it is to split along a grain than if the grain goes off at angle?

[mo_town]

The player most effective in a club match will not always be the one best suited to stepping up a level.

So True...there are lot of bullies at the club level who fail to perform when they are made to go up a level.

[Bats_Entertainment]

boycotts stick of rhubarb

Actually a 2lb 6. Never more than 6 grains. Never oiled. I know, he said.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Actually a 2lb 6. Never more than 6 grains. Never oiled. I know, he said.

It gave him "good techniiiiiiiqqueee"

[ProCricketer1982]

So True...there are lot of bullies at the club level who fail to perform when they are made to go up a level.

There are also a lot of 'good technique' players who look good but also fail to live upto it but still get a gig as they 'look the part'.. as well as can't hack it when they move up. It's all a balance, if it weren't you would have every member of the test squad looking and playing the same. some ugly players might well play far better at a higher level than lower because the ball comes on more, wickets are better etc etc.

[smilley792]

The player most effective in a club match will not always be the one best suited to stepping up a level.

Say that to the Adelaide strikers bowlers, as they watched a clubbie smash 101 of 39 balls against them today,