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[procricket]

Ok what would people say if I told you there a natural middle on a cricket bat and it isn't where the most meat on a bat is as some think.

Agree about the soft pressed load of tosh mate

[Northern monkey]

Yup agree totally
Would you say the middle varies in response?
I'm not saying with extra meat behind it

[sloggerroz]

I think most people know where they like their middle ie low, mid or high so i suppose it comes down to the mallet/ball test for rebound and how dense the wood is because a lot of people these days want a biggest bat which still feels light enough to cut and pull with.

[procricket]

Of course some bits of wood are potentially better than others no matter what pressing is done by there very degrees it a natural product.

All swings and roundabouts is the swing speed to size of meat behind the power zone

[Northern monkey]

Yeah, low middle or high, not convinced about all that?

My mates recently purchased bat had at least 7 inch of serious middle on it, ball response off it was unreal
A decent piece of willow is a decent piece of willow

[GarrettJ]

I think batmakers should press the life out of the bottom inch of a bat so it's like concrete to stop it splitting

I think maybe the fact that on  a machine a bat is pressed quickly and with so much force that you get a better bat if it's softer and made firm enough for use in match by by a round mallet, the pressing isn't as deep.

I also think a lot of people don't knock their bats in long or hard enough. I see people with new bats and 99% aren't fully knocked in. When I tell them they say yes it is. I go to my bag, get out my round mallet, hit it with 75% force and sure enough there is a dint in the face. Most are astonished as they spent hours using a flat mallet. Start with the flat until you are blasting it full pelt, then go 50% with the round mallet and work up the strength.

Completely my own thoughts so I could be talking rubbish again.

[GarrettJ]

The bat 2nd from the right, a middle from just under the sticker to 1 inch above the toe. It's 75mm spine and lighter than a 2.8 I have. It's 2.10 but the balance is amazing.

The key to this bat is the handle, it feels like it was just made for my hands. I think the handle is not considered enough by people when buying a bat.

[Northern monkey]

I agree totally on the handle, ,very important to pick up, and also shot playing
I think the whole extra grip to stop a dominant bottom hand thing is stupid
I'm sure others may disagree on that tho

[procricket]

here you go mate..

[procricket]

Handle is very important until recently i removed the bind off the top half of the handle till i was shown a more scientific measure and it felt better to me agree John.

[GarrettJ]

I bet not many people on here can state the dimensions of their preferred handle. If you ask the top batsmen in the world they will all be able to tell you.

For me 12cm circumference top hand and 13cm bottom and I plonk on a thin grip and a gm shock absorba to get a nice thick spongy feel to the bottom hand. I have been told the top hand on my bat is not round but very slightly oval !?!?

[GarrettJ]

Cheers for posting the pic

The bat has edges of only 20mm .... It's smashed now but I'll bring to a net so you can have a feel of it Dave

[WalkingWicket37]

I bet not many people on here can state the dimensions of their preferred handle. If you ask the top batsmen in the world they will all be able to tell you.

For me 12cm circumference top hand and 13cm bottom and I plonk on a thin grip and a gm shock absorba to get a nice thick spongy feel to the bottom hand. I have been told the top hand on my bat is not round but very slightly oval !?!?

I'm not convinced I know what mine even feels like in my hands yet, let alone the dimensions 

[Alvaro]

I don't like Gray Nics handles. I loved the handle on my GT335 but I think that is was close to breaking from the get go. Whippy as whatever it was - probably hit the ball the furthest with it though. Similar effect on other Newberys that have come from Asad (two, lol). A mate's Mjolnir was also beautiful. He weighs about six stone when drenched and could even hit the odd six with that bat.

When that GT finally went, the replacement was a twig and had changed the bat completely. Time to move on.

Unlike Cover_Drive, I am a fan of the Salix/Hits Hard handle. Thick enough for one grip and just oval enough.

[Northern monkey]

What about springiness in a handle? Flex?
Do you reckon this has an effect on performance that a layman could detect?