After a bat cull and an impending sale of some sticks that aren't pictured, these are my favourites that have made it into the top 5 (the Shadow has been retired and will always have a special place in there as my first proper bat!!)
All the bats are 2.8-2.9 except for the Salix which is a 2.7.
I'll modify the post with some greater depth about the bats but for now the pictures should hopefully keep you all going for now......
Pick Up: Lightest to Heaviest: Salix (2.75) - Cherry Kook (2.9) - GM H4H (2.9) - Vitas Kook (2.9) - Custom BC (2.95) - BC Shadow (2.10)
Salix Praesantia Grade One - It has recently weighed in at about 2.75 and frankly the size of it astonishes me. The pick up is by far the lightest of anything I've owned since a Red Ink custom. I have previously owned a Salix Pod Performance of the same vintage and anything out of the middle gave a horrible vibration through the handle but after a brief knock in the signs thus far are good. Chrimbles will be bringing me a Lignum Vitae bat mallet made from an old bowls ball so I'm going to do it properly and give this bat the love and devotion it deserves. Next season it will become one of my match bats....
Ricochet 750 (Cherry) - This has been my bat of choice. I have middled the most shots with this one and whilst the middle is on the side of too slim due to the severe concaving, it is a compromise I'm willing to make for a bat that feels right in the hands. I previously had Kahunas but found that the middle was neither here nor there - it wasn't high enough for lively pitch but wasn't low enough for a slow one. Sounds a bit funny having a ricochet on a slow pitch but I'm pretty short so can make a ricochet work. This one will be in my bag until it dies which is why when I saw it, I had to have.......
Ricochet 550 (Vitas) - Cracking service from Jake and she is a beauty. The pick up is slightly heavier but nothing to be a problem. For my money the concaving seems less severe along the length of the blade - I'm hoping that this will tweak the width of the middle.
GM Help 4 Heroes - Purchased for the fact that it was a great cause and I really liked the idea. It is the only bat that I hand picked myself. I chose it out of a line of 7 bats that were in the range of 2.7-2.9. This was the heaviest bat at a fraction over 2.9 but had the lightest pick up of the lot and is an absolute wand. There is a pleasing lack of concaving in this one which means that there is plenty of meat where I need it. If it wasn't for the beauty of the Salix then this would be in my bag for matches.....I might have to have a rota...
Black Cat Custom - You will all know Black Cat's work and this was a treat for me for working my proverbials off. Overall I was disappointed with Charlie's service as he was very poor at communication. To cut a long story short I asked for a traditional version of the ricochet - a high sweet spot with mild concaving and a spine that ran through the toe to give me some yorker digging latitude. The bat is beautiful but the handle is annoyingly small and thin. It isn't a patch on the Shadow's handle so she will have to go for a rehandle. I might try a double grip but I'm not convinced that it will cut it. That said the finish is on a par with Salix and I do love the cosmetics but the handle is ruining the show.
Black Cat Shadow - A retired bat. It will never leave my collection. The only reason I've retired it is that it is a touch too heavy for me but after some winter strength training it will be my net bat and may be come out of retirement - but then again if I broke it I would be gutted - I might just frame it and put it in my man cave.......
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Topic: It's raining, KP has ruined cricket, we're not happy. Time for some BAT PORN!!!! (Read 5588 times)