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[rockymoghal]

Hey guys,

Not sure if this question has been asked before but I was inspired after reading the ping! thread. I have a bat I bought a while back from a company who shall remain anonymous (but their name starts with C and ends in A) and it turns out that it seems quite dead. It's a "top of the range" model and it looks like something you would expect to perform. Now I will admit that I got sucked into the idea of "Pay more for this bat because it will definitely perform better" and it may have come back to bite me in the rear. All I wanted to know is what has been the biggest bat regret in terms of buying a shocker AND what is the longest you have tried to open up a bat before giving up or it succeeding. I just don't know if I should sell it along and cut my losses or try to keep using it and see if it eventually opens up and starts to ping. Let's hear what everyone has to say!

[Gurujames]

How much knocking in have you done? Some bats need a lot more than others. I believe that all bats will eventually ping, some may take many years though.

[rockymoghal]

I paid to have it knocked in and so far I have used in for roughly 2/3 hours on a bowling machine. Haven't actually been able to use it in a match yet but it just seems like I can feel the bat vibrating no matter where it hits on the bat. Low, middle or high all feels quite strange compared to previous bats I have used.

[InternalTraining]

Location of the sweet spot may not be where you hit the ball ...if the bat has a mid-high middle but you hit the ball low, guess what ? No ping! Similarly if the sweet spot is low or mid-low and you hit high, then you will not experience any ping either .

[rockymoghal]

I know the bat has a mid to high middle but it just seems strange that response is the same pretty much all over the bat. Okay that's being harsh, I can work out where the middle is based on response but compared to a 10 year old bat I have, this bat doesn't seem to have that much of a middle. It's a bit strange. Maybe the bat just isn't suited to me. I'm not the most fluent back foot player and maybe a mid or mid to low middle bat would be better.

[brokenbat]

I know the bat has a mid to high middle but it just seems strange that response is the same pretty much all over the bat. Okay that's being harsh, I can work out where the middle is based on response but compared to a 10 year old bat I have, this bat doesn't seem to have that much of a middle. It's a bit strange. Maybe the bat just isn't suited to me. I'm not the most fluent back foot player and maybe a mid or mid to low middle bat would be better.

the company you mentioned generally makes bats that start performing right out of the packet. so either there is something really wrong with it (broken handle? cracks down the shoulders? delaminated?), or its not what the stickers claim it to be. do you have pics?

[InternalTraining]

I know the bat has a mid to high middle but it just seems strange that response is the same pretty much all over the bat. Okay that's being harsh, I can work out where the middle is based on response but compared to a 10 year old bat I have, this bat doesn't seem to have that much of a middle. It's a bit strange. Maybe the bat just isn't suited to me. I'm not the most fluent back foot player and maybe a mid or mid to low middle bat would be better.

Have you had a hit in the nets? Some bats ping fine in your house when bouncing the ball on the bat face. It is entirely a different matter when the bat is taken to nets or the middle.

[rockymoghal]

@brokenbat I can uplaod some pics once I work out how to do it lol. I can put some pictures up tomorrow for you. But just to let you know the bat has no signs of damage and I would hope there isn't any as I bought it brand new from a local retailer. To be honest I'm already not liking the bat because of the fact its not actually SH length and I genuinely didn't know that. Being 6'1 means that the bat does feel small to me and does affect my stance. The bat does look awesome, hence the reason I bought it.

@InternalTraining I have used the bat in 3 nets now by myself for an hour each time with a bowling machine. It just doesn't feel like the bat is solid. So much feeling through the handle. I guess it's worth mentioning that the bat does seem to be denting quite a bit so I guess that means it's not fully knocked in yet. Either the bat is soft or the knocking in service was a rip off lol.

[The Cricket Boutique]

Have you let anyone else have a few throwdowns with it in the nets and asked what they think?

I have had a few bats in the past that I have not got on with and as soon as you start doubting the bat I think you will struggle to get confidence back in it.

I had a GN millennium that I was 99% sure was no good and couldn't get anything off the square, I gave it to one of my teammates and he went out and scored 100 with it. It may have had a bit to do with ability also 

[InternalTraining]

@InternalTraining I have used the bat in 3 nets now by myself for an hour each time with a bowling machine. It just doesn't feel like the bat is solid. So much feeling through the handle. I guess it's worth mentioning that the bat does seem to be denting quite a bit so I guess that means it's not fully knocked in yet. Either the bat is soft or the knocking in service was a rip off lol.

I am knocking a brand new bat right now and every mallet hit and ball bounce is leaving marks. It is soft pressed just the way I like it. Is it ready for nets? No.

I have three bats of your brand and they have all performed exquisitely. They are all soft-pressed (just the way I like it) and a lot of mallet time went into making them ready. Amazing bats!

Another thing to keep in mind is that you are 6'1'' and you are probably not hitting the bat's sweet spot. I am 5'7'' on a good day and these bats are just right for me.

[brokenbat]

Would suggest at least trying a net with real cricket balls. Some bowling machine balls never feel good!

[rockymoghal]

@InternalTraining Yeah I think I just may need to knock it in and see how it goes. However I do think you're right about the middle and me finding the sweet spot. I've actually ordered a B1 from IJC which I am going to pick up on saturday. Will be nice to see how that compares in the nets. I do agree that normally CA (no point hiding the name lol) produce quality bats but this one (15000 players edition) just surprised me at the response. I guess I'll persevere and see what happens

@TCB Not yet but I might give it a go when I get the chance. It's so hard when you lose confidence in a bat. I do really like this bat but once you're not comfortable with a bat it becomes a massive mental thing. I had a similar issue when I had a terrible innings with a bat. I could never use it again with confidence.

@brokenbat That is the plan. Problem is I recently had knee surgery so I'm not playing this season. All I am able to do right is practice on the bowling machine lol. If I can get a decent offer then I might just sell it on to someone who can get more out of it and invest in a H4L or B3 (both on my list right now)

[skip1973]

Some bats are just stinkers.

[IQ]

Here in Melbourne, 3 different people have had the same issue with CA bats from last year. Maybe they are drying the bats too much as the bats feel a bit too soft to be able to generate any power.

Now at the end of the year- the bats are already starting to show a lot of face cracks and the performance hasn't improved much.

One of the bats is now being used as a rainy day practice stick - I was asked to refurbish it - Alternating between sanding and glue - Ended up taking a lot of willow off the face. Oiled it a couple of times.

This is the only bat that's showing some performance improvement since.

Put some pics up, a lot of knowledgeable people up here.

[rockymoghal]

Here are the pictures as promised. Sorry about my camera work. Doesn't seem to be a decent place to take pictures in my house