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[Neon Cricket]

This is a case in a lot of international team.
Most of NZ seem to be NB now, England a mix of NB and Adidas, Australia are getting NB heavy.

A few years ago I posted about whether the days of the traditional makers would be finished at the top level.

Except NB are an actual entity within cricket, so in their case this doesn't really apply - they've actually made a proper go of it compared to the likes of Nike etc

But obviously, when it comes to the likes of CEAT/MRF then it's purely a marketing exercise for a completely non-cricketing related company.

[Alvaro]

But they are a major sports brand who have taken a business decision to enter cricket. They are different in that sense from Grays/GM/Slazenger in that respect.

[Chmaiden]

interesting discussion....companies like Nike dont really go into these things half hearted it seems...look at their golf and the r & d they put into the clubs (I'm assuming!)

[Chmaiden]

have to say though, I dont like companies doing things like this with the seeing up new companies so they can put their stickers on someone elses tools!  What other industry allows this?! 

[Tom]

have to say though, I dont like companies doing things like this with the seeing up new companies so they can put their stickers on someone elses tools!  What other industry allows this?!

Fashion, Electronics, Car manufacturing, Food, Software - the list goes on

[Australian fast bowler]

Source i have said that SG are making the top ones for CEAT, unsure about the low end models

[Shinpathy]

The top of the range hitmans I have came with the full manufacturing sticker by ZX sporting.

[skip1973]

The top of the range hitmans I have came with the full manufacturing sticker by ZX sporting.

I wonder if they do Ulysses as well, there seems to be some link.

[HellomynameisJ]

I purchased a lower end one just to see what they are like, handle is nice, profile is lovely but the finishing on the bat was as bad as I've seen and the stickers are as cheap and nasty as could be. Response is decent enough though. No idea where it was made, but I probably wouldn't bother with the lower end models.

[Shinpathy]

How do you like the Hitman?

Extremely massive bats for the weight with very good pickup due to the high middles.

The ones I have have 44-45mm edges, I suggest to look around and pickout the particularly special ones from their batches as the newer batches seem a lot more standard with the approximate ~40mm edges and weighing 2.11-2.12 compared to the previous batch which had worse grains ala Kabooms but were a lot thicker and lighter.

[skip1973]

Makes you wonder what the pro's are using if these guy's have all their bats.

[WSB]

This is a case in a lot of international team.
Most of NZ seem to be NB now, England a mix of NB and Adidas, Australia are getting NB heavy.

A few years ago I posted about whether the days of the traditional makers would be finished at the top level.

They will still make the pro's bats but they will be stickered up

[WSB]

I bet the grip would be awesome!

Spoke to a big brand bat maker once and he made a version of an old school Hunts County reflex with a rubber insert instead of the air pocket. Not match bat legal so it was a net bat but it flew - but heavy he said!

[sarg]

I wonder if they do Ulysses as well, there seems to be some link.

Wrong Hitman?
http://onlinestockist.com/CEAT-HITMAN-English-Willow-Cricket-Bat-Select-Willow-2017-P5668419.aspx

Definitely a link between Ulysses and Hitman brands

[skip1973]

Wrong Hitman?
http://onlinestockist.com/CEAT-HITMAN-English-Willow-Cricket-Bat-Select-Willow-2017-P5668419.aspx

Definitely a link between Ulysses and Hitman brands

My bad.