Print

[Bats_Galore]

From the laver and wood book on bats:
Len Newbery, one of the most influential personalities in the batmaking industry in the 1970s shares our sentiments on Butterfly Willow. "The timber of the 'salix alba caurulea' is distinguished by a bright orange stain which is known in the trade as 'Butterfly' stain'. When these stains appear on the blades of bats, players often reject such bats as thinking that the stains are faults or knots, whereas they are in fact the hallmark of the finest quality cricket bat willow."

[Seniorplayer]

Some people do find them 'ugly' and they avoid them for that reason. Those people who are less shallow get far less expensive bats that perform as will as any higher grade bats.
Those in the know appreciate the ignorance and snobbery of people who only go for 'pro' grade as it leaves more of the cheaper butterfly's for ourselves.

Not a fan of Butterfly find  the willow heavy. Also don't agree  it's ignorance or snobbery to go for pro bats.
Also doubt many would buy butterfly willow once they have used white  and light low density willow.

[Gurujames]

Also don't agree  it's ignorance or snobbery to go for pro bats.

Fair call. However, one of the many things I have learnt from the forum is that performance and grade do not go hand in hand.

[Seniorplayer]

Fair call. However, one of the many things I have learnt from the forum is that performance and grade do not go hand in hand.

Without a doubt low grade willow correctly pressed can ping equally as well as high grade.

[wasted_talent]

butterfly willow definitely the trend!

just wondering, I've seen a few English brands do these and now RS as well as SS Ton.

have any of the Pakistani brands tried these yet?

[Bats_Entertainment]

Isn't it just that batmakers are likely to give good-looking willow more love and attention, as they know these are what they can sell at a premium price?

[FattusCattus]

I love, love, love the RS Rage shape. Can these be got in the UK?

[i12breakfree]

@Sitonit it's fine if u don't like butterfly willow but you just went overboard when you said psoriasis.
I have some one close who has psoriasis and life is not easy with a disease which doesn't have a cure.
So think before you write.

[Gurujames]

Isn't it just that batmakers are likely to give good-looking willow more love and attention, as they know these are what they can sell at a premium price?

I am confident batmakers put the same effort in regardless of the grade. I can't imagine it is quicker or easier to make a bat badly than make a bat well.

[Seniorplayer]

I think they look ugly if you speak cosmetics. I mean, horribly ugly.
And the price makes it even worse.
A butterfly willow as it looks in these bats never makes to top or even mid end bats. Not even grade 3.

I would not spend more $80 on these bats; however, I don't have any issue with anyone spending any amount on their bats.

I hope they help you score some runs but I doubt if you will keep them - probably good for net practice?

It's also funny how bat makers used a market ploy to call it "butterfly" Mark - as if it's something nice and pretty looking. I would rather call it psoriasis marks.

Also butterfly willow is the lowest willow you can get how many batmakers  will tell you that.

[GoodLeave]

Nice bat.

Grass wants cutting though.

Just sayin 

[Bats_Entertainment]

I am confident batmakers put the same effort in regardless of the grade. I can't imagine it is quicker or easier to make a bat badly than make a bat well.

So bat performance should be the same across the grades?

[InternalTraining]

Without a doubt low grade willow correctly pressed can ping equally as well as high grade.

 I'm not sure if a back bat maker or a vendor would say that. In fact, I have never met a low grade bat that pinged as well as as a high-grade bat.

[GoodLeave]

I personally feel a lot of the performance of a bat is in the mind.

If you can afford Pro Grade willow, go ahead. I certainly buy Pro/LE/SE grade bats based entirely on the arguement that it's the most expensive therefore it must be the best. Because I feel like it have the best willow, I feel i'll get the best result.

It's probably all bobbins, Butterfly probably plays as well as Pro. But I sleep soundly at night knowing I've done all I can to get off a blob and contribute to the team 

[InternalTraining]

^ Has anyone here really done an apples-to-apples comparison? Two bats of same shape, same weight, different grade willow , but pressed by the same bat maker?