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[kal_m]

I tried searching on the forum for any correlation between these two but didn't find much. Can the experts weigh in?? Would the performance of the bat be any better if it has prominent grains?

Not sure this stuck in my head when looking at bats but I am leaning more towards bats that have prominent grains.

Cheers!!

[i12breakfree]

well oiled and knocked back should show prominent grains. I have seen bats with 6-7 grains and perform as belters. I think straight grains , even spaced is key

[CrickFreak]

In my experience, bats i have owned which had dark grains played better. I have no idea why, could just be a coincidence.

[JB]

Don't think it really matters, I personally prefer the look of a bat with 7-10 prominent grains. I've got bats without really prominent grains that play equally as well

[Seniorplayer]

Prominent grains are due to the pressing.
The more prominent the grain  in tne blade the better the pressing.
And as we all  know the  better the pressing the better the bats performance.

[Kulli]

Prominent grains are due to the pressing.
The more prominent the grain  in tne blade the better the pressing.
And as we all  know the  better the pressing the better the bats performance.

BS

[kal_m]

well oiled and knocked back should show prominent grains. I have seen bats with 6-7 grains and perform as belters. I think straight grains , even spaced is key

Some bats have prominent grains even before oiling/knocking in, so would they be better? As for the straight evenly spaced grains, my view on that after joining the forum has changed and I think they are purely cosmetic, is it not?

Prominent grains are due to the pressing.
The more prominent the grain  in tne blade the better the pressing.
And as we all  know the  better the pressing the better the bats performance.

I didn't know this. Have you personally experienced the difference in performance??

In my experience, bats i have owned which had dark grains played better. I have no idea why, could just be a coincidence.

It could be, but if happened consistently then it's not coincidence, is it?

[Seniorplayer]

BS

It's easy to write BS without any  supporting information or evidence.
What Been written came from one of the UKs top bat makers.

[Chad]

Prominent grains are due to the pressing.
The more prominent the grain  in tne blade the better the pressing.
And as we all  know the  better the pressing the better the bats performance.

That's interesting @Seniorplayer , what's the theory behind this? I thought the prominence in the grain was purely based on the willow itself, or any finishing techniques, and not the pressing. Do you mean that prominent grains tend to press better than others?

Personal experience, prominent or faint grains don't make a huge difference, but my L&W Reserve has ridiculously prominent grains, as do some TK bats I've had in the past. I do think that the performance was due to the batmakers skill more than the prominent grains though...

[Seniorplayer]

Pressing of the willow makes the grains more prominent the more outstanding the grains the better the bat should play
But of course  any bats performance is dependant on the skills of the batmaker.

[Calzehbhoy]

I'm sure Marcus from Affinity put a video up showing him finishing a bat in which he said it was the finish the made the grains look more prominent? I might be wrong though?

[Kulli]

It's easy to write BS without any  supporting information or evidence.
What Been written came from one of the UKs top bat makers.

What science is there behind that?
And surely if it was the case you'd be able to tell a batmaker(or at least narrow it down) purely by looking at the grains, if someone can do that I've yet to see any evidence of it.

That would imply that prominent grains means performance, something else I've never seen any proff of.

[procricket]

only thing that good promeinent grains will increase is the cost of the bat.

sorry but grains have very little to do with performance.

pressing of course does but unless it been pressed to last it warranty you should be fine.

Bats are not complicated as some people words make out.

Performance of bats is 90 per cent in the mind and in truth I suspect 90 per cent of all bats are equal.

[FattusCattus]

I bet there's plenty a good batsman who can make an ugly or poorly pressed bat talk.

My mate who is a good batsman scored 30 odd with a Slazenger SD plank on Saturday, which wasn't even knocked on in. Ball flew to the boundary.

Sometimes it's the wizard, not the wand!

[Batoff]

You always go against the grain @FattusCattus