Bats that are Soft Pressed.

[90MPH]

Every year I buy a bat it seems it takes ages for them to open up or get a good ping. I bought Kookaburra Ice last year and that took a good 4 months before it started to get a good response. The year before I got a kookaburra Beast and before that A GN Fusion but more or less the same problems.
They were all expensive Grade 1 bats (over £200 each) so I was wondering should I buy a grade 2 or 3 bat instead as these bats could mean less pressed and so better response ? I have been told a softer pressed bat could mean higher risk of the bat breaking up but It wouldn't bother if it lasts most of the season.
So if anyone could recommend a Cricket manufacturer that generally sell bats that are soft pressed I would much appreciate it, thanx.

 

[Quick Single]

Maybe you just need to knock them in a bit more.

 

[90MPH]

Maybe you just need to knock them in a bit more.

I knock them in as much as I can, but to me the wood looks very hard pressed. They might play better this season.

 

[Quick Single]

Yes maybe, did you oil them?

 

[90MPH]

Yes maybe, did you oil them?

I oiled them once on the face, then put an anti-scruff sheet on.

 

[SalmanK]

Are you after another English bat or will Asian do?

Newbery are known to have excellent pressing, so should open up quick.

Among Pakistani bats, I'd recommend CA 12000 TRD ... can't go wrong with it.

 

[Cover Drive]

Not too sure about Kookaburra's but Gray Nicolls bats are slightly hard pressed and take a season to open up but once they open they go like rocket! So for Gray Nicolls you need to do a lot of knocking in order to get immediate result.

CA have very soft pressing but personally I'm not a fan of soft pressing as it goes out of its peak very quickly. I still remember the first net session I had with my CA 12000 Plus and the bat was going like a train and if I use that bat now it is not like that anymore although I haven't used much.

So this a problem I find with Pakistani bats and I don't like it.

Newbery and Salix both have very good pressing and there bats go very well in the beginning as well.

If you opt out for lower grade I'm guessing they will have same kind of pressing as well.

The reason why Gray Nicolls and Kookaburras etc top of the shelf bats have hard pressing is because they want to make a bat which will last rather than one which will be over after a season use hence they press them slightly hard and have fewer grains in them.

 

[90MPH]

^^ Thanx guys for your input. Well one of my relatives is coming from Pakistan so I told them to get me a CA12000 which should arrive next week - will post pics once it arrives.
I will also probably buy one English bat as well in a few weeks time as well, probably a GN Powerbow or Oblivion, but will knock it a lot before the season starts.

 

[Cover Drive]

Good move I must say. Yes, it would be great if you post a picture of it.

Personally I'd go for Oblivion. I'm not saying Powerbow is not good but Oblivion seem to have a better pickup and balance plus its sweetspot is longer

 

[bigfan]

I have found this especially with the GN bats, but our solution has been to let everyone use it in the nets. Not the tail enders though, they will only hit the edges.

 

[Cover Drive]

^ a good way of knocking your bats.

bigfan, have you used Australian version of Gray Nicolls bats? If so is there a difference between them and English?