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Kookaburra ICE 350 - First Impressions

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askmoi

Tape Ball Regular
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Runs
398
As requested by CD bhai, i am starting a thread with my new bat comments....the bat weighs 2' 6" and has 25-26 mm edges. i like the fact that they have rounded the edges. the bat seems to be pressed well and almost ready to use...i will apply a coat of oil and then put a anti scuff sheet....taps up quite well with a mallet and cost me around 75 GBP

here are the pics:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5472671611/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5472672449/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5472674727/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5472675631/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5472676285/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5473270774/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5472673209/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/59935309@N06/5472680165/ http://www.flickr.com/people/59935309@N06/

i will do a full review once i use it in the nets and some matches.
 
JazakAllah Khair for this thread :)

Wow! It looks amazing yaar! It is truly a beauty I would say! The grains are lovely!!

It looks big for 2.6 lbs I would say. Mind telling how is the pick up and everything ?

If I'm correct this is Indian version of Kookaburra correct?

For 75 Quids it looks a bargain I would say.
 
MASHALLAH beautiful looking bat and you got it for 75 GBP from where ??? is it an adult size bat I am really impressed with the weight.
 
cd bhai, u r right. it is the Indian version. the bat feels really light. and except for the bottom 1 inch, the 'ping' is quite good of the mallet.

dhump, it is SH adult size. got it here in Singapore from the SG distributor (he says he had them made at the factory to the same specs as dravid used for SA tour).

shirazi, he offered it to me at that price as he is a friend. and also it was stickered as ICE 350 which is normally grade 2 model.
 
I have also got a Kookaburra ICE as well - 850 edition which is top of the range. I have had it for about a year now, and off the middle it does ping quite well but the bat did take about 3 months before it really started performing. If you like playing on the front foot then you will love the bat as it is good for driving.
 
I'm quite tempted to pick up one of these Indian Kookaburras to see how they compare with their English brethren.
 
SempreSami said:
I'm quite tempted to pick up one of these Indian Kookaburras to see how they compare with their English brethren.
Click to expand...

Don't know if these Kooks have many English brethren, most if not all of them are made in India and then exported.
 
The model numbers are different, that makes them English yo.
 
Last edited:
Yea, I just looked and noticed Kook doesn't sell Pittards in India.

I'd like to see a side by side of the English and Indian bats. That would be mighty interesting.
 
askmoi said:
cd bhai, u r right. it is the Indian version. the bat feels really light. and except for the bottom 1 inch, the 'ping' is quite good of the mallet.

dhump, it is SH adult size. got it here in Singapore from the SG distributor (he says he had them made at the factory to the same specs as dravid used for SA tour).

shirazi, he offered it to me at that price as he is a friend. and also it was stickered as ICE 350 which is normally grade 2 model.
Click to expand...

Just knock the toe as much you can and it will open up.

Yaar I don't know but to me it looks like a Grade 1 stick rather than Grade 2.

If it is like Dravid's profile then it is a very good deal I would say.
 
i am not too fussed abt grade 1 or 2. as long as the pick up is fine and face looks good, i am sure it will perform well.

i will try knocking in the toe but there is not enough wood there to have good stroke....

the bat feels very light. in fact my teammates were telling me not to use it as the bat might turn in the hand or i might drag the ball as the timing might be off due to the light weight.

i am thinking of putting a half grip under for the bottom hand. what do u think?
 
Yaar after you oil it and put a scuff sheet it will add little bit of weight as well so that might make a difference.

Actually that would be good if you want bottom hand to be thick. I have seen that having thick bottom hand certainly helps..
 
askmoi said:
i will try knocking in the toe but there is not enough wood there to have good stroke....

the bat feels very light. in fact my teammates were telling me not to use it as the bat might turn in the hand or i might drag the ball as the timing might be off due to the light weight.

i am thinking of putting a half grip under for the bottom hand. what do u think?
Click to expand...

Rubbish. I've not seen bats turn in the hand because of the weight. Perhaps a 3lb will feel more solid than a 2.6 but many of your mates probably use 2.8 and theres not much of a difference there!

Don't see it necessary to intentionally add weight to the bat; use it as however it's most comfortable for you.
 
Also I think the turning has a lot to do with the handle type, the oval ones don't turn while round ones do......well at least for me

So adding half grip on bottom will help you and you will over come this issue..
 
Cover Drive said:
Also I think the turning has a lot to do with the handle type, the oval ones don't turn while round ones do......well at least for me

So adding half grip on bottom will help you and you will over come this issue..
Click to expand...

Very true! My CA used to turn when I played anything on leg but my GM with it's oval handle doesn't do that. May also have to do with handle quality, the CA let you feel every vibration while the English bats don't.
 
good points there...yes the half grip will make it more oval...

anyway i will use it like it is first and see....to be honest, i am perfectly fine because i am more of a 1s n 2s type of player rather than a boundary hitter.
 
I think that shock has to do with strips in the handle. As I think CA has cork strips instead of rubber which probably doesn't absorb much of shock.

Quality certainly has to do with shock rather than turn.
 
Cover Drive said:
I think that shock has to do with strips in the handle. As I think CA has cork strips instead of rubber which probably doesn't absorb much of shock.

Quality certainly has to do with shock rather than turn.
Click to expand...

Yes but I think that shock contributes to turn, similar to a baseball bat. When the ball doesn't come off the sweetspot you'll notice that a baseball bat doesn't follow through straight much like a cricket bat.
 
askmoi said:
good points there...yes the half grip will make it more oval...

anyway i will use it like it is first and see....to be honest, i am perfectly fine because i am more of a 1s n 2s type of player rather than a boundary hitter.
Click to expand...

Do try both though I have always found that it is easier to play with oval handle as you have more control and once read Janes Laver's comments who said it helps you play straight :S
 
shirazi_r said:
Yes but I think that shock contributes to turn, similar to a baseball bat. When the ball doesn't come off the sweetspot you'll notice that a baseball bat doesn't follow through straight much like a cricket bat.
Click to expand...

Could be.

At last the type and quality of ball play a role as well.

I have felt shock with my Newbery playing straight but not sure what ball it was, quite sure that it was lower end 4 piece
 
Cover Drive said:
Could be.

At last the type and quality of ball play a role as well.

I have felt shock with my Newbery playing straight but not sure what ball it was, quite sure that it was lower end 4 piece
Click to expand...

Yup, good balls are much softer than those rock filled things they make in Pakistan.
 
this year for our league, they are using SG Test balls (same as used by BCCI for Test matches in India) for Div 2...very good quality balls and probably too high for the standard we play...also clubs have to fork out more money.... but definitely they will not damage bats.
 
That's good to hear yaar.

Our leagues also use 4 piece and for club indoors we are getting Newbery County balls but since they are made in India I have my concerns over them...
 
Sami, noo wayyy mate!!!!

Very hard to believe that to be honest, I thought Readers was pure English..
 
I don't think any production's moved as a consequence of the ownership, they still have a production facility in Teston, Kent.

It's a clever move by Kookaburra as their cricket balls tend to get slated heavily, kind of like how McDonalds supposedly own shares in Pret a Manger.
 
SempreSami said:
I don't think any production's moved as a consequence of the ownership, they still have a production facility in Teston, Kent.

It's a clever move by Kookaburra as their cricket balls tend to get slated heavily, kind of like how McDonalds supposedly own shares in Pret a Manger.
Click to expand...

I believe production for all but Reader's top end balls has moved to India. I may be wrong but that's what I've heard.
 
I should add that I am generalising a fair bit, most Indian made balls I've seen and used tend to be overly hard, have lacquer on the stitching and also tend to not wear down evenly.
 
i think you usually get what you pay for. in my opinion, the SG balls (talking about SG Test) are good quality. good quality leather and excellent shape retention even after 40-50 overs. only thing is that they don't put much lacquer. so you have to work hard to keep the shine.
 
I've noticed a few SG 'Tournament' balls about at nets and whilst they've retained their shape quite well, I'm apprehensive of the wearing of the lacquer. The Test balls look good in the photos on onlinestockist, unfortunately I'm not in any position to buy a box of 12.
 
we have had to buy 3 boxes of 6 each for nearly 100 GBP per box from the cricket association for the league. i will agree with you on the lacquer. it wears fast and maintaining the shine is a tedious job.

but then we have no choice.
 
What do you guys think of Newbery County Test balls (something along those line) 4 piece ones? Are they safe for bats askmoi and Sami bro?
 
should be fine. they have cork and rubber core. personally if a ball feels really hard on the bat while batting, i just instruct the bowler not to use that in the nets.
 
That's what we do (few of us club members (Cricketer13 bhai, ExtraCoverDrive Bhai etc)) but some bowlers are so deheat and they won't listen to anyone.
 
There is a senior we tell him don't use this but he continues to say "this match is used in test matches" :facepalm:
 
Fortunately nobody seems to use particularly hard balls in our net sessions, and when me, my brother, cousin and occasionally some team mates have one of our six hour sessions under the summer sun, we only use the Readers balls we buy ourselves.
 
Cover Drive said:
There is a senior we tell him don't use this but he continues to say "this match is used in test matches" :facepalm:
Click to expand...

If a bowler did that during our practice, I would proceed to bounce him repeatedly with that same ball...

BTW, random question but, CD how fast do the bowlers get in your division?
 
SempreSami said:
Fortunately nobody seems to use particularly hard balls in our net sessions, and when me, my brother, cousin and occasionally some team mates have one of our six hour sessions under the summer sun, we only use the Readers balls we buy ourselves.
Click to expand...

We really don't have option to drop down and buy good quality balls here.

Local shop sells 4 piece Kookaburra balls for something around 26 Pounds not sure how expensive/cheap it is but my club president drives Mercedes and still acts like a poor fella!

shirazi_r said:
If a bowler did that during our practice, I would proceed to bounce him repeatedly with that same ball...

BTW, random question but, CD how fast do the bowlers get in your division?
Click to expand...

Those guys who I am talking about keep that ball in there kit bags and don't share with anyone either.

I am really not about to speed track the bowler's speed but I would say upto 75-80 mph mark but I could be wrong as well..
 
that is expensive. and 80 mph is decent enough pace esp on astro as the ball generally skids through.
 
Hence, our club opted out and bought Newbery balls but I am not too sure which one were they :20:

As I said I am not too sure about the pace still. I don't think it is above 80 mph at all!
 
momin97 said:
what a tank of a bat no offence but 26mm edges arent "BIG EDGE" lol
Click to expand...

i had estimated wrongly. after measuring with a ruler that i took from office, i measured the edges to be 32 mm at the widest and 24 mm at the toe. and if the edges were sharp and not rounded, then that would have added another mm. so overall a decent size for the weight.

have ordered another bat from a friend coming over from UK. will post pics of that once i receive it.
 
Last edited:
hi,

im also from singapore playing div2.....
you playing for which club? i guess should be SPA?

BTW, you kookabura bat is very nice...you bought it fom where in singapore?
 
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