Fusion Superbest

Fusion Superbest

2lb 10oz
Sh

Ordered my Fusion Superbest after hearing much positive feedbackabout their bats last October. At this time I was fairly new to theworld of equipment so was unsure of my ideal specs but, after anin-depth discussion of my playing style etc with Bill, my order was sorted.

The delivery time was astonishing and I received my fully customisedbat just 2 days after ordering. To my delight, the Superbest offered10 straight grains, a massive profile and a good pick-up for a 2lbs10. The middle was long if slightly high and the edges were 25mmfor a large proportion of the blade.

I was immediately a fan of theconcave style purely on aesthetics (who doesn’t love curves?) butthis opinion was soon justified by the performance. Fusion hand-press all their bats and claim to modify the pressingbased on each piece of willow to ensure optimum performance.

After experiencing the rebound qualities of this bat, I wouldn’t disagree!Probably the most striking feature of my Fusion is the ‘ping’ and dueto the concave styling, the length of this awesome middle is extended,allowing a touch player such as myself more value for their shots onuneven pitches. This Fusion has steered me to buying only concave bats from now on andset a benchmark for all future bats to beat. I am happy to recommendFusion to anyone looking for a custom made English bat for under £200

Salix Fera grade one

Salix Fera grade one
2lb 8oz

Sh

After having a Gray Nicolls Powerbow stolen from a cricket club, I decided to invest in a Salix Fera Grade One. It was 2lb 8oz dead weight, but with a scuff sheet and toe guard fitted, it was more like 2lb 9, still within my range, to my relief! When it arrived, I have to say the cosmetics of the willow left a lot to be desired, but it did ping nicely, so that I was pleased with. It only had about eight or nine grains, and they were not evenly spaced, but I suppose it was my own fault for buying near to the end of the season, when most of the willow with good cosmetics has already been sold.

I also noticed that it had a concaved profile, which I thought was unusual for a traditional, but fairly new company. However, as this profile seems to be the “in” thing at the moment, they will want to compete as best they can with the big companies.

I first used the bat in a practise game, and I was astonished with the quality. The ball flew off the bat, and I only had to push to see the ball going to the boundary. So far I’ve had scores of 50*, 37 and 2, although that is down to my ability, not the bat!

Courtesy of Arthur Thomas

GM Catalyst Original

Gm Catalyst Original

2lb 10oz
Sh

I purchased this bat as it was new in the Gunn & Moore range, and I wanted to see what differences, had been made to make this model, better than some of the others, the main change was the concaved profile, which I though would result in a big profile, but the Catalyst is not concaved to the same degree as other concaved bats.

I got this bat for a very good price, when I recieved the bat, I was slightly shocked at the cosmetic attributes, the bat only had 7-8 grains, I was shocked as many of the originals I had previously seen, had large amounts of grain, but if it pings who cares, to the bats credit, the grains where all sapwood, and no blemishes.

The bat picked up nicely, it felt very balanced, I think the concaved profile, enhances the pick up, in my opinion anyway. The bat had a special new grip called 'shock absorba' which has a thicker material at the bottom of the handle where the bottom hand grips the bat, to absorb more of the shock gained when hitting the ball.

When I used this bat, I was pleased, it pinged nicely, and felt good in the hands, a nice addition to the GM range, with lovely new stickers. Performace was reasonably good, not the best bat I have used, but certainly not the worst.

Reviewed by Aaron Jepson

Laver & Wood Carbo Comet

2lb 10oz ( apparently)
Carbo handle

SH

I bought my Laver & Wood after hearing many positives things and seeing what looked like excellent bats. I spoke to James and ordered a 2lb 10oz Carbo Comet bat, with the L&W Carbo handle.

The bat took approx 1 month to come and when I opened the package it I certainly wasn’t blown away. The grain on the bat was good for a 2nd grade bat and the profile was large.
However the pickup and weight was very heavy, weighing in at a hefty 2lb 12/13oz with a single despite ordering at 2lb 10oz with 2 grips, not very custom made to my specs after all!
The bat looked impressive but in the hands it wasn’t too match. With my problematic shoulder the bat was really too heavy so I only got to use it in one net before passing it to my friend.
He got on slightly better with it, obtaining scores of 2, 105* and 32.

Courtesy of Tom Evans

Fusion Sports G3/G4

Fusion G3/G4
2lb 12oz
SH

Here is my review of the new Fusion G4. After Bill's posts about his new G4/G3 willow bat I thought it sounded nice and I'd like to try one. This bat which is being reviewed is the lower range from Fusion and will cost around £115.

A new technique has been devised by Fusion to get a similar performance from a G4 bat that is usually seen in a top grade bat.

Service: Fusion were polite, friendly and helpful. Although at first they were a bit slow to reply to emails (only on a dial-up connection) however once I picked up the courage to phone they were excellent and Bill ,who works for Fusion, was very chatty and helped me feel comfortable. Everything was as per my specifications - two grips, 2lb 10oz, no extratec or toe guard.

Looks: The bat has a massive centre with a decent thickness of edges and a slightly bowed profile. The edges are not as thick at the ends, to lighten pickup and reduce weight. The bat being G3/G4 had only 4 grains which doesn't make it as attractive as some although there were no blemishes on the face, the willow was unbleached and it had a white look to it. The bat is finished in some eye catching Fusion stickers with a shiny finish with a red grip to complement it.The new G3/G4 Fusion batStill keeps a good size profile

At Fusion: I decided to visit Fusion so I could see how a company operates and also to try out my bat - a very good idea so you get what you want. In the nets I faced a variety of deliveries so I could ensure the bat was of a correct weight for myself, James (the owner and 1st class cricketer) also took the oppurtunity to use my bat, he too was very impressed and I was pleased to hear it sound so good when a pro was timing it every ball

The performance: After knocking it in - most boring bit of buying a new bat, I took it to the nets . The pickup was good with the two grips and the highish middle helps the pickup. The bat has a very nice ping, very similar to that of a bat double the price. Spent a long time in the nets with it and even asked friends to give opionions - they were pleasantly suprised with the price and quality. It took me a while to find the middle as normally use a more Indian style of bat but once I got going the ball was flying. One thing though is that the shape I choose didn't have the thickest of toes and because of this the ball doesn't go for miles when its hit with that part of the bat. However there is enough thickness to ensure it won't crack at all and in the event of a crack I am sure I could get it repaired relatively easily

The cost: Expect to pay around £115 for this bat. It's best to email Bill as the cost of each custom bat does vary. For a custom made bat it is the cheapest you can get and along with the try before you buy and the service it is the best company I have dealt withVerdict: Is it the best bat I've used? No but one of the top 2 or 3 (only behind bats costing around 3 times the price!) The bat is very good value for money and would be ideal for a youngster, a good standard club cricketer and also a nets bat. This bat is very powerful and when timed the ball should rocket away, the special processes to make it perform better has worked well.Overall a very nice bat at an even nicer price.

Courtesy of Tom Evans

Laver & Wood Carbo Heritage

Laver & Wood Carbo Heritage
2lb 7oz
SH
Carbon Handle

For a while now Laver and Wood have been regarded as a company making custom made bats of the highest quality. Having heard how many professional players were using Laver and Wood bats with their sponsorship stickers stuck over the top, I decided to go ahead and get in touch with James Laver about getting a bat made up.

James was easy to contact and answered my constant stream of questions regarding which bat would be right for me (you can request what ever shape, weight, handle shape, size, number of grains etc. that you want). In the end I opted for a Laver & Wood Carbo Heritage (which behind the Private Bin is Laver’s 2nd best standard bat willow), with a Carbo handle. I went for the carbon handle as I had broken 2 handles in the previous 12 months and was interested to see if the carbon handle was as beneficial as James had suggested. It is important to note that the handle is different to that in the Newbery C6+ in that it is merely a wooden handle with a carbon rod inserted down the centre to increase the strength and flexibility of the bat, rather than alter its pick-up or feel.

As Laver is located in New Zealand I had to wait for the bat to be made up and then posted across the world, but as the postage was free and the bat only took 2 weeks to turn up after being ordered I didn’t mind (James can also send pictures of your bat during the making process to reassure you everything is going to plan!).

The bat turned up as promised with a clean face, 7 grains and 2 grips, with a bonus grip chucked in for free. I was delighted with the light pick-up which I had specifically requested, and the bat weighed 2lb 7oz – 2lb 8oz with the extra grip. The bat has a lovely bow and although the edges are reasonably small (I expected this due to my requesting a light pick-up and overall light weight) at 25 mm, I couldn’t have been happier.

Half a season on and the bat is playing very well, although it did take a bit of time to become good, unlike some bats which usually ping from their date of purchase, these take time to play in. The Carbo handle is something which I like but is perhaps not suited to all players as it does produce a unusual sound and may make the bat feel a bit stiff, however I would definitely get the same handle again. The service was great all along and I would have no hesitation in recommending you check out Laver & Wood’s website http://www.laverwood.co.nz/ and get in touch with James if you are looking for a new bat.

Review courtesy of Gus Kennedy

Smasher API-G

Smasher Api-G
2lb 7oz
SH

Smasher Sports is a developing cricket company that burst onto the scene sponsoring many West Indian and Pakistani players as well as England wicketkeeper Chris Read and New Zealand all-rounder Craig McMillan. I ordered a Smasher Api-G (Smasher’s top of the range bat and the only one which is made in England) weighing 2.7. I was prepared to pay slightly more for the Api-G as the other models in the Smasher range are very expensive considering they are imported from India.

I received my Smasher reasonably fast and was pleased with the eye-catching graphics, and the nice straight grains. However the ping of the bat was not particularly impressive and the pick-up was poor especially considering it was meant to only weigh 2lb 7oz, so I returned the bat to Smasher who replaced it with another bat, although this one weighed 2lb 10z the bat had a nice middle but picked up like a cannon even with 2 grips. The grains on the second bat were not that nice either, and despite the nice middle I ended up shelving the Smasher due to its pick-up being so poor.

In summary Smasher’s bats are reasonably nice, but I was disappointed with the service (they sent me a bat which was 3oz to heavy) and as a result I would struggle to recommend a Smasher bat particularly considering the price. I may suggest you buy one if you could choose it in person where you could see the grains and feel the pick-up but I would strongly advise against ordering over either the phone or the Internet.

If you want to check out Smasher’s range then visit http://www.smashersports.com/

Review courtesy of Gus Kennedy

Newbery Uzi 20/20

Newbery Uzi 20/20
2lb 11oz
1" Longer handle
1" Shorter blade





Newbery Uzi 20/20 this bat is like Marmite, you either love it or you hate it, myself being the latter. The bat itself was very good, nice grains, great ping, the longer handle and shorter blade concept just ruins the bat for me.

When I picked the bat up in the shop, I thought it was fine and looked great cosmetically, plenty of grains, some being heartwood.


The first time I used it, the handle didn't prove to be a problem, but the more I used it, the more I grew to dislike it. Newbery claim that the handle and blade concept provides, a nice pick up, great power, more flex and allows for more wood for a huge profile. I didn't find any of this, the profile on mine was far from huge, the longer handle and shorter blade, ruined the pick up, and I didn't feel any more flex than on any other bat, except the C6+ Uzi.


But then again, I've spoken to people who absolutely love the concept, so don't let this review put you off, it's all down to personal preference, I just found that the longer handle, affected the timing of my shots, hindered the execution of some shots, and ruined the pick up, I think its one of those things that you have to try, to form an opinion on it.


I am a huge fan of Newbery bats, and when I did hit some shots right with this bat, they abolsutely flew, but I found playing some shots with this bat, where near enough impossible to play, due to the handle hindering the execution, and the fact that the blade is shorter, resulted in me hitting majority of my shots aerially, as I was plaing far to early. The bat was pressed to perfection though, which in my opinion is Newbery's speciality, they ping from the start.

Reviewed by Aaron Jepson

Charlie French Recurve

Charlie French Recurve

2lb 10 exactly

Sh

Charlie French is also a relatively small company, like Fusion Sports who I reviewed earlier. With Charlie French being my local batmaker, and after having seen and used some beauties throughout the season, decided it was time to try one myself. CF offer, custom made or 'off the shelf' bats all of which are handcrafted, from grade 1 English willow

After some though, I went for a Recurve, which is more of a traditional shaped bat, with a 'flat back' as opposed to the huge concaved profiles, on some of the other bats I have reviewed.

With Cf being fairly local, I rang and asked for a 2lb 10 recurve to be made, and then picked it up a few days later, when I went to get the bat, I was very pleased with what I recieved, great looking willow, nice pick up, and when Charlie gave me a ball to hit with it, great ping too !

The bat has, 11 grains, all of which are sapwood, and have no blemishes, it weighs in a exactly 2lb 10, as I asked for, the bat doesn't have a huge profile, edges being 27mm at the widest point, Charlie French was pleased with the bat and said "it's a lovely piece of willow" and with him being a expert batmaker, and decent batsmen, I'll take his word for it !

Having used the bat a few times, I am still very impressed, the ball seems to fly with minimum effort, I really can't think of any bad points on this bat. Can't wai for next season, to use this.

The customer service offered, was also very very good. Charlie was happy to speak to me on the phone, and once in the shop, he offered me the chance to test the bat there and then, and even knocked it in a little for me. And to top it all off, he even threw in a scuff sheet, and padded bat cover, for no extra cost. Great service, great bat.

Will definetely be getting another Cf in the future, can't rate them highly enough, if anyone's interested http://www.cfbats.com/

Reviewed by Aaron Jepson

Newbery Uzi C6+

Newbery Uzi C6+

2lb 12oz

Carbon handle
SH

Newbery are one of the bigger names in cricket these days, they've been around for years and years and built up a decent reputation. So I decided to try one of the new C6+ Newbery's mainly down to the Carbon Handle, which I wanted to try.

I ordered his bat a little heavier than most of my other bats, I usually go for 2lb 9 or 2lb 10, but got this one a few oz heavier, as the carbon handle is relatively light.

The bat is huge, 30mm edges, and features Newbery's 'fish fin' concaved profile.

The handle though is the main feature of this bat, there is a carbon rod, pushed through the handle, which is then surrounded by expanding foam. I thought these handle's where a gimmick after first reading about them, but when I recieved it I was pleasantly surprised, the handle offers much more 'flex' to the bat,when in your stance and pushing down you can feel the difference in flex, so if you like a stiff handle, then these bats are not for you ! I am actually a fan of this handle, I heard Newbery had a few problems with these handle's when they first released them, so I was sceptical as to whether my handle would make it through the season, but I found out that it was only the first batch of handle's which where faulty, and they're now all fine.

Now down to the bat, this bat doesn't have a great pick up, like some of my others, It tends to feel a little heavier than it is, due to the Carbon Handle being lighter than a standard cane one, this however hasn't been a problem, as I soon got used it. The bat has 10 grains, all of which are sapwood, with no blemishes on the face. Newbery seem to press there bats to perfection, and the ping on them is very, very good.

I rate Newbery bats very highly, due to the pressing, they 'go' from the start where as some brands take time to play in. If I was to get another one of these, I would get one a few oz's lighter in weight.

The customer service from Newbery was very good, they where a little slow to reply to the emails, but that's expected from such a big company. I spoke to on of the guys at the HQ in Hove, and he picked me out a bat, trying to match my description, and I recived the bat 2 days later, so was very pleased.

Reviewed by Aaron Jepson

Fusion Superbest

Fusion sports superbest
2lb 9oz
Sh
Mid middle


Fusion sports are a fairly small brand in todays cricketing industry, with the likes of GM, GN, Slazenger etc being the household names, Fusion sports many of you would have never even heard of.

All bats made by Fusion sports are custom made to the customers requirements, and are then handcrafted in Crewe by batmaker, James Cornford.

Right, this bat, it weighs exactly 2lb 9oz which I asked for, and has a mid positioned middle, so they got my specs entirely right. These bats are graded on a mix of density and performance of willow, and costmetic atrributes, so you could have a bat which doesn't look too good cosmetically, but plays amazingly.

This bat has 8 grains, all of which are sapwood, Fusion sports where one of the first brands in cricket to specialise in the 'concave' profile, to which many other brands have gone on to do. Due to the concave profile, this bat pics of like a dream, argueably the best 'pick up' on a bat I have felt.

I am yet to use this bat thoroughly, but from the time I have used it, it's a amazing piece of willow, pings very well, a credit to Fusion sports. And I've heard they keep on getting better and better, after being played in.

The customer service Fusion offer, is second to none, they talk directly to the customer, which many brands don't, and are always there to offer advice, on what specs you should go for. They put the customer first, which I believe is why many people swear by them. And it is a huge achievement for them, that members of the England cricket team, or using their products.

Overall I rate this bat very highly indeed, and I have used many many brands, and Fusion sports is definetely one of the best, look forward to purchasing more in the future.

If anyone would like to buy a Fusion sports bat, the website is http://www.fusionsports.co.uk/ although they do prefer customers to ring.

Reviewed by Aaron Jepson