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