New plain Grade 1 Genuine English Willow cricket bat nurtured in UK

For 45 quid you cannot go wrong. Compares quite passably with a grade one English Willow custom made cricket bat I bought from the maker for £275. No kidding. Beautiful workpersonship, a nice bit of wood (I recokon grade 2 English Willow, not grade 1) with about 7 grains, and the ping in the middle something else. Wouldn't buy a £200 bat ever again.Olly Buxton

The bat finally showed up... and it's a little cracker. Needs lots of oil, and plenty of knocking, but what new bat doesn't?To be honest, on looks alone, you get a LOT of bat for your cash. Don't know what it'll play like, but if it only makes it through the winter net sessions, I'll have got masses of value from it.Mine came covered in Maxx stickers - which aren't terrible - so for the snobs amongst you who were expecting a plain bat you could stick GM stickers on, think again.

For the price it's OK, doesn't ping like a better quality bat, but I would recommend it for early season nets and as a training bat.Update, on more playing this isn't good enough for a match, if the ball doesn't hit the absolute middle this horrible thonck sound and hardly anything happens. Again I'd only use this for some light hitting throw downs or some light nets.

Ordered this bat on a friday and came saturday at about 2pm, fantastic service. The bat itself is very good, it will need a bit of knocking in and I gave it 3 coats of oil. It has 8 grains in the bat, it has a fantastic middle which runs from about 2 inches from the bottom of the bat, right up to about 2 inches from the bottom of the V where the handle fits in. will need a scuff sheet and a toe guard.Knocking in the bat you will have to focus on the top and the toe of the bat the rest is ok but will need a bit of knocking in. The ball will fly off the bat when it is ready to play in matches. When the bat came I weighed it and instead of it being 2lb 10oz it was 2lb 12oz

I have been a regular customer for these high value bats (30+), use them myself as a County player, scored in excess of 3,000 runs in 4 seasons.

Was pleasantly surprised with it just a couple of pointers for people who are not sure first you will have to give these vats atleast 4 coats of oil as the wood is quite dry and very light in colour and it must be knocked in well and you should invest in a toe guard as it doesn't come fitted with one but overall the balance is nice has a great pick up and has quite a big sweet spot. Only used in the nets so far but can't complain with the performance

Bought this bat just to try a short handle and I love it I've had it 4years now and scored over 2000 runs wouldn't change it for the world needs a little work on it now but I love it

Although the middle of the bat is sweet to hit and its light to swing, the edges gave up.Mine broke in my first net practice session. It broke at bottom edge even after oiling and knocking. Wood look immature from the inside. I received a uneven willow white on the left half and beige on the right and I got it replaced.