Cricket game - Cricket Bats - Stumps

Besides the overall weight of the bat, an important attribute is the "pick-up"; the intrinsic weighting of the bat and the reaction it provokes in the batsman. Some batsman prefer the bat to have a lower "middle" (sweet spot) as it makes the "drive" - a type of batting stroke - easier. This is achieved by putting the majority of weight four fifths of the way down the bat. Others prefer the bat to have an evenly distributed weight along the back of the bat to provide a more general power area.

 

 

Other less orthodox techniques for improving bats have also been introduced, for example, many Indian subcontinental batmakers have long preferred the bowed style of bat - a bat that has a concave blade which enhances its springiness - and their western counterparts usually favour this method for at least one of their range of bats. Some bats have "scoops" cut in parts of the blade that won't compromise on their power but will reduce the weight and make the bat easier to wield. Others take weight from the shoulders of the bat, making the bat taper outwards from the handle, as opposed to the traditional style shown above. Lately, other, lighter types of wood have been incorporated into the willow, often in the form of pegs knocked into gaps in the back and sides of the bat.

These improvements are said by most to have a negligible improving effect upon a given innings, but their main purpose is to increase the comfort and confidence of the batsman and to promote the quality and range of bats from their manufacturer. The Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee famously attempted to use an aluminium metal bat, but any improvement upon the traditional willow could not compensate for the noise it made when it impacted upon the ball.

Currently, Gray Nicolls, a bat company, are creating a bat called the "Fusion" which has a lightweight carbon handle so that more weight can be used for the blade.