B3 Custom Bat Competition

We have teamed up with our friends at B3 Cricket to give you the chance to win the perfect cricket bat - handmade especially for you!

What makes the perfect bat?

It is a question that many have pondered, but few, if any, have been able to answer. It is all to do with weight, feel, grain, pick-up, middle, density, handle, shape, profile, grip, ping… the list goes on and on. The truth is that every bat is different. Wood is a natural product and no two clefts are ever the same.

Clefts? A cleft is the rough piece of wood that will form the blade of the cricket bat once it has been pressed and shaped. The clefts are cut from English willow and dried, before they are delivered to the clever guys at B3. The density of each cleft is measured. The more dense (ie the more compact) the cleft the heavier it will generally be.

So picking the right cleft to make your bat from is crucial, and if you are female it is even more important as weight is a vital factor in making the perfect woman's or girl’s bat. Most girls are not as tall as men, or as strong, which means they will generally need a lighter bat. But that does not mean that their bat will be inferior or that the ball will not ping off the middle. It just means you have to get the right density cleft; hand-press it carefully to compress it; and then shape it to suit the way that you bat. 

Some people have a tendency to hit the ball higher or lower on the bat than others. If you prefer to play on the front foot then you probably hit the ball lower on the bat more often than not. If you are a back foot player then you probably hit the ball higher up the bat. By adjusting the shape of the bat and the thickness of the blade you can adjust the height and area of the sweet spot on the bat – the rather inappropriately named “middle”.

It follows therefore that if you go to a shop you could pick up a hundred cricket bats and none of them would be right for you. The answer is to make a bespoke bat – perfectly tailored for your height, weight, and style of play. That is exactly what B3 cricket can do for you. And they are experts in making bats for women. 

Some of the rising stars of English women’s cricket are looked after by B3 – such as Lancashire Thunder's Emma Lamb.... 

Emma Lamb

"B3 bats are excellent quality and well manufactured. The service provided by B3 is second to none. Great bat, great service"
Emma Lamb

Freya Davies (c) Don Miles

and Sussex and Western Storm’s Freya Davies...

"Nothing is too much trouble for the guys at B3. You can tell that they are cricketers themselves. They take pride in providing you with the perfect bat".
Freya Davies

plus Warwickshire skipper Marie Kelly...

Marie Kelly (C) Don Miles

"B3 offer a quite unique service for cricketers at all levels. They combine the latest technology with the personal touch. They, and their bats, are top quality" Marie Kelly

And we would like to offer all you female players the chance to have a bespoke B3 cricket bat made especially for you, by the dedicated and very talented guys at B3. 

You can pick your own cleft, decide on the size and shape of your bat, and even be there to see it being made. Plus you can choose from a huge range of bat stickers and grips, so that your bat is perfect for you. You will be the envy of all your team-mates.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

A winner will be picked at random after the closing date on 21st March 2017. Good Luck!!!

MD

23/II/17