MickeyD
RIP
EP legend, Simon Bezuidenhout, with one of the older bats in the St George's Park museum's collection
Photo by Ivor Markman
Photo by Ivor Markman
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The evolution of the cricket bat
- Thread starter MickeyD
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TehStranger
Executive Member
I grew up playing with one of those in the 90s, a relic of my dad's collection that just felt "right".
Hectic
Executive Member
Just before I became aware of that bat, I received a Duncan Fernley ***** as a Christmas present and I played most of my high school and club cricket with it. A friend bought that SS a few months later and I liked the bat, but think I still preferred the Duncan Fernley. You could definitely hit the ball a bit further with the SS.
Stefanmuller
Expert Member
Quite an eye opener, not really how small/thin Barry's bat was but rather how big and thick the modern bat has become. Even by my standards, comparing what we used in the 1996-1999 playing under 19a level, and around 2000-2003 playing university res league. Bats back then was around R1500 for a pretty good bat.
I guess the same goes for tennis, looking at the sticks McEnroe and them used at the beginning of their careers vs the huge rackets they use now. And the small wooden driver heads that Player and Nicklaus used vs the huge metal drivers of today. The sport evolves with the equipment. It does not mean the players who used the smaller equipment had to be better. The pace of the game increased as well as skill level, I would say bowlers are definately faster, fitter and fielders a lot better than back then. Greens got faster, more slopey, holes longer etc and the pool of top level competition in all sports got larger.
I guess the same goes for tennis, looking at the sticks McEnroe and them used at the beginning of their careers vs the huge rackets they use now. And the small wooden driver heads that Player and Nicklaus used vs the huge metal drivers of today. The sport evolves with the equipment. It does not mean the players who used the smaller equipment had to be better. The pace of the game increased as well as skill level, I would say bowlers are definately faster, fitter and fielders a lot better than back then. Greens got faster, more slopey, holes longer etc and the pool of top level competition in all sports got larger.
The same as Lance klusener did with the new ones. Match sticks and splinters.