UP to $100 for wood, to the stratosphere for metal or composit($400 or so, complete with B.S. techno mumbo-jumbo like "patented IMX (tm) technology"). Professional leagues use traditional wood only (turned maple or ash), everybody else whatever they can get their hands on.

Major league bats are now so bizarrely constructed, with big fat heads right at the maximum, but necks as slender as possible, that the average player goes through dozens and dozens per season. Thirty years ago a broken bat was rare thing, caused only by defective wood or a seriously overmuscled horse-steroid user; now everybody breaks them, several times a game. It can be dangerous for the fielders -- and the spectators -- to have the jagged edge of a bat head flying at you at high speed, especially for the fielder who is trying to catch the even more rapid ball in the middle of the fragments.

Metal bats, on the other hand, are dangerous for youth leagues, because they have a much larger "sweet spot", and the ball comes off them much faster. The most common fatal injury in youth baseball is the rocket shot to the chest stopping the heart. There have been calls for a return to traditional wooden bats, but schools and youth leagues can't afford them -- they cost more to start with but last almost forever.

A wooden baseball bat, unlike a cricket bat, must by the rules be a single piece of turned wood -- no lamination or assembly permitted, whereas in cricket it's required. Metal and carbon fiber bats are of course complex assembled objects.

I have to admit a cricket bat, even a crappy one like I have, is a lovely thing. Most Americans have only ever seen one in "Spinal Tap", though.

Just saw the prices for the cricket bats. I guess you don't have it any better. Don't you hate it when the crossed out price is LESS then the current price. Why even show that? must be trying to instill a sense of urgency. What types of wood do they use? Ash and maple are big over here.

http://www.xbats.com/products.asp?ca...PARTNER=google

thereyet

There's a lot of similarities. The bats the top players use will be custom made for them - and the replicas sold to the proles.

Cricket bats too are now prone to break - especially the woodworm type. In the past the average pro cricketer had two bats a season - his first choice and a back up. Now they will get through a dozen or so.

I still have my Father's Len Hutton bat - and it still plays perfectly well.

I do miss linseed oil though - the smell of summer.

What types of wood do they use? Ash and maple are big over here.>>>>

Willow without exception - usually Indian willow. There is a specific tree called a Cricket Bat Willow grown for this purpose:

http://rfs.org.uk/thirdlevel.asp?Thi...SecondLevel=33

The handle is cane, though, isn't it? That's the biggest difference -- a cricket bat is two pieces fitted together.

What part of a cricket bat usually breaks? Is it the joint? The handle? The blade itself looks pretty indestructible to me.

No linseed oil? What, are they sealed with plastic varnish now?

Would that be similar to like let's say a wicked slider on the outside corner of the plate.

In the game of cricket, what is that thingamahbob that is located behind the batter or batsman?

In American baseball, they have a position called a Catcher.

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Ronnie Belliard of the Cleveland Indians goes through eight or nine dozen baseball bats a season -- over 100. The average player five or six dozen.

A baseball team will go through more than 20,000 balls in a season, almost all of which end up in the stands as souvenirs (not just home runs, but every ball gets tossed out the instant it gets the slightest mark or scratch, basically if it ever touches the ground).

Top hitters tend to be really fussy about their bats, and have strong preferences for type of grain (wide or narrow), shape of course, and color of finish. Many players can judge the weight of their bats to within a fraction of an ounce just by hefting it.

Would what be similar? A sticky wicket? Please read back through the thread, your questions will be answered there.

The thing is called a wicket, but it's not the wicket that gets sticky; and the little things on top of it are bails.

What team would keep the balls refrigerated so they wouldn't fly as well when hit?

http://www.exploratorium.edu/basebal...ing_balls.html

thereyet

In American baseball, they have a position called a Catcher.>>>

The cricket erquivelent is Wicket Keeper (he's the bloke with the big gloves)

Cricket bats are made of lots of bits of wood - the balde is one piece and the handle lots of others - they're s sort of plywood to make them springy.

It's the blades that break - they are quite highly sprung and they give our, and yes they have either white or clear varnish on them - hence no need for linseed oil.

I have often wondered about the differences in Cricket (which is played in Great Britan and former British controlled places) and American baseball (which is played in the USA, Canada, Japan and the Caribbean Islands).

In our American baseball, the pitcher can do some amazing things with the baeball. He can throw that ball to home plate at 95 miles perhour. Then the next pitch can thrown the ball at a slightly reduced velocity. That small difference in velocity can keep the best hitters off balance.

Then there are the various off speed pitches (Curve balls and such). The pitch starts as though it will be out of the strike zone, then dips back over the plate. By the time the hitter adjusts to the curve ball, it is too late to make a good connection with the bat. The ball is weakly hit to a fielder or the batter misses the pitch entirely.

Anyway, I have wondered if these techniques in pitching mechanics are also in the game of cricket?

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In cricket the bowler can do much more, as he also uses the wicket (the earth).

So a spinner can impart spin so when the ball hits the ground it changes direction. A seam bowler makes the seam hit the ground - and the ball will move off the seam. A fast bowler can dig it in short and aiim directly at the batsmans head and boddy and so on.

Bowlers can also make the ball swing in flight and also the is the slower balll (which is similar to the knuckleball). Then when you've got your head round that lot there's the googlie.

Great googlie mooglie!

thereyet

The advantage for the cricket bowler (compared to a baseball pitcher) is that he can, and almost always does) hit off the ground. Is it legal to bowl a ball in cricket that doesn't hit the ground first?

The advantage for the pitcher is that the batter is obligated to do something -- if he swings, and hits the ball, he HAS to run, and make his base. In cricket, all you have to do is keep the ball off the wickets. A cricket batsman can and does stand in doing nothing but chipping balls away on the ground for long stretches, never running or trying to run.

The differences and similarities between these two games are endlessly fascinating.

Is it legal to bowl a ball in cricket that doesn't hit the ground first? >>>>

Yes - if it's below waist height. Above that it's a beamer and not only illegal but very naughty indeed. You simply don't do it.

Audere, you have mentioned that you only have to look out the window for rain and the game will be canceled. Do they attempt to play the following day? Are tickets refunded or do they give "rainchecks"? Not that I am thinking they will be anything but perfect weather when in town but rather curious.

thereyet

They will try and get a result on the day - by reducing the number of overs if necessary. In this competition there is no provision for an extra day - so it just becomes a no result - they share the points.

We don't do rainchecks in Britain (can you imagine how many they'd have to print?). If there's no play you get your money back.

Audere (CW), I still have fond memories of egg and baccy ties and stuffy brits wondering where the hell I got those tickets!

Did you win any wagers this year?

Ann, how did the Englishmen do this year?

I am looking forward to the day that I return to Lords.

thereyet

We beat the Sith Effrikans in the summer. That was nice.

Cricket's undergoing a huge change at the moment with a massive shift in the powerbase to the sub-continent away from the white commonwealth. There's a load of money slewing around and it could go anywhere.

Interesting times.

CW, but all that money didn't help the Sith when the Englishmen took them on this summer?

Is twenty/twenty gaining in popularity? I found that version very enjoyable for the short attention span of a Merikan.

thereyet