Kookaburra Kahuna Doom cricket bat

[whats_at_stake]

Hi everyone,

I am strongly considering buying the Kookaburra Kahuna Doom bat from rebel sports. The only issue I have is the middle. I do not know if this makes sense but it sounds slightly hollow or at least the sound when you hit the ball on the bat does not sound "normal." Has anyone got this bat? Is it good?
http://www.rebelsport.com.au/ecom/rebel/artwork/product_images/large/0606000050558000.jpg (javascript:Zoom('0606000050558000.jpg');)

[strung_out7]

Hi everyone,

I am strongly considering buying the Kookaburra Kahuna Doom bat from rebel sports. The only issue I have is the middle. I do not know if this makes sense but it sounds slightly hollow or at least the sound when you hit the ball on the bat does not sound "normal." Has anyone got this bat? Is it good?
http://www.rebelsport.com.au/ecom/rebel/artwork/product_images/large/0606000050558000.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:Zoom('0606000050558000.jpg');)

You are better off going to a specialist cricket shop and picking up different weights etc so you find what you like. just dont go on the stickers. I dont knwo how it works, but i think the specialist stores take first pick of bats, then the rebel sports etc are left with the rest that usually have grain deficiencies, bad pickup etc

[pwdrock]

i personally use Kanga-Cricket bats

[nobbyiscool]

You are better off going to a specialist cricket shop and picking up different weights etc so you find what you like. just dont go on the stickers. I dont knwo how it works, but i think the specialist stores take first pick of bats, then the rebel sports etc are left with the rest that usually have grain deficiencies, bad pickup etc

best advice you will get in this thread... the bat companies will try and get you to spend between $300 and $550 on a bat by throwing irrelevant jargon and player names at you.

it doesn't matter - go to your local cricket store (and if you can get to a greg chappel store, great - they will do u a good price, they have a huge range, and they generally get first pick of the bats) and go and pick them up, swing them around, and feel where the sweet spots are.

do NOT base a bat purchase on the stickers, the brand, or who uses it.


i remember as a kid thinking how dumb it was that gray nichols would release the scoop or the double scoop bats, effectively cutting meat out of the bat.

turns out they were ahead of their time... the scooped bats made a resurgency a couple of years ago... but were never promoted. apart from the woodworms, which had edge cut out at the top of the bat, i think the gray nichols phoenix was the only bat released with the resurgent scoop.

you can't buy it any more, because it didn't take off. matt hayden may have used it for half a season, but i'm really not sure - anyway, it is, without a doubt the best bat i've ever held. sweet spot in the right place, weighted perefectly.

the point is, it is something that, if i were considering the stickers and who used it (and reputation) i wouldn't have considered in a million years. and i would never have gotten to use the best bat i've ever had the pleasure of holding.

[Simon_Nesbit]

Don't judge a book by it's cover - nor a bat by it's stickers. Build quality within a batting range can be quite considerable - though you would presume at the higher range ($350+) all bats are quality, there are some which stand out as a class above. If you are focused on the sticker, then here's a little story.

....

Don't know anymore, but around the time Ponting made his debut (or came back after B&B, can't remember now) - there was a little furore as the bat he was using was discovered not to be a kookaburra (instead it was a ****, with Kookaburra stickers).

Turned out most of the players weren't using bats that matched the stickers on them - either independent (custom) bats made then badged, or custom bats from their sponsor, with a 'retail' versions stickers added.

*** Can't for the life of me think of his name. Used to be based in Tassie, think he spent a fair bit of time in England, and moved to WA....I would have said blackberry, or newberry or similar - but that's not right.

[whats_at_stake]

Ended up not getting it. It turned out it was a grade four english willow and not very good. Got a GM Purist 707 for $200 which has a good middle. Slight issue with the weight but I should hopefully get used it.

Now for the knocking and oiling to begin.

[Simon_Nesbit]

edit - sorry Paul.

BRADBURY

Awesome, awesome bats 10 or so years ago.

[nobbyiscool]

Bradbury it is! he used to spend time at tour matches at Launceston's NTCA ground (Tasmania vs Pakistan is standing out to me) in a tent carving bats.

as a kind, about 13 years old, i used to think "what a tosser". now i kick myself for not paying more attention.

[Simon_Nesbit]

jeez, we must be close in age. I actually got my bat off him soon after that match. (Back then pretty much everyone got to pick their piece, and help in the making)...

Tassie v Pakistan, I was in the indoor nets - got to have a hit against Akram and a couple of others. Awesome stuff. (Akram off two paces still faster than pretty much anything I've ever faced. Scary quick without trying).

[Simon_Nesbit]

a little google turned up:

5th January 1997

[Northern_Swan]

Don't judge a book by it's cover - nor a bat by it's stickers. Build quality within a batting range can be quite considerable - though you would presume at the higher range ($350+) all bats are quality, there are some which stand out as a class above. If you are focused on the sticker, then here's a little story.

....

Don't know anymore, but around the time Ponting made his debut (or came back after B&B, can't remember now) - there was a little furore as the bat he was using was discovered not to be a kookaburra (instead it was a ****, with Kookaburra stickers).

Turned out most of the players weren't using bats that matched the stickers on them - either independent (custom) bats made then badged, or custom bats from their sponsor, with a 'retail' versions stickers added.

*** Can't for the life of me think of his name. Used to be based in Tassie, think he spent a fair bit of time in England, and moved to WA....I would have said blackberry, or newberry or similar - but that's not right.

In Adam Gilchrist's book he talks about this very issue and wrote something along the lines of what you have discussed but stated he was using the Millchamp & Hall Bats & he was happy that Puma bats were actually made by M&H or something along those lines (not going to get the book out to quote word for word)

[rickyp]

Check out the fisher bats, bought one last year and it's amazing

[SupersonicDocker]

In Adam Gilchrist's book he talks about this very issue and wrote something along the lines of what you have discussed but stated he was using the Millchamp & Hall Bats & he was happy that Puma bats were actually made by M&H or something along those lines (not going to get the book out to quote word for word)

Julian Millichamp is a WA batmaker who used to work for Puma way back when... He has made/shaped Gilly's bats for his whole career as far as i know.

For me, the best thing to do is contact companies like Bradbury (best bat makers in australia) or Julian Millichamp, you can go to their warehouses and select from 100's of styles/shapes. They come bare so you can just buy the stickers you like best from a cricket store. I would guarantee 99% of professional cricketers use custom shaped/designed bats that are made by independent bat makers. They then obviously rebrand them with a sponsors stickers

[w00dy]

Check out the fisher bats, bought one last year and it's amazing

I've had my Fisher for for almost 10 years now... The middle isn't amazing, but it's a good middle, quite a large pickup area too... I've had other bats where you really had to hit the sweet spot to get some power, not this one...

Broke the handle last season, but that's not bad given it's 10 years old... Been fine since I got it rehandled, made my first tonne with it!