Table of Contents
I’ve guided readers on how to choose a cricket bat and there’s also a section on the game’s most popular brands. In this guide, I’ve gone a stage further and tested out some specific models.
The result is a list of what I believe to be the best 10 cricket bats this year. There will be a difference of opinion but many experts also agree that these models are right up there with some of the best ever made.
SS Kashmir Willow Leather Ball | Kookaburra Surge Protege | Kookaburra Kahuna Kashmir Willow |
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SS Kashmir Willow Leather Ball | Kookaburra Surge Prodigy 50 Premium | Kookaburra Kahuna Kashmir Willow |
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SG Scorer Classic Kashmir Willow | Kookaburra Kahuna Kashmir Willow | New Balance DC 640+ English Willow |
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SG Scorer Classic Kashmir Willow | GM Cricket Kashmir Willow | New Kookaburra Kahuna 150 English Willow |
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SS Kashmir Willow Leather Ball | Kookaburra Surge Protege | Kookaburra Kahuna Kashmir Willow |
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Top 10 Cricket Bats of 2024
Kookaburra Kahuna Pro Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Shorter Batsmen
Price Category: Premium
Kookaburra have been around for a while but their products became known across the world when Australia’s international cricketers started to use them extensively. Ricky Ponting was included on that list and, in 2001, he helped to develop Kookaburra’s iconic bat, the Kahuna.
This particular model has a short handle and it’s also fairly light at 2.15lb. It can, therefore, be used by a range of players because it has a good balance between power and touch. Having held it, it had a nice light pick up and perhaps it would be better for shorter batsmen who rely more on timing to get full value for their shots.
The Kahuna is made from premium English willow and it’s a premium product that retails for just under £650.00 on Kookaburra’s official website. There may well be some offers to check out and, if you are happy to pay higher prices for your equipment, it would be worth it in this instance.
SG Scorer Classic Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Power Hitters
Price Category: Low Budget
Unusually for a bat to make it into the top ten, the SG Scorer is made from Kashmir Willow. Premium wood is used for the blade and reviews suggest that it’s one of the more durable products of its kind.
Kashmir has been used by all types of players, including the great Sachin Tendulkar. It’s known mainly as a tool for big hitters, however, and the Scorer is designed for that style of play. It had a nice pick up with a short handle and it felt very comfortable in my hands. The thick edges and curved blade also suggest that power hitting was the aim when this bat was designed.
Because it’s not English willow, prices for the SG Scorer are far more affordable. If you already play with Kashmir or are considering it as an alternative, you should really look at this bat.
Spartan MS Dhoni Edition Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Power Hitters
Price Category: Low Budget
I hadn’t ever really thought about buying a Kashmir Willow bat. There are some small advantages but in the battle against English willow I thought it had struggled. However, if this product from Spartan is good enough for MS Dhoni then it most certainly must be good enough for me.
Kashmir willow is known to have smaller sweet spots while there is a tendency for them to wear out much quicker than English willow alternatives. I can’t comment on the durability of this product but independent reviews suggest that it has a reasonable shelf life.
Like most kashmir bats, this has a big sweet spot through the hitting area so I’d suggest that the Spartan MS Dhoni Edition is aimed more at the big hitters.
Puma evoSpeed Chromium 3500
Recommended for: Power Hitters
Price Category: Great Value for Money
I’ve given Puma a glowing review in the separate article about cricket shoes and, to be honest, I hadn’t really thought about them much in terms of bats. That opinion changed when I picked up this product – the evoSpeed Chromium 3500.
It has thicker edges and a curved blade plus a flatter face with more of the willow placed in the hitting area of the bat. Because of this, it is designed more for the power hitters than those who rely on timing. Despite that, I thought it had a good balance with a relatively light pick up.
The evoSpeed Chromium 3500 is another premium product but one that is worth the money for the serious club cricketer. I’m not a power hitter myself but if you’re a destructive player then I recommend considering this bat.
Gunn & Moore Zelos DXM 404 Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Touch Players
Price Category: Low Budget
Gunn and Moore has been my own personal preference for many years now. I don’t need to renew my bat just yet but, if I did, I’d always consider their equipment. The Zelos brands are used by many of the world’s best, including Dawid Malan, Ross Taylor and Aiden Markram.
Those three batsmen are touch players who can hit the ball long distances when they need to. This is a lighter bat at just over two pounds in weight so I’d maybe suggest that you could also consider it if you are a touch player who doesn’t have the power to clear the boundaries on a regular basis. However, most reviews tend to disagree with me and claim that the short handle and low to mid sweet spot are better suited for power play.
Made from grade three English willow, it’s one of the least expensive bats here and I managed to find one at just over £100.00.
Gray Nicolls GN2.5 Kaboom Warner
Recommended for: Power Hitters
Price Category: Premium
When a player gives their name to a cricket bat, it takes on extra interest so I thought it was definitely worth checking out the David Warner-endorsed Kaboom. We know that the Australian left hander relies on power rather than touch so I was expecting that this product would assist that style of player.
I was right: The Kaboom Warner is absolutely huge with a massive profile and seriously big edges. It’s a heavy pick up too and models can weigh anywhere from 2lb 8 to 2lb 12. It’s heavy to lift but that’s no surprise given the type of player that it’s designed for. To complete that mighty profile, it’s also slightly concave with a mid-range sweet spot.
Another bat made from high grade English willow, the Gray Nicolls Kaboom has a premium price to match but, if you are a serious player who relies solely on power, I’d definitely recommend taking a look.
Gray Nicolls Legend Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Players of All Styles
Price Category: Premium
If you like the Gray Nicholls brand but would prefer a bat that’s a little more subtle, I’d suggest taking a look at the Legend. The company has been around for a long time and were first established in the UK in the 1850s. This is, however, a bat for the new age.
Visually, the Legend is stunning with its lasered branding; no more stickers to wear away. It had a sweet spot somewhere in the middle so it has good balance and is therefore an option for all round play.
It’s made from Grade 1 English willow and only the top 1% of all available willow will be suitable for the manufacturing process. This bat has really been designed with professional players in mind and the price matches this. It could retail for anything up to £1000 but I have seen offers listing the Legend for around the £700.00 mark.
New Balance DC 640+ Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Power Hitters / All Styles
Price Category: Great Value for Money
New Balance are another producer who ranked very highly in my article on shoes. Honestly, I wasn’t even aware until recently that they’d gone into bat production but their general equipment ranks so highly that I had to check this out.
The DC 640+ is made from Grade B English willow and it’s very competitively priced. It could therefore be good for the club cricketer who only turns out once a weekend. It’s light with a good pick up but has big edges and a big sweet spot so I would say that this is a good bat for power hitters in the main but it could suit all styles.
MRF Genius Chase Master English Willow Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Stroke Players
Price Category: Mid Price
MRF can make a number of different bats but, as this name tells you, the Chase Master is produced using English willow. This is a replica of Virat Kohli’s original bat and it’s quite heavy with products ranging from 2lb 8 to 2lb 12.
The balance is good however and this bat feels really light as you swing it. That weight is also evenly distributed so there will be good value from your shots even if you don’t hit it quite in the middle.
The English willow used in the Genius Chase Master is grade one so you can expect to pay a minimum of £400.00.
Newberry The Master 100 Heritage Cricket Bat
Recommended for: Classic Players
Price Category: Mid Price
Newberry is another producer that has been around for a long time and I first became interested in the brand when former England captain Mike Gatting used one in the 1980s. This release gives a nostalgic look back to those days and its traditional branding means the Newberry Master 100 has been widely described as ‘retro’.
This bat came along in 2019 to mark 100 years of production at the factory and it’s designed to offer great balance and an even weight distribution. The design has also allowed for a much wider sweet spot so it’s quite forgiving if you hit the ball towards the edge. Players who rely on timing may prefer this bat which is made from high quality English willow and retails at a mid range price of around £300.00.
Closing Thoughts
If you’ve read my guide on the processes of choosing a cricket bat then you’ll know that we’re all different. I play more off the back foot and use my bottom hand a lot so that determines my overall choice.
Another factor that determines our choice relates to bats that we have used in the past. As I’ve mentioned, I currently have a Gunn and Moore and I would normally look for their products first. However, compiling this review has really opened my eyes and I’ll certainly be shopping around when the time comes to buy a new bat.
However, having picked up and tested all of the bats on this list, I think there is a good range that can suit the styles of all players and I hope you can find your own new favourite among them. Now, don’t forget the first and most important thing after a successful purchase: knocking in the cricket bat before playing.
