IN ASSOCIATION WITH TRAVELBAG
Small-scale Sussex-based bat-maker Mighty Willow’s Black Bat gets the Wisden once-over.
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Style
Straight-forward stickering, with the theme of this ‘Black bat’ very much, er, black. Not eye-poppingly garish nor exceptionally elegant, the look is, at least, inoffensive.
Shape
A long, rounded handle descends to a chunky, angular slab of wood that sees plenty of meat in the lower half, meaning front-foot drives should stay driven. The edges, which speak of the potential for power, are best described as fat.
Value
An RRP of £350 means Mighty Willow is, by the standards of the current market, pretty fairly priced for a quality bat, but naturally there is the scope to find something cheaper that suits your needs if you’ve plenty of time to shop around.
Should I pack it in the kitbag?
Mighty Willow make a big play of their willow selection process. If you take the plunge on one of their bats you should get a decent piece of wood – although the one we used needed a bit of knocking in to get the desired performance. There are plenty of good bats available for £350 these days, but if the ethos, shape and styling matches your requirements there’s no reason the Mighty Willow Black shouldn’t be among those you consider.
