IN ASSOCIATION WITH TRAVELBAG

Small-scale Sussex-based bat-maker Mighty Willow’s Black Bat gets the Wisden once-over.

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.

Travelbag sponsors playing equipment features in Wisden Cricket Monthly and on wisden.com. For amazing worldwide holidays visit travelbag.co.uk