Bat review: Slazenger V600 Ultimate
A quality bat is surely the most treasured and coveted item in an international cricketer's coffin, and in Slazenger's V600 Ultimate, impressionable left-handers and stickler right-handers alike have found common ground.
A quality bat is surely the most treasured and coveted item in an international cricketer's coffin, and in Slazenger's V600 Ultimate, impressionable left-handers and stickler right-handers alike have found common ground.
Modest in appearance among its numerous new peers, including a slew of brazenly branded bats emerging from the sub-continent, the V600 Ultimate lets the willow rather than stickers do the talking.
No false promises of 'Booming Boundaries' and 'Pulsating Power' here, instead simple, understated, realistic logos – insisting the proof is in the punch, not the packaging.
Decidedly light at two pounds, 12 ounces (one kilogram, 24 grams), the short handle is refreshingly lithe compared to some of the brick-esque blocks governing the Twenty20 market recently. Veteran South African Jacques Kallis, a consistent Indian Premier League recruit but a Test match purist at heart, will attest to this.
Ticking all the boxes in its finest English willow construction, contoured edge profile, over-sized sweet spot, sharp spine and balanced pickup, the V600 Ultimate largely upstages its competitors with a subtly bowed blade. The arch is faint, indeed, but confirms its superiority throughout.
We dispersed the bat among a few local club cricketers, and then escalated the trial to the peripherals of provincial competition. Consensus prevailed across the board: beyond the PR speak and possible propaganda that comes with product reviews, the V600 Ultimate is a class apart.
Likened to the closing throes of Slazenger's older range, its latest brainchild is remarkably versatile. One particularly ambitious tail-ender cherished "reward in distance for some rare timing", while a dogged opening batsman appreciated the additional four millimetres of edge. The extra "meat allowed for greater confidence on the pull," he insisted.
Standard with a tapered toe guard and already knocked in, the V600 Ultimate isn't a high maintenance bat. Owners, however, should soon be rewarded in a run-heavy relationship – understanding its solidity against fast bowlers, comprehending its trustworthiness against spinners.
<i>The V600 Ultimate is available from slazenger.com, and while it usually retails for £349.99, is currently on sale for £219.99</i>.
<b>Jonhenry Wilson</b>
Latest
-
NewsTom Lammonby leads Somerset charge after Essex earn first-innings lead at Lord’s
Lammonby was 94 not out at tea with Somerset on 159 for two – an advantage of 123 – in the Bob Willis Trophy final.
-
NewsEssex have the edge in Bob Willis Trophy final clash against Somerset
The Chelmsford-based team made the best score in their first innings at Lord’s.
-
NewsSir Alastair Cook’s brilliant 172 drags Essex towards Somerset total at Lord’s
The rest of Cook’s team-mates provided 99 further runs to Essex’s total, with six wickets down.
-
NewsDubai lighting gives Indian Premier League fielders a challenge
Shreyas Iyer was prepared to give his fielders some leeway after the Delhi Capitals spilt catches but MS Dhoni was having none of it.
-
NewsDhoni concedes that CSK have got their balance wrong
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni says the team have missed Ambati Rayudu and haven’t got the balance of their XI correct.
-
NewsSir Alastair Cook stands tall for Essex as they respond to Somerset at Lord’s
The sides are battling it out for the 2020 season’s big prize.
-
NewsNew Zealand home summer gets rubber stamped, tour to Australia postponed
New Zealand will welcome the West Indies and Pakistan before the turn of the year with both sides set for two Tests and three T20Is.
-
NewsOn This Day in 2004: West Indies stun England in Champions Trophy final
Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw somehow combined to steer their side home in near darkness.
-
NewsZimbabwe-born Eddie Byrom reveals England ambition after starring at Lord’s
The left-handed batsman scored 117 out out of Somerset’s 301 against Essex in the Bob Willis Trophy final.