Posted on: 11 November 2014
Many of our customers ask us about the sweetspot or “middle” on bats. What does this mean and does it matter?
The sweet spot or middle of the bat is the area of the blade where you achieve the largest amount of power in the shot you are playing. The middle is usually dictated by the profile through the back of the bat – where the largest amount of wood is.
Most players will have a bat with the normal sweet spot . This would be about 4” to 12” from the toe. A bat with a normal sweet spot will suit a batsman who plays the full range of shots. This sweet spot does not favor any style in particular.
A high sweet spot is usually 5” to 13” from the toe. This bat suits a batsman who opens or prefers playing short pitched bowling, and off the back foot. The weight distribution is higher up the blade, meaning that the bat speed is faster. This type of bat generally suits the player that likes to cut, hook and pull.
A low sweet spot is usually 3” to 11” from the toe. This type of bat suits a player that enjoys driving the ball and playing aggressively. It is particularly suited to wickets that do not have much bounce. The pick up may be affected due to the weight of bat being nearer to the toe.
It’s also worth considering the height of the player – short players may well prefer a bat with a higher middle while taller players may prefer a lower middle. This is down to the height of the bounce – particularly when driving the ball.
However, when all is said and done, the most important part of selecting your bat is feel – if it feels great, you’ll probably play better and enjoy your game – and that’s what matters.