Advantages: High quality cricket bat Disadvantages: Little pricey
PumaBallistic 4000
The Product
This is a cricket bat, made by the Australian based manufacturer Puma. Puma make all sorts of sports equipment, but have only recently moved into the manufacture of cricket bats. They have, however, exploded onto the scene and are now amongst the most popular manufacturers.
This particular bat is a PumaBallistic 4000. All the Puma bats come in a series of grades, 5000, 4000 and 3000. Therefore, the 4000 is a middle range bat, but as the quality of all the Puma bats is so high, this is like a high grade bat from any other producer.
The Ballistic is characteristic for its thick edges and enhanced sweet spot, making it a bat for players of power rather than precision. The 4000 model is made from Grade 1 English willow, the highest you can get. The only thing that differs from ...
Advantages: Quality, durability, comfort. Disadvantages: Nothiing, but try to get a lower price online.
I should stress before starting this review that I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a bowler, so what follows is written very much from the point of view of a batsman/wicket keeper.
BASIC INFORMATION
The Puma Signature Full Spike is a lace up cricketshoe, and, as the name suggests, is spiked both at the toe and heel end of the shoe.
It is predominantly white, with a red, black & grey trim and retails at between £40 and £60 (as usual, you'll pick up some better deals online if you search it out).
The heel has 4 spikes, the toe 6, but it is possible to fit fakes to keep just the toe halfspiked or to fit pimple spikes, but there are plenty of shoes out there that offer this as a basic anyway, and it would make sense that, were you looking to buy a 'full spike' shoe, you'd be looking to keep them all in!
I ...
Advantages: Comfortable, well made, reasonable price Disadvantages: not a lot of toe protection
I have starting playing indoor cricket, and have been playing on polished wooden surfaces, where grip has been important, especially when bowling. I found the Adidas Uproar to be very comfortable, although not specifically designed for cricket, although taking one on the foot from an indoor ball still hurts.
For bowling I found grip very good, essential if you want to avoid turning your ankle over when bowling, even though these are a low cut trainer. The bottom of the shoe has a non-marking indoor sole, and good traction. A cross trainer cut would be a plus, although these shoes were good value and being well made will undoubtedly last for a long time. ...
