Why Should I Buy a Custom Bat?

Understanding the craft, the benefits, and the difference between custom and off-the-shelf.

Every player swings, strikes, and feels the bat differently. From height and strength to preferred scoring areas and go-to shots under pressure, no two players are the same.

Yet most players are still buying bats built for the average player — not for their hands, balance point, middle position, or swing tempo.

Using the same materials, build process, and performance standards trusted by elite players like Glenn Maxwell, a custom bat is tuned to your feel, pick-up, and response.

That's the difference: a custom SCC bat isn’t simply “a nicer bat”; it's a bat engineered around you and your game

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BUILD YOUR CUSTOM BAT NOW

WHAT GOES INTO CUSTOM BAT-MAKING?

A custom build starts with decisions that have real performance outcomes.

1. Willow selection

Each cleft is assessed for feel and response, not aesthetics alone. Grain structure, moisture content, responsiveness, and rebound all play a critical role in how a bat performs and how long it lasts.

All SCC Cricket bats are made using certified English willow sourced from JS Wright & Sons, the world’s oldest and largest established supplier of English cricket bat willow. That certification gives players confidence that what’s in their hands is genuine English willow, not a substitute marketed to look the same. English willow remains the benchmark for durability, rebound consistency, and long-term performance.

A custom bat ensures the right grade → feel → durability equation for your volume of cricket—removing guesswork and delivering consistency over time.

Willow grades for scc custom bats

  • Players Grade

    • The clefts elite batters use.
    • Ultra-tight, straight grains, minimal or zero blemish.
    • Highest rebound consistency and longevity when pressed correctly.
    • Responds at lower force: clean, instant power without needing a “levering” swing.

  • Grade 1

    • Excellent straight grains with minor cosmetic marks (not performance-affecting).
    • Slightly more variable response zone, but still premium rebound and pick-up.
    • A great choice for top-tier players who want near-Players performance without the investment.

  • Butterfly English Willow

    • Visible “butterfly” stain pattern is purely aesthetic — not a structural flaw.
    • Often firmer in feel, meaning exceptional durability and strong mid-middle response.
    • Favoured by players who want longevity and stability without worrying about cosmetic perfection.

2. Balance and pick-up mapping

Every player accelerates differently. An SCC Custom Bat is crafted around your swing:

  • Where is your contact point?
  • How and when do you accelerate?
  • Do you lead with hands or shoulders?

The balance point and pick-up is adjusted accordingly, shaping how “light” or “loaded” the bat will feel on the lift and return.

3. Middle positioning

Where the bat really does its work.

The “middle” is the power transfer zone: the exact point where energy moves from hands, to handle, to blade, to ball, is most efficiently returned.

  • Low middle: players driving on indoor surfaces, or low skidding bounce.
  • Mid middle: balanced stroke-makers.
  • High middle: back-foot players and steeper angles.

This drastically affects power transfer and forgiveness.

Why it matters so much in a custom build:

  • Moving the middle even 5–10mm changes not only responsiveness, but pickup, balance and swing speeds.
  • A poorly matched middle forces you to swing harder, not smarter.
  • A correctly placed middle increases forgiveness — mishits still travel, instead of dying.

4. Handle and toe architecture

This determines shock absorption, control, and clean release.

Handle Shape is the feel-defining component rarely spoken about. There are three main choices:

  • Round: freedom for bottom hand, fluid wrists. Ideal for those that manipulate the field.
  • Semi-Oval: controlled bottom hand, stable top hand. Most balanced, most modern.
  • Oval: maximum top-hand dominance. Cleaner face presentation and control through contact.

The Bat Toe is the shock absorber + balance anchor of every stick.

  • Traditional: grounded, weight down the blade, straighter feel.
  • Semi-concave: lightens swing without significantly decreasing durability.
  • Duckbill: raises the pick-up point, increases swing speeds, and boosts control for compact hitters.

5. Pressing and finishing

Pressing changes feel, not just durability.

  • Too hard = muted, “dead” response
  • Too soft = over-responsive, faster fatigue

SCC applies calibrated pressing for repeatable rebound and longevity, not just “max ping on day one.”

All SCC Custom Bats are then finished by boning edges, fitting a toe guard, and applying your choice of SCC stickers.

What Benefits Do Custom Bats Provide?

  • Built for Your Swing, Not Someone Else’s

    Off-the-shelf assumes one template fits most.

    A custom bat acknowledges:

    • arm speed
    • hand/shoulder dominance
    • stance width
    • backlift path
    • shot preference (power vs control vs manipulation)

  • Better Confidence at Contact

    When your the pickup and balance of your bat aligns with your game, your:

    • timing improves
    • hand speed increases
    • swing path becomes repeatable
    • fatigue drops across long sessions

  • Durability Through Correct Weight Distribution

    When weight is placed where you use it, the bat isn’t fighting you — or itself. This allows you to:

    • utilise the bat to it's fullest
    • back yourself and your intent, and
    • change the game your way, not in the mould of someone else.

A custom built cricket bat arrives feeling familiar, not foreign.

Custom Builds vs Off-the-Shelf

Feature Off-the-Shelf SCC Custom
Middle position Fixed template Selected for your game
Pick-up Brand/model default Tuned to your swing
Feel Variable Calibrated and repeatable
Handle One or two options Full selection with customisation
Pressing Standard Performance-specific
Balance Mass-block distribution Intentional, role-specific
Longevity Dependent on store/location Built around play style and level

An SCC Custom Bat removes compromise.

SCC Recommends

1 Game Bat + 1 Training Bat

To prevent premature damage and extend the lifespan of any Custom bat, players shouldn’t rely on one bat to do all the work.

SCC Recommends a specific training bat, with the same profile, pickup, and balance, to ensure you deliver when it matters.

Why Serious players use two bats

Workload

A Training Bat takes the bulk reps in the nets to preserve your Game Bat's performance for matchday.

Rebound

A Training Bat takes repeat impacts, allowing the Game Bat to maintain peak performance when it matters most.

Confidence

Use your Training bat to test adjustments in the nets, while your Game Bat stays match-ready to execute your skills.

Longevity

A Training Bat extends the lifespan of both bats, and ensures your Game Bat is fresh and ready on Matchday.

Training bat = where you put work in.
Game bat = where you demand results.

A custom bat is built just for your game, preserving that feel for match day is key.

Final Word: Who Custom Is Really For?

Not everyone needs a custom bat.

But if you’ve ever felt:

Great in training, dull in matches

Heavy late in overs

Unsure where your middle truly is

That one bat felt “right” and everything after didn’t

…then you’re the exact player who benefits. Custom isn't indulgence — it’s alignment.


Your swing → your bat → your game

Your game isn’t generic.

Your bat shouldn’t be either.

BUILD YOUR CUSTOM BAT NOW