SS vs Spartan Cricket Bats

The SS TON Player Edition and the Spartan Sorai Rhino KP: two high-end bats.

A. SS Ton Player Edition
 

Price

The SS Ton Player Edition costs around ₹ 27,000. It may be expensive but rest assured that the price is definitely justified. The price is also high because this type of bat is made according to professional players’ specifications.

Materials

Grade 1, hand-picked English willow is used to create this type of bat. It is lightweight yet sturdy and is of the highest grade of wood used in making cricket bats. The bat usually has seven to ten grains, showing that it is indeed made of high-grade materials. The handle is a 12-piece cane handle with cork linings to help ensure maximum transfer of swing to the cricket ball.

Measurement

The bat’s edge measures between 36mm to 40mm and also features a flat face. Because the swell is located near the toe, the ‘sweet spot’ is from the mid to the low area of the bat. The bat features very minimal concaving and feels unusually light for full-face profiling.

Handling

The bat usually weighs in around 1.2kg, making it incredibly light for an all-rounder-type-catered bat. Because of the thicker edges, full-face profiling, and a large ‘sweet spot,’ strength isn’t sacrificed for precision. All-rounders prefer bats that weigh around 1.1kg but using this bat, you will barely feel the difference. 

Availability

Owning one of these bats may seem a bit difficult since they are manufactured in a few batches. Even when newly delivered to a store or advertised in an online shopping website, stocks ran out right away because they are one of the most bought types. If you want to own one, it is highly recommended that you place an order for the bat.

Popularity

As mentioned, the bat is very popular with buyers because, despite the price, it is one of the best performing bats in the market. Taking into account that it is also created to player specifications, buyers will look to own one immediately especially if the player they idolize has a bat made to his specs.

There are also some professional players who use the SS Ton bat during their games. Some of them are Ikram Ali Khil of Afghanistan, Moeen Ali of England, and Ravindra Jadeja of India.

Cons

The only downside of the bat is that it’s not produced in large quantities. This means that when stocks run out (and they usually do), those who want to buy will have to wait long periods before one is for sale. Even then, there is no assurance that you will be the owner of it since you will definitely have plenty of competition.

B. Spartan Sorai Rhino KP
 

Price

The Spartan Sorai Rhino cricket bat costs ₹ 25,000 mainly because it was designed and manufactured to Kevin Pietersen’s specifications. The bat also costs a lot because of the materials used in manufacturing, which will be discussed further below. 

Materials

The bat is produced from Grade 1 English willow, the best type of wood used for cricket bats. It usually has 10 to 12 grains, an indication of its quality. Unlike other bats, the Sorai has a built-in toe guard, making it last longer and quicker on the pick-up. It also features a simple yet effective rubber grip with grooves for maximum grip.

Measurement

The entire bat measures 851mm, with the handle at 292mm and the blade at 559mm. The spine is centred and runs from the shoulder of the bat to the mid-toe. The face has little concaving helping emphasize the bat’s centred ‘sweet spot’ which focuses on power.

Handling

The bat weighs around 1.2kg, a typical weight for hard-hitting batsmen. What makes this bat different from other all-rounder preferred bats is its extended ‘sweet spot,’ from mid-shoulder to -mid-toe. The bat has a profiled edge running from the shoulder to the toe further emphasizing the bat’s swell. 

Despite the bat’s weight and the features that scream power, it is surprisingly easy to pick-up and even easier to swing. The round handle paired with the grip makes for efficient swinging even when close to the body.

Availability

Sadly, the bat is fairly difficult to see in stores and only has very limited stocks in online shopping websites. Besides it being a buyer- and fan-favourite bat, it is also only produced in limited quantities.

Popularity

The Spartan Sorai Rhino is specifically tailored to England Cricket Legend Kevin Pietersen’s specifications. The Sorai stands for Save our Rhinos Africa & India. Pietersen is living in South Africa and has become more aware of the Rhino poaching problems. He partnered with Spartan to help raise awareness for the issue while playing the sport he loves the most.

Cons

This may come as a shock or highly unbelievable but the bat has no bad aspects to it. It is designed to certain specifications making it as close to a perfect bat as possible.

C. Final Comparison

Both bats are high-end, both bats are meant for powerful hitters, and both bats are sought after in the market. What makes the Spartan Sorai Rhino stand out here is the partnership with Kevin Pietersen. This adds a ‘premium’ to the bat because it is created to his specifications.