SS Jumbo

Established way back in 1867, Surridge Sports continue to unleash some of the most sought after cricket bats on the market.

Established way back in 1867, Surridge Sports continue to unleash some of the most sought after cricket bats on the market. We equipment fanatics at skysports.com had the privilege of running the rule over two of them - the limited edition SS Jumbo and the aptly named 'Diamond' - during another gruelling examination at Headingley Indoor Cricket School. Some great names have put their trust in Stuart Surridge over the years, the likes of WG Grace, Viv Richards, Graham Gooch and Lance Kluesner all providing an elegant mixture of power and panache with the finest English willow in hand. And while I don't quite have the same repertoire of shots in my locker, I hoped a cameo with the SSs would somehow morph me into a mixture of the above... (what a look that would be!). Now, the Jumbo is one of, if not the most famous bat around, due to its longevity amongst other things. One of those 'other things', I quickly discovered was the legendary ping off the bat. Should a bower over-pitch, he may want to think twice about extending his follow through, as the ball could well be sailing back in his direction at an almighty rate! There is an extraordinary amount of willow - Grade 1 English willow no less - on the Jumbo and even if you do not catch the ball on the sweet-spot, you still get full value for your shots. The pick up may not be as effortless as I'd like, however when you make a true connection there is no stopping the ball (apart from by the net of course). The Jumbo is the kind of bat you dream of when you have given up on running and simply want to swing from the hip. The power it possesses is frightening. The grains on the bat are well defined and while the purchase will set you back some £220, you know exactly what you are getting with the Jumbo - pure quality.