The middle of the Gunn & Moore Mana DXM was variously described as “good”, “solid”, “reliable” and “sweet”
RRP: £205, Edges: 33mm, Weight: 2lb 8oz
Who doesn’t love a cricket bat with the perfect timbre? One that replicates that “clock” sound we all make while shadow-batting in kitchens, lifts and any other scenario where we believe we have privacy as we close our eyes and dream of hitting that perfect cover drive in front of the appreciative Lord’s crowd.
If that’s an important factor in choosing your new bat, then Gunn & Moore’s offering here probably isn’t for you because, to quote journalist Nick Friend, it “didn’t sound like it was made of wood”.
A bat that makes “freaky noises” if you don’t middle it might be fun as a Halloween novelty, but our testers weren’t impressed with this particular feature of the Mana when they found anything other than the middle.
The middle itself, however, was variously described as “good”, “solid”, “reliable” and “sweet”.
Editor Huw Turbervill noted this model would be “more suited for back foot players”.
Other plus points included a “nice and tidy” look and its “reasonable price”, while it was found by one Reed’s School pupil to be “light and whippy”.
Initial impression: 6.8
Build quality: 7.2
Pick-up/feel: 7.3
Performance: 6.2
OVERALL SCORE: 6.9
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