DSC BLAK 400 English Willow Cricket Bat - Grade 1 Short Handle

Grade 1 Willow. The Top of the Dark Force.

Grade 1 English willow is the timber the clefts are selected for before anything else gets a look. Straight, tight, near-unblemished grain — the wood that plays in fastest, rebounds hardest and still has ping in it three seasons later. There is a reason professionals bat with it.

The BLAK 400 is the top of DSC's BLAK ladder: a powerful profile with big edges and a genuinely generous middle, cut from Grade 1 willow. This is a bat for someone who has outgrown compromise.

Bulletproof Benefits

• Grade 1 English willow: The premium selection — straight, tight grain with minimal marking, delivering the fastest play-in and the hardest rebound available.
• Powerful profile: Mass distributed for maximum energy transfer, so the ball leaves the face at pace off both front and back foot.
• Big edges: Substantial edge thickness turns thick edges and half-timed shots into runs rather than dismissals.
• Generous sweet spot: A wide middle that stays forgiving even at the top of the range — premium willow without the punishing narrow sweet spot of a pure players bat.
• Round treble spring handle: Sprung cane construction absorbs impact so a genuinely quick delivery doesn't jar through your hands.
• Hex grip fitted: Ready to knock in and play.
• Holds its value: Grade 1 blades stay lively far longer than lower grades, so the cost per season is closer than the sticker price suggests.

Two only — and Grade 1 allocations from DSC are genuinely limited. These are the bats we get least of and sell fastest. If you want the top of the BLAK range this season, this is the window.

Specifications

• Brand: DSC
• Range: BLAK
• Willow: English willow, Grade 1
• Size: SH (Short Handle) — Mens
• Weight: Approx. 1160–1200 g (2.9 – 2.10 lb)
• Handle: Round, treble spring
• Profile: Powerful profile, big edges, pronounced bow
• Grip: Hex grip
• Construction: Handcrafted

Protecting a Grade 1 Blade

Premium willow deserves premium preparation. Knock in thoroughly — six to eight hours with a mallet across multiple sessions, working the edges and toe carefully before any hard-ball use. Consider a toe guard and edge tape from day one; both are cheap insurance on a bat at this level. Oil lightly two to three times a season and never leave it in a hot car. Done properly, a Grade 1 bat will still be performing when cheaper blades have gone dead.

Who It's For

Premier grade and representative players, top-order batters who face genuine pace every week, and serious club cricketers who want the best willow DSC's BLAK range offers.