Bat Review: DKP Icon Cricket Bat 2024

There wasn't a single batter in the room who didn't have DKP Icon at the top of their list

RRP: £499.99, Edges: 40mm, Weight: 2lb 9oz

"Looks nice, plays better," the verdict of former England quick Alex Tudor, who still plays now and has an unbeaten 99 to his name in Test cricket. So, he knows what he's talking about when he sees a piece of willow.

Tudor wasn't wrong, and he wasn't alone in marveling at the DKP, with the symmetry of its grains and a featherlike pickup.

"It was like a dream," said Huw Turbervill, The Cricketer magazine editor and one of the testers on the day. "A Lamborghini, with a fabulous middle."

^{The DKP Icon brought a lot of smiles with it. [Paul Carroll]}

There wasn't a single batter in the room who didn't have DKP at the top of their list, helped perhaps by its status as a relatively unknown boutique brand.

With its simple sticker design, this bat is unfussy and all about substance over style. Its thick edges might give the impression of a heavy, T20 sleeper, but the reality is closer to the opposite. Certainly not overly heavy, instead this felt like the perfect club cricket bat, with a pretty central middle and a forgiving ping when you didn't quite nail your booming cover drive.

One to look out for on the shelves, and one to walk to the middle with come May.

Initial impression: 8.7

Build quality: 8.9

Pick-up/feel: 8.9

Performance: 9.4

OVERALL SCORE: 9.0 

BUY THIS BAT HERE

BACK TO BAT LISTINGS

Watch cricket masterclasses from the pros and find out about all the best equipment for your 2024 season on The Cricketer's YouTube channel: