Motiv Cruel Intent Bowling Ball Review

The Cruel Intent shares the same Sinister weight block as the 2 Cruel, this time surrounded by the coverstock used on the Primal Rage, Fusion Reactive Pearl.

It comes out of the box with a 4000 grit sanded cover, giving us the best reaction on our heavy test pattern. All three testers were able to see strong traction in the oil, while the Cruel Intent kept a generous amount of energy for the back end. This coverstock has proven it has what it takes to have some pick up at the back end and the sanded cover helped give our testers hook in the slickest part of the pattern. None of the testers needed to change the surface on this pattern.

All were able to keep the Cruel Intent at the box finish on our medium test pattern as well. They amped up their ball speed on this pattern without ever sending the ball past the desired breakpoint. The Cruel Intent was not sanded enough to pick up too early, even as the pattern went through its transitions. The three testers were playing three completely different parts of the lane and all had success with this ball.

We liked the ball on our sport pattern. The sanded cover gave us some miss room right instead of squirting to the out of bounds. The pearl cover kept enough energy to continuously slap out the corner, allowing us to stay straighter for a longer period of time on this pattern.

The dry test pattern was the only one that gave us trouble. The aggressive core and cover combination is better for heavier volumes. We polished the Cruel Intent to try and make it usable on this shorter pattern, but balls like the Tribal or the Ascents would be better options.

Strengths

The ability of the Cruel Intent to handle oil and maintain energy for the back end is its biggest selling point. The Fusion Pearl Reactive coverstock has been a winner on every ball on which it has been used.

Weaknesses

Dry lanes will not allow the Cruel Intent to be used. That’s where the Venom Toxin and the Tribal come into play.

Overall Summary

The Cruel Intent gives users a big hooking ball that is not done hooking at the arrows. Motiv has found a cover that gives them hook as well as a big down lane movement.