Dorset Cricket Supplies

DORSET CRICKET SUPPLIES - BAT CARE GUIDE

Welcome to Dorset Cricket Supplies guide to selecting and caring for your new cricket bat. In this guide you will find out how to select the correct size and weight of cricket bat to suit your style and physical build.

Cricket bats are manufactured from the highest quality willow, which is commercially grown in the United Kingdom.

Cricket bats are graded in the following manner;

• Grade 1 - This is the finest willow, the cleft will be unblemished with tight straight grains, and there may be a small amount of red wood running along the side of the blade and small knots in the back or on the edge.
• Grade 2 - This is a very good quality cleft with tight straight grain but having small visual blemishes or a large area of red wood, neither of these slight defects will affect the blades performance.
• Grade 3 - This blade will have more colouration and visual blemishes, again these will not affect the bats performance. In many cases this willow will be bleached to make it look more attractive.

 

Selecting Your Bat

It is important that you select the correct size and weight of cricket bat. In many cases junior cricketers purchase bats too large and heavy for their size and build in the belief that the larger the bat the further the ball will travel. In practice the blade is too cumbersome and the young cricketers timing, which is critical to developing a good technique, is way off and his performance suffers.

See our bat sizing chart (under size guides), which gives a good guide to selecting the correct bat.

Oiling Bats

All uncovered bats should be oiled and ‘Knocked In’ prior to play. This procedure should be followed even if the bat comes from a manufacturer that markets the bat as ‘Pre-Knocked In’ and ready to play.

• A small amount of raw linseed oil should be applied to the face of the bat. It should then be worked into the face and edges of the bat using an open weave cloth. Do not oil the splice area (where the handle joins the blade) of the bat as this may soften the glue around that area.
• Stand the bat vertically, if oil runs down the blade you have applied too much and should wipe off the excess to leave a light film. The bat should then be kept horizontally on its back for 24 hours so as to allow the oil to soak in.
• For bats with a protective cover, oil should be applied as explained above, but only to the back and uncovered edges.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT OVER OIL YOUR BAT. MORE BATSARE SPOILT BY OVER OILING THAN UNDER OILING.

Knocking In

As stated above many bats are pre knocked in. This DOES NOT mean that it is ready to play immediately. It does mean that the majority of preparatory work has been done.

• We advise that you start the knocking in process by using an old cricket ball that you methodically tap down the edges and along the blade of the bat for up to 2 hours. If you prefer to use a bat mallet for this stage, using an old sock to soften the blow. Ensure that all areas of the bat receive attention.
• Repeat the process the following day or after a break. Hit the bat firmly with the bat mallet for short periods, don’t just tap it.
• It is important that you make sure the toe and edges of the bat are well knocked in.
• This process should last at least 2 hours after which the blade should be very hard and the edges slightly rounded.

 

Further Knocking In

After the initial Knocking In process has been completed, we recommend that you play the bat in gently in a net session. Get a friend to bowl or throw an old ball at the bat trying to hit the ball in the middle of the bat. At this stage you should get a feel for the bat; where the sweet spot is, how it drives and does the ball sound good off the blade. The old ball should not leave any large indentations, if it does return to the bat mallet.

In addition we recommend that you take further precautions to make sure that your bat is well protected from being damaged. For uncovered bats, we suggest that you place a clear protective covering over the face. It is also advisable that you place a strip of edge tape along the inside and outside edge of your bat.

Maintenance

To maintain your bat in peak condition we recommend you follow this simple advice:

Don’ts

• DO NOT expose your bat to extremes of temperature. Avoid prolonged spells in the car boot or interior.
• DO NOT over oil or stand your bat in oil. It is more dangerous to over-oil than to under-oil.
• DO NOT allow your bat to become damp.
• DO NOT misuse or treat carelessly off the pitch, for example at nets, or in changing rooms.
• DO NOT use cheap hard balls, these will damage your bat.
• DO NOT continue to play with a damaged bat, this will aggravate the damage to a point where the bat may be beyond repair.

 

Do’s

• DO prepare your bat carefully
• DO store your bat in off-season in a cool dry atmosphere away from excessive heat or damp.
• DO re-oil your bat after any prolonged period of non-use. Its particularly important to remember to do this prior to using in pre-season indoor nets.
• DO inspect your bat regularly for any damage.

 

Bat Repairs and Service

In normal use superficial face and edge marks with slight surface cracking will occur. This is to be expected, although it does not detract from the performance of the bat and may be ignored.

Other damage such as splitting of the toe as a result of hitting a Yorker or damage caused by a mis-timed shot can, more often than not be repaired and the repaired bat will continue to give excellent service.

HAPPY BATTING