Before we advise you on the selection and care of your new bat it may be worth discussing how a cricket bat is constructed and graded.

Cricket bats are manufactured from Salix Alba Caerulea, a particularly soft and fibrous type of Willow. The highest quality Willow is commercially grown in the UK. (Note: J.S.Wright and Sons web-site is well worth a visit for those with more than a passing interest in cricket bats)

Each Willow trunk is divided into 'bat clefts' which are about 71cm long and are shaped to closely represent a cricket bat blade. When dried the blades are graded and stacked ready for shipping.

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 larger 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.

On arrival at manufacturers’ sites the bat clefts will be left to air or in some cases kiln dried, until they reach the correct moisture levels. Once dried the clefts are worked into the correct cricket bat shape and size, then pressed to compress the willow making it more resilient to impact, less susceptible to damage.

The next stage involves sawing a ‘V’ into the blade and bonding a multi-sectioned cane and rubber sprung handle into this ‘V’. Finally cord is wound around the handle to keep the cane sections together and a rubber grip placed over the cord.

A final inspection is generally performed by the master bat maker where he will grade the bat on how it looks, picks up and feels. In some cases the cricket bats will then be oiled, faced and either hand or machine ‘Knocked In’.

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 fly. 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.

If a bat is too heavy it forces the player to alter his grip trying to lift the bat when playing a shot, bringing the bat down across the line of ball. Bats that are too long prevent the bat being picked up correctly as the top of the handle gets in the way. Choosing the correct bat is vital for proper technical development. A young player, playing a reasonable level of cricket is much better off with a slightly smaller, lighter bat, which will help him improve his stroke play, than a heavy, oversized bat which will cause his play to deteriorate and maybe lessen his interest in the game.

The main aim for a comfortable bat is to enable the player to play strokes without undue effort or hindrance. To help you judge what size you should be looking for, the chosen bat should be placed on the outside of the right foot (if right handed), left foot (if left handed), and allow the bat to be placed on the inside of the thigh. The top of the bat handle should sit no further than the top of the groin, otherwise it will get caught up in the pads. Also, it will be too heavy to handle. To judge the weight, ask the player to hold the bat straight out in front of him at shoulder height with his playing hand (top hand). If the bat moves or trembles at all, then again it is too heavy.

Oiling

Cricket 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 cricket bat as Pre-Knocked In and ready to play.

You should start by oiling the blade with Raw Linseed Oil. Use an open weave cloth and spread a light layer of oil over the main face and edges of the bat, do not apply oil to the splice of the bat (the V section where the handle meets the blade).

Stand the bat vertically, if oil is running down the blade you have applied too much and should wipe off the excess to leave a light film. Sit the bat down horizontally and leave overnight. Repeat the oiling procedure but use an even lighter coat of Linseed oil. Leave the bat lying horizontally for a further 6 hours.

Knocking In

By Knocking In the cricket bat we are trying to compress the Willow fibres down the face and edges of the bat.

By correctly Knocking in you will gain more driving power from the blade and will prolong the life of your bat.

You can use a wooden bat mallet or an old cricket ball to prepare the bat for play.

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 cover the mallet for this first stage with an old sock to soften the blows. Ensure that all areas of the bat receive attention.

You can check your progress by lightly pressing the blade with your finger nail. At the beginning this will leave an indentation but towards completion it will be harder to leave a mark.