The problem is choice! – key points when picking your bat

As players ourselves we understand that instant connection you get when you find the right bat. It is a very personal experience picking your bat   with so much choice it is hard to know how to even narrow down what you are looking for. This is even harder as E-commerce dominates the retailing landscape   the art of picking a bat is left to chance. In this guide we will discuss some key points to considerwhen picking your bat.

1: Sizing for success

Size is a key factor for any batter, especially young kids. Having a bat that is the right size will help positive technical   physical development, giving any young cricketers the best start. Having the right size can protect any players knees, backs, hips   wrists from injury as the size will affect how a player sets-up   how they swing the bat or play their strokes. A common question we answer is what happens when a player is close to a size boundary, the answer to which is the next size up to get the most from your investment especially if the child is due a growth spurt. This is very important for teenage players who are near their first adult bat. Some are tall enough but not yet strong enough others maybe strong enough but just not tall enough and, in this case, we would recommend looking at small adult   Short handle bats before making a final decision. Ideally if you can try a teammatebefore investing this is ideal. For adults the sizing is far simpler, SH is suitable for players 5ft8 to 6ft6. Much like junior players making sure your bat is long enough will save your back, knees   hips. For those who exceed this height range there are a couple of options. The most common if Long Handle with an extra inch as the name suggest in the handle. These a generally preferred as the extra handle length doesn’t change the balance of the bat as much   if anything can improve it. The other option is the Long-Blade, not as common but readily available on the market the extra-inch is in the blade   as you can image these bats are heavier, preferred by big hitters. There is no right or wrong answer it all come down to preference to if you can try a team mate’s out before investing the this is the best way

2: Just the way you play

Through the course of your cricketing journey, you will develop your own style of play. This is never set in stone as we are always developing but all players will have their way of playing. You may be a player who prefers the back foot game taking on the short ball & punchy off front & back foot. A player could be more elegant on the front foot with classical drives relying on touch & timing to manoeuvre the ball around the ground.

The shape of a bat is known as the profile, designed to complement a specific playing style & there are 3 main profiles on the market. When thinking of profiles, they always focus on where the thickest part of the bat, usually the best performing part or sweet spot is positioned, between the toe & splice.

The high blade swell:The thickest part of the bat is positioned on or just above the mid-point between splice & toe. Generally crafted to have a longer sweeping curve on the back or spine & best compliments the back foot play & those who like to punch the ball.

The low blade swell: The thickest part is generally positioned in the bottom quarter of the bat has a slightly steeper curve or spine near the toe & compliments the front foo player nicely.

The mid blade swell: The thickest part of the bat sits roughly around the bottom 3rd of the bat & is an ideal for the all-round stroke maker or some one who is new to the game & doesn’t really have a preference.

With the popularity of T20 cricket & the need for always clearing the boundary the introduction of the short-blade profiles with the extra length in the handle offering more leverage & more wood in the hitting area is ideal for players who attack from the get-go.

3: Weight

There are two concepts that players discuss regarding weight. The simplest is dead weight   is settled by simply resting the bat on the scales. The most common dead weight on the market is 2lb8.5oz to 2lb9.5oz which is slowly getting heavier due to the high demand of bats with bigger edges   spines.

The second factor is pickup weight   is the most personal part about choosing a bat. A skilled bat maker can shape a bat’s profile so that the pick-up feels lighter than the dead weight. This is down to basic physics. When holding a bat effectively your wrists become a fulcrum   the further away most of the weight is from this fulcrum the heavier the bat will feel. This can also be affected by the thickness of the handle   extra grips with some international players using weights on the end of the handle to make the pick-up lighter.

4: Name your price

Choosing the right bat will almost certainly come down to your budget. With such a wide price range, with English willow bats from as low us £90 to as high as £700+ choosing the right price range can be daunting.

The main factor in this difference in price is willow quality  although a £90 bat can come from the same tree as a £1,000 bat but the physical properties of each will be very different   each cleft will perform differently.

Bats in the range of £130-£250 are the most bought on the market as these will give the customer a good balance of performance, size   weight. A skilled player or selector of cricket bats may be able to find a bat of a lower grade to perform as well as a higher, but this is rare   only when you can have wide selection of bats in front of you. Exceptional bats which have the most favourable combination physical   aesthetic properties will cost £700+ as they return better performance, higher in demand   infinitely lower in supply.

Bats under £100 are still widely available in the market   are made from the lowest grade English willow   in some case Kashmir willow, which is grown in India, most commonly used in junior bats   senior bats best suited for beginners or very casual cricketers.

Deciding on the price range for you depends on your levels   experience as a player   what you can afford. Please bear in mind that bats are made of the same materials   a more expensive bat does not mean it will last longer.

5: Performance

Given that all bats are sold as brand new many ask us how can a bat be graded on performance? For those who have read our article on willow grading, you’ll be screaming the answer but if you haven’t the answer is nice   simple. When making a bat cleft will be pressedto compact fibres to give them strength   improve their performance. The master bat maker will test the bat, by knocking a ball up to test the reboundduring pressing. When the bat maker feels that the performance is no longer improving, they will make the final decision on the grade before being sent for finishing.

6: Aesthetics

Grading bats is as much an art as it is a science with factor such as grain clarity, width, straightness, continuation from face to back   the absence of blemishes giving the master bat makeran indication on performance.

This method of grading makes a big impact on the price point  simply the cleanest looking clefts usually return the best performance. As mentioned above once they are pressed for optimum performance that the bat maker takes the final decision before assigning it a final grade.

They key to picking bats on a budget is bearing in mind that both aesthetic qualities   performance influence the bat makers final decision so keep in mind that the odd blemish on the face could save you money.

7: Fashion over function

It is a common factor across any part of the retail world. Some people will just by what they like the look of   we won’t tell you any different. If a bat looks, good   feels good then chances are you will feel good when you play with it.

You may have a brand affiliation because a family member or hero uses a certain brand, or your highest score was made with that brand   will be the only brand you trust. What ever bat you settle on just make sure it feels right in hand to the eye so you can take your guard feel on top of the world!

I hope that you have enjoyed our guide   if you need any more advice, please do email us, or get in contact with a member of staff over the phone.