You are sure to be excited when you receive a cricket bat. Regardless of your age, everyone enjoys the exhilaration of launching a straight drive or tugging a short ball for a boundary. We end up experiencing these emotions because we adore the game.
However, only a well-cared bat can provide such stellar performance on the ground. So, you must understand how to care for your bat. If not, the bat’s life will be shortened, and its performance will decrease.
This is where we will help you in recognising the true needs of your Cricket Bats. Read this blog post until the end as we discuss everything from ‘knocking in’ to ‘oiling.’
What to Expect?
Cricket Bats are products of natural willow, thus with time and with use, their condition would degrade as is the case with other natural materials.
No matter the bat’s brand or finish, superficial edge and face markings as well as indentations or bruising of the natural willow will surely develop with time. It’s the natural wear and tear process of willow. This specifically occurs when you use “poly type” covers, as these man-made materials do not respond exactly like a willow— a natural fibre.
However, there is no need to fret or be anxious in these instances because these will not impact the bat’s performance and durability.
5 Care Instructions for Cricket Bats
1. Oiling
Using raw linseed or cricket bat oil, you must treat all natural-faced bats. The fundamental goal of oiling is to preserve the blade’s moisture content and lessen the likelihood of splitting and breaking. But, you should exercise caution as over-oiling and under-oiling can negatively impact the bat.
Ensure a few light applications to the face, edge, toe, and rear of the blade. But keep away from any stickers or emblems, as well as the splice region. Then, let the bat dry out.
After 24 hours, you should clean any oil that the bat hasn’t absorbed. Give the bat’s face a light sanding using a fine sandpaper before reapplying a thin layer of oil to the face alone.
2. Knocking in
The crucial part is “knocking in,” even when all bats are compressed. The willow fibres in the face and edges are pressed during this procedure to create a barrier that guards the bat against the ball’s impact. The performance and lifetime of the bat will be considerably improved by effective knocking-in.
You knock in with a specific bat mallet or an old, high-quality Cricket Leather Balls. This conditioning takes much patience as you need to hit the bat repeatedly in all locations where you typically expect to strike the ball. You must do it with progressively increasing force.
Be careful not to knock the edges or toe directly at a right angle to the blade since this is likely to result in damage. You may also apply a bat covering for enhanced protection. However, that doesn’t negate the need for effective knocking in.
Ideally, this knocking-in stage should take around six hours, but as each cricket bat is unique, the exact time may vary.
3. Short Catches
The following stage involves advancing to using the bat to make short catches using an old, high-quality cricket leather ball.
Even so, if the seam leaves a mark on the blade, you must go back and knock in for additional conditioning. It should take at least one extra hour to complete it. After that, try short catches once again and check if it still leaves any seam marks on the blade.
4. Net Practise
After completing the above three steps, you should prepare the bat in the nets against a soft, old cricket ball. Preferably, play defensively and steer clear of very rapid bowling.
If you notice any seam marks on the bat’s face, you should continue knocking in even at this stage.
5. Fibreglass
All bats will break during the course of a cricket’s lifetime because a natural piece of wood will split under the repetitive impact of the ball. To help preserve the face and edges of a cricket bat, it may be worthwhile to place fibreglass tape on the edges of the bat.
How NOT to Handle Cricket Bats?
A good cricketer should also learn to avoid some things in preparing their cricket bat for a match. Some of the most important ones are as follows.
- Don’t over-lubricate your cricket bat.
- Avoid dipping the bat in oil.
- After rubbing the bat with oil, do not hold it vertically.
- Avoid striking the edges at an acute angle.
- Do not strike the bat’s back.
Under no circumstances may you use a bat in a match before finishing the suggested procedures.
Final Say
There you have it!
This is how you care for your cricket bats. Most importantly, it is not a one-time procedure. You should continue to care for it throughout its life. Even the simplest of care, such as keeping the bat in a cover, can have a significant impact on your bat’s durability.
If you are looking for your dream bat or any other cricket gear, you can reach out to Season Sports.
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