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Cricket Bats Cricket Bats are fundamental to the game of cricket. Good cricket bats are expensive. However, a large proportion of players, mainly amateurs and children, are playing with the wrong size and/or weight cricket bat to the detriment of their game. Read on to learn exactly what you need to know when selecting the right cricket bat. Materials & Manufacturing Materials Cricket bats are carved from willow, which is a naturally fibrous wood. Each cricket bat manufacturer will seek to select the best woods for their products to ensure high standards and overall product quality. The two types of willow used for bat making are English Willow and Kashmir [Indian] Willow. English Willow: This is a soft, fibrous timber. This type of willow is the preferred choice for the majority of bat manufacturers due to its high performance effect when striking the ball. Regardless of type however, willow will become damaged and prone to breakages over time. The English Willow Cricket Bat can become scarred, bruised and dented due to the nature of the game and the frequent high intense impacts of the ball hitting the cricket bat. Kashmir Willow: Kashmir willow Cricket Bat comes from India. This is largely utilized by cricket bat manufacturers as a substitute for English Willow. The Kashmir willow is regarded as a harder wood and in comparison to English willow does not have the same performance effect i.e. a player will not experience the same “sweet spot” when striking the ball. Kashmir willow will only be used for lower range and priced cricket bats. It is unlikely that a regular adult player, playing at a reasonable standard would choose to use a Kashmir willow cricket bat. Carbon Fibre – Some cricket bat manufacturers insert additional carbon fibre into the handle of the cricket bat to make the bat feel lighter in the hands. The insertion of carbon fibre also allows more power to be generated in shots and increases the shock absorption in the handle from high impact balls. Titanium – Due to recent technological advancements and innovations, this material is can be inserted into the handle of cricket bats to add reinforcement and provide more power in the hitting zone. Manufacturing- How are Cricket Bats made? Time – The process of making a cricket bat takes a relatively long period of time compared to many other sporting products. Before any manufacturing can take place, trees have to be specially planted in selected areas of the UK [or India in the case of Kashmir willow]. 15-30 years after plantation, the trees are chopped down with two more planted thereafter. Clefts – The trees are then chopped into logs and are then split into wedges called clefts. Each bat manufacturer then carefully selects the clefts they want before waxing the clefts at each end to prevent the loss of any water moisture and splitting. The clefts are then placed in drying rooms. After 6 months the clefts are removed from the drying rooms as they will have reached the required moisture levels. Cutting – The clefts are then cut into the basic shape of a cricket bat with the correct width and length. At this point in the manufacturing process, the handle and toe ends of the bat are established, with the blade selected from the best end of the willow to ensure a quality cricket bat and better performance. Pressing – After machining and grading, the willow is pressed. This strengthens the willow so it can withstand the impact of a cricket ball. The pressing stage of the process has to be done very carefully, to avoid the cricket bat from being compressed too much. Fitting the handle – The next stage is to fit the handle to the cricket bat. The handle is usually constructed of cane and rubber strips, but with recent technological innovations and advancements, titanium is sometimes utilized. The handle is constructed of such materials to add reinforcements and provide more power in the hitting zone. Shaping – When the handle has been fitted, the cricket bat is nearly complete. The bat’s craftsman then places the bat into a vice and shapes the blade using a draw knife with the majority of wood left in the middle of the cricket bat (some manufacturers will use machines to achieve the same outcome). Some cricket bats are crafted with lower or higher middles depending on the player’s batting style and the types of pitches they play on. The craftsmen will shape the blade to enhance the pick-up and weight of the cricket bat and to ensure a good overall balance to the bat. The shoulders of the bat are shaped and blended to give the correct shape and structure to the bat. Final touches – The cricket bat is then sanded twice, with the shoulders shaped again and blended into the handle of the bat. The cricket bat is then finished using a horse’s shin bone to polish the surface of the bat. This compresses the cricket bat further, provides a nice polished finish, and increases the overall presentation of the cricket bat. Once rubber grips and the manufacturer’s logo are added the Cricket Bat is now complete and ready to be sold. Bear in mind that at this stage the cricket bats isn’t entirely finished as you will have to do some preparation to your bat prior to using it, even where stickers state the bat is pre-prepared. Now that we have given you tips on what to look for in a cricket bat, you can go ahead and shop with Sports365 to choose from a wide variety of brands like GM,SG, Puma and Kookaburra. Besides cricket bats, we also have various other types of cricket equipment. Shop with us and avail great offers. If you can’t decide what cricket goods to buy, use our online chat option to for expert tips!
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