Cricket Bats

Cricket bats are used similar to baseball bats, but they are made differently. They have a flat side and a blade on the other. The blade is made from willow. The blade is 4 Ω inches long and the entire cricket bat is 38 inches long. Cricket bat manufacturers take pride in providing quality bats as well as preserving the willow resource. For every willow cut down to make cricket bats, two are planted in its place.

The handle of a cricket bat is made of cane and rubber strips that are laminated. Water resistant glue is used to keep it from wearing out. Most cricket bats are made by hand, so some imperfections are to be expected. Knots in the willow wood are common. They don’t deter from the quality of the cricket bat or the strength of the product. A speck is a common imperfection that is the result of the area where the willow tree grew being surrounded by gravel and stones.

Some cricket bats have a butterfly stain on it that is named for the resemblance to the body and wings of a butterfly. This is the result of the willow tree actually being a hybrid. Some people like the effect because they believe it makes the cricket bat unique. The fact that it comes from hybrid wood doesn’t make it any less sturdy than the other original willow tree cricket bats.

Cricket bats are classified by the grade of wood used before they leave the manufacturer. This grade system is based on the quality of the finished product. The grade of a cricket bat will determine the price it sells for. There are four grades with grade 1 being the absolute best quality available for a cricket bat. The most commonly sold cricket bat is the grade 3.

Once you have purchased a cricket bat, you will need to do a process called knocking. This is done to compress the fibers of the bat so that it will not be damaged when hit by a ball during the game of cricket. Doing the process correctly will take approximately six hours per cricket bat. This process will ensure your bat lasts a very long time.

You will also need to oil your cricket bat before putting it to use in a game. Be careful not to over oil your bat or the wood fibers will be damaged. Cricket bats come in many sizes. No size of cricket bat works better than another, it is simply a matter of personal preference. It is a good idea to experiment with many different sizes of cricket bats to get a feel for what works best for your body stance.