How to Buy a Cricket Bat

Buying a quality Cricket bat takes a basic understanding of the component parts of the bat and how they are put together. Cricket is one of the most popular games in parts of the world once controlled by the British Empire, but it's a maddeningly complicated game for the uninitiated. Picking a good bat, however, is simple, if you know what to look for. Here's how to do it.

Instructions

1. Know the construction and size of a cricket bat. The overall length of a bat is no more than 38 inches. It has two parts: The blade and the handle. The handle of a good cricket bat is the most expensive part of the bat and it takes up to 20 separate pieces of cane with rubber layers glued into it to act as shock absorbers.

2. Choose the handle length and diameter that fits your height and hand size. The handle can be long or short, as long as the overall length of the bat is does not exceed the 38-inch limit.

3. Decide which type of willow you want for the blade. The best bats are made of English willow, a soft fibrous wood with excellent rebound qualities when the ball strikes the middle of the blade. Lower grade bats are made of Kashmir willow, a harder, more brittle wood. Look for compressed curved cricket bat blades, never shaved bats, as they are inferior.

4. Test the performance of a cricket bat by bouncing a red leather cricket ball on the blade several times while holding it by the handle. On a good blade, the ball will bounce high or spring. On a blade of lesser quality, the ball will bounce lower and seem dead. Be sure the blade contains no knots, as these are dead areas on the bat.

Tips & Warnings

• It's common for a cricket bat, even a very good one, to develop surface cracks or crazing with use. This is normal and does not affect the performance of the bat.

• Some players cover the blade's batting surface with a thin material to protect it. This material cannot exceed a thickness of 1/16 of an inch.