Deciding on what cricket bat is the best for you is a personal choice and it mostly comes down to how it feels when you are using it and whether you like the design. That said, aspects such as the grade of the wood, style of play and your age (whether you are a junior or senior player) also come into it. There are a wide range of cricket bats available in different designs, weights and prices.
Cricket Bat Size
The full length of a cricket bat should reach just below the cricketer’s waist whether they are a junior player or a senior player. Using the wrong sized bat whilst playing or training can throw off a cricketer’s skill and affect how well they play. The cricketer should be able to hold their cricket bat at arm’s length in front of them without being in any discomfort.
In the table below is an approximate guide to which cricket bat is most suitable depending on the users height and age. This should be taken as a guide only.
|
Bat Size
|
User Age
|
User Height (FT)
|
Bat Length (IN)
|
Bat Width (IN)
|
|
1
|
4-5
|
Under 4’3
|
25 ¾
|
3 ½
|
|
2
|
5-7
|
4’3 – 4’6
|
27 ¾
|
3 ½
|
|
3
|
8-9
|
4’6 – 4’9
|
28 ¾
|
3 ¾
|
|
4
|
9-10
|
4’9 – 4’11
|
29 ¾
|
3 ¾
|
|
5
|
10-11
|
4’11 – 5’2
|
30 ¾
|
4
|
|
6
|
11-13
|
5’2 – 5’6
|
31 ¾
|
4
|
|
Harrow
|
12-14
|
5’6 – 5’9
|
32 ¾
|
4 16
|
|
Full SH
|
15+
|
5’9 – 6’2
|
33 ½
|
4 ¼
|
|
Full LS
|
15+
|
6’2 +
|
34 38
|
4 ¾
|
Training Bats
Training bats are the same length and sizing of senior/junior bats, but they are a lot thinner which makes it harder to hit the ball during training.
Cricket Bat Material
There are two types of materials used in the manufacture of cricket bats; Kashmir willow and English willow.
- English Willow – English willow is a fibrous and soft material for a cricket bat.
- Kashmir Willow – Kashmir (Indian) willow is a more robust and harder material for a cricket bat.
English willow is the preferred material for a cricket bat because it gives a higher performance when striking a ball, unlike the Kashmir willow bats. It is known that English willow cricket bats have a “sweet spot” when striking the ball.
Carbon fibre is another material often used in the manufacture of cricket bats. This is used within the handle of the cricket bats to add more power and make the handle lighter for the cricket player.
Cricket Bat Designs
Along with the size of the handle and bat, there are other design options to consider when you are choosing a new cricket bat.
Shape
The shape of a bat is mostly down to personal taste but having thicker edges and larger bows on the cricket bat can be better in withstanding the game. A bat with a smaller bow is lighter than a bat with a larger bow, which could impact how the cricketer plays.
Depending on the players hitting style and the pitch being used, they can select a bat which has lower bows or higher bows.
Willow Grade
Cricket bats come with 5 different grades which range from Grade 1+ (A) to Grade 4 (G4). The difference in the grades is the grain structure, discolouration and bleaching. All grades of bat will be suitable for playing cricket, but the willow grade will change depending on your budget.
Grains
The number of grains on the bat show the hardness of the wood and the quality of the willow. If the bat has less grains, it may take a longer time to knock in that bats with more grains. Usually bats that have between 6-12 grains indicate a good quality willow.