Article - Cricket Products
10 Jan 2018
Tips on Choosing Cricket Products for Best Performance
With numerous brands and types of cricket products to select from, the choices can be overwhelming at first. We share a bit of information to help you choose the right cricket bat, helping to you to make the best product purchase to suit your requirements.
Although the bats may look almost identical, there are subtle differences which will affect your ability to perform on the field. First consider what you will do with the bat. Of course, you will play cricket, but will you play professionally, at amateur primary school level, high school level, club or just at home? If you play at home, you most will probably hit tennis balls, so a normal tennis ball capacity bat will do the trick. However, if you need to hit the leather balls, you must buy a heavier bat that is able to withstand the shock of impact adequately.
Next consider the size. The size must be selected based on your height. H stands for Harrow, while LH stands for Long Handle and SH for Short Handle. Check online for diagrams to show the height of the bat in relation to your height or ask a sales person at a cricket store to help you determine the right height.
The next consideration is the willow. Note that two types are used in cricket product manufacturing. The first is the Kashmir willow, which is well-suited for entry-level play and is usually also really affordable. The next type is the English willow, which is more expensive, but is known for better stroke and power capacity.
You have narrowed down your choices based on the requirement, your height and the willow. Next consider the weight of the bat. Note that the lighter bats enable fast batting speed and improved control, while the heavier bats are more durable and provide for more hitting power. The English willow bats are lighter. Feel the weight in hitting and swinging. If it is not comfortable, go with a lighter bat.
The grains on the bat will show you the age of the willow. If the bat has more grains (lines), it will perform better earlier on, but it will not be as durable as the lower grained bat. You may want to consider the 6 to 8 grain bats because of their longevity and performance value.
Of course, not everyone plays cricket in the same way and this is where batting style comes in. If you are a back foot batter, then the higher-middle bat is more suited for you, while you will benefit more from a lower-middle bat if you play from the front foot.
Next consider the absorption power of the handle. You will want a bat that has excellent shock absorbent characteristics. If you are a hard-hitting batter, then the round handle is better because it gives you better control at your bottom hand. If you are a technical player, then you will be better off with the oval handle because it makes it possible for the top hand to control the hit and gives you more directional control. The handle length is dependent on what feels comfortable.
Your hands will affect the handle design choice. If you have smaller hands, then you will want to choose the thinner grip. Don’t overdo it on the grip. Play with two grips if you feel more comfortable with such, but keep in mind that every grip added will mean addition to the bat weight. Get all your cricket bats from us at XCO Sport, We are a trusted supplier of top sports products in South Africa.