Cricket Bat

Cricket Bat

A specialised piece of equipment used in the game of cricket by the batsman. The batsman uses the cricket bat to hit or strike the ball. The length of the bat is set at 38 inches and the width at 4.25 inches. Cricket bats, by the rules, are only allowed to be made from wood. The common wood type used is willow for the 'blade' of the bat and cane for the handle. The edges of the blade closet to he handle are called the shoulders and the other end is known as the toe of the bat. The blade is flat on the side used to strike the ball and it has a ridge along the middle of the back which concentrates the wood in the middle concentrating wood in the area where the ball generally hits it.

The wood of the bat is treated with raw linseed oil for protection.

Maintenance

When a bat is purchased new it is usually not ready for use and requires 'knocking'. This is done by striking the surface with an old cricket ball or a special mallet; this makes the wood fibres compact. If a bat is not knocked there are chances of it snapping when used with force during a game.

Even when in use, people apply linseed oil to treat the wood of the bat, this makes it less prone to temperature and humidity. It also makes the wood fibres become filled in. Players who know their bat can tell when the surface needs to be oiled again. This can be seen by what the surface is looking like if it looks worn it needs oil. Raw linseed oil is used instead of boiled linseed oil as the former isn't as drying as the latter.

Comments

The slightly curved shape of the blade that is common today was originated by the Pakistani brand CA. CA still produces some of the best bats in the game. Other top brands include Gray-Nicolls, Kookaburra, Gunn & Moore, MB Malik, Ihsan and AS Sports.

The price of a cricket bat can vary a lot depending on the brand it is made by and the materials used. One can find a bat that is from a lower-range all the way to the top end of the price range. Pakistan is known for its sporting goods, including cricket bats. Most of the production takes place in Sialkot, Punjab.