Loading...

Site news

Date added: 01 Sep 2024 Cricket Bat Preparation – Knock It in or Get Knocked Out

Choosing a cricket bat isn’t as easy as it might seem. After all, this bat will be your trusted partner when you stroll out to the crease. If you want to walk back to the pavilion with runs to your name, you’re going to need a bat you can trust. Start by researching great brands like Kookaburra, New Balance, Gray Nicolls, DSC, SF and KD. After this, it’s a good idea to try a few bats and see which one feels right to you After you do find the perfect bat, it’s important to keep it in great condition. The first thing you’ll need to do is knock your bat in. It might be a tedious process, but knocking in your bat is the first step to becoming feared by bowlers everywhere. Here’s what you need to do.

 

Knock in Cricket Bat - Cricket Shop Australia

 

Why Knock In Your Bat?

Knocking in your bat is the process of preparing the grains and fibre in the wood. It helps to strengthen and compress these fibres to prepare your bat for you. If you don’t knock it in thoroughly and patiently, your bat is more likely to crack and dent when faced with a fastball.

 

How To Knock In Your Bat: Oiling, Extratecing, and Knocking:

 

Oiling

Oiling is a vital part of the knocking in process. It reduces the chances of splitting and denting by maintaining the moisture levels in the bat. Using a rag, apply linseed oil to all exposed timber sections of the blade. After coating the bat, allow it to dry horizontally for 24 hours. This process should be completed at least 3 times. 

 

Knocking

Here comes the dangerous part. In the old days, a ball in a sock was used for knocking in your bat. But as you can imagine, it shoots off in every direction, causing your thumbs and shins to be as knocked in as the bat. Thankfully, specially designed bat and ball mallets are now available from cricket specialists. The four areas that need attention during the knocking process are the face, each edge, and the toe. Most of your time should be spent on the edges and the toe. Start by ‘pressing’ with the mallet, not knocking. Press the mallet softly at first, and build the pressure gradually. Give most attention to the edges of the face of the bat. After a few hours, you can start to glance the mallet off the edges. This should start to ‘round’ the edges. The more round they are, the stronger they are. Repeat the same process on the toe. Once you have pressed the bat in for some time, you can start knocking, focusing on the same areas. Remember that by the end of the process you should be hitting the bat with your mallet quite hard, as hard as a forward drive off a Brett Lee steamer. Knocking in is an arduous process, taking anywhere up to 16 hours. You don’t want to put in all that time and effort and then realise you’ve been doing something wrong. Some of the best cricket storeseven offer complete bat preparation. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and effort, not to mention the confidence you will have when you walk out to the crease.

 

Extratecing

Approximately 90% of new bat owners extratec their bats. Extratec is a clear self-adhesive protective cover for your bat. It keeps the moisture in and gives an extra layer of protection for your willow. 

 

Testing

Once your bat has been knocked in, take it down to the nets for some throw downs with an old ball. If the bat seems to withstand the pressure, build up the pace and hardness of the ball until you’re confident you could face an opening bowler with it. The entire process may take up to two weeks, but a bat is a significant investment and will last you several seasons at least.

 

Knocking your bat in is a vital process. Talk to a specialist cricket store for advice or for complete bat preparation.