Cricket

What size cricket bat does my child need?

The short answer: cricket bats are sized by your child's height, not their age. Getting the size right matters more than the brand or the price, and it takes about two minutes.

Measure your child against a wall in socks and match their height to the chart. If they fall between two sizes, choose the smaller one, control matters more than reach at this age.

Why not just size up so it lasts? It's the most common mistake. A bat that's too big or heavy forces a child to drag it through the shot instead of swinging it cleanly. That builds bad habits and makes the game less fun, the quickest way to put a child off. They'll move up a size naturally as they grow.

How do I choose the right junior cricket bat?

The short answer: get the size right first, then keep it light, and don't overspend on a young beginner. In that order.

For a child who's just starting or playing junior club cricket, an expensive top-grade bat is wasted, they'll grow out of it in a season or two, and a beginner won't feel the difference. Spend where it counts: the right size and a comfortable weight.

Willow, in plain English:

• Kashmir willow harder, tougher, cheaper, and often ready to play. Ideal for juniors, beginners, and anyone who doesn't want the upkeep. This is what we'd point most parents towards.
• English willow softer, higher performance, used by serious and adult players. It performs better but costs more and needs looking after.

For a first bat, a Kashmir willow in the right size is usually the sensible, no-fuss choice. Move to English willow when your child is playing regularly and starting to take it seriously.

How heavy should my child's cricket bat be?

The short answer: for a child, lighter is almost always better. A light bat they can swing cleanly beats a heavier one every time.

Once you've got the right size, pick up two or three bats in that size, they vary in weight. Get your child to hold the bat straight out in front of them with one hand. If their wrist drops or it clearly feels like an effort, it's too heavy. Don't be tempted by a heavier bat for "more power", at junior level, bat speed and timing beat weight.

What is "knocking in", and does my child's bat need it?

The short answer: knocking in is gently preparing a new bat so it doesn't crack the first time it's used. Many junior bats come ready to play; some need it first.

• Kashmir willow and many "ready to play" junior bats usually need little or no knocking in.
• English willow bats almost always need knocking in before use; skipping it can crack the bat.

It's fiddly and easy to get wrong, so a lot of parents leave it to us. We can knock a bat in properly, or check whether yours even needs it, so your child's first innings doesn't damage a brand-new bat.

How do I look after my child's cricket bat?

The short answer: a little care makes a bat last much longer, light oiling (for English willow), sensible storage, and getting small cracks seen to before they spread.

• Oiling (English willow only): a thin coat of raw linseed oil now and then stops the wood drying out. Kashmir and pre-treated bats usually don't need it.
• Small surface cracks are normal. Fine cracks in the face come with use. It's the larger ones, or cracks in the edge, toe or handle, that need attention.
• Storage: somewhere dry and room temperature. Avoid car boots and hot cupboards.
• Repairs: toe guards, edge tape and re-gluing can add seasons to a bat's life.

What protective gear does my child need for cricket?

The short answer: the essentials are a helmet, pads (leg guards), batting gloves and an abdominal guard (box). Fit matters as much as with the bat.

• Helmet essential. It should sit level and not wobble; the grille gap should be too small for a ball to pass through. Junior helmets are sized to junior heads, don't buy an adult one to "grow into".
• Pads (leg guards). The top should sit just above the knee, not so long it digs into the thigh.
• Batting gloves. Fingers should reach the ends without being cramped.
• Abdominal guard (box). Essential, cheap, worn inside supportive shorts.
• Thigh guard / inners. Common additions as they play more.

What cricket shoes does my child need?

The short answer: spikes for grass, rubber soles for artificial pitches and indoor nets. A little growing room is fine; too much is a trip hazard.

Spiked shoes grip on grass outfields for outdoor matches. Rubber-soled shoes are for indoor nets, artificial surfaces and younger juniors, and are the safer all-rounder if you're only buying one pair. Leave a thumb's width of growing room at most, any more and they'll slide inside the shoe.

What does my child need to start playing cricket?

A simple starter checklist:

• Correctly sized bat (Kashmir willow is a great first bat)
• Helmet
• Pads and batting gloves
• Abdominal guard (box) and supportive shorts
• Cricket shoes suited to where they play
• Whites or club kit (check with the club first)
• A bag to carry it all

Hockey

What size hockey stick does my child need?

The short answer: like cricket bats, hockey sticks are sized by height, not age, and measured in inches. Too long is the usual mistake and it makes control harder.

How do I choose the right junior hockey stick? Wood or composite?

The short answer: for young beginners, a wooden stick is perfect and affordable. Move to composite as they get more serious. Don't overspend on a first stick.

• Wooden sticks are forgiving, cheap and ideal for a child just learning. A great first stick.
• Composite sticks (fibreglass with some carbon) are lighter and stiffer, better once a child is playing regularly.
• High-carbon sticks are stiff and unforgiving, for advanced and adult players, not beginners.

What do "bow" and stick shape mean?

The short answer: "bow" is the curve along the stick. Beginners and juniors want a standard or mid bow, the gentler, more forgiving shape.

You'll see sticks described by their bow (standard, mid, low, extra-low). For a learning child it doesn't need to be complicated: a standard or mid bow is easier to control and does everything a junior needs. Low-bow sticks help with advanced skills your child won't be doing yet, and they make the basics harder, so don't pay extra for a shape they don't need.

What protective gear does my child need for hockey?

The short answer: shin guards and a mouthguard are the two essentials for every outfield player. Gloves are common too.

• Shin guards essential. They should cover the shin from just below the knee to the top of the boot, and not slide around.
• Mouthguard essential. Most clubs and schools require one. A "boil and bite" mouthguard moulds to your child's teeth and is inexpensive.
• Gloves. Many junior players wear a protective glove on the lower hand.
• Goalkeeping kit is a whole separate setup. If your child is going in goal, come and talk to us, fit is critical.

What shoes does my child need for hockey?

The short answer: proper astro (turf) shoes. Not trainers, and not football boots, both are unsafe and unsuitable for hockey surfaces.

Hockey is played on artificial turf, so it needs shoes designed for grip on that surface. Football boots have studs that catch and can cause injury; ordinary trainers don't grip and wear out fast. Astro shoes have a dense, multi-stud sole made for turf. Leave a little growing room, but not so much that the foot slides.

What does my child need to start playing hockey?

A simple starter checklist:

• Correctly sized stick (wooden or entry composite for a first stick)
• Shin guards
• Mouthguard
• Astro (turf) shoes
• Gloves (optional to start, common as they progress)
• Club kit / colours (check with the club)
• A bag or stick bag