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, then match the willow to how your child is playing. In that order.

For a child who's just starting or playing junior club cricket, you don't need an expensive top-grade bat, they'll grow out of it in a season or two, and a beginner won't feel the difference. An entry-level bat in the right size and a comfortable weight is what counts.

Willow, in plain English:

• English willow is lighter and easier to swing, which makes it easier for a child to play with. This is what we recommend for most juniors, and we always recommend it once a child has started using a hard ball. Entry-level English willow gives you that lighter, easier feel without paying for a top-grade bat.
• Kashmir willow is fine for complete beginners or children still using a soft ball. It can be slightly heavier than English willow, which is exactly why we move children onto English willow once they progress to a hard ball.

So: for a young beginner or a child on a soft ball, a Kashmir willow bat in the right size does the job. As soon as they're playing with a hard ball, English willow is the one we'd point you towards, lighter, easier to swing, and better for developing a proper technique.

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. This is also one of the reasons we lean towards English willow, which tends to give you a lighter bat for the same size.

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 or dent the first time it's used. Every bat needs it, and this is the step parents most often skip.

Here's the bit that surprises people: even bats sold as "ready to play" or "factory prepared" still need attention. Time passes between when a bat is prepped at the factory and when it's finally bought and used, and in that time the willow dries out and settles. So no bat should really go straight from the box into a match.

• English willow bats need proper, thorough knocking in before use. This is the important one, skipping it or rushing it is the quickest way to crack a good bat, and it's where most damage to new bats comes from.
• Kashmir willow and factory-prepared junior bats still need knocking in, though usually less. Don't assume "ready to play" means "use it straight away", give it a proper check first.

Knocking in is fiddly and easy to get wrong, so a lot of parents leave it to us. We can knock a bat in properly, or check exactly how much a particular bat still needs, so your child's first innings doesn't damage a brand-new bat. If you buy an English willow bat especially, please talk to us about this before it's used.

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 (English willow for a child using a hard ball; Kashmir willow is fine for a beginner on a soft ball)
• 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