Types of Bat damages.

Problems with Cricket Bats

Cricket bats will break at some time mainly because they are manufactured from raw materials and are naturally fragile. When you’ve purchased a cricket bat, it is alright to wish for the bat to last forever. Unfortunately, manufacturers use natural products to manufacture bats and bats decay as time goes on & making them more vulnerable to damage and breakages.

Handle Breaks

It happens due to general wear and tear and is sometimes unavoidable. In some circumstances, you can replace the handle by some bat manufacturers depending on the extent of the damage.

Breakage to the Blade

It happens due to dry willow. When the willow becomes dry, the cricket bat becomes weaker. Therefore, making it more vulnerable to damage and breakages.

Surface cracks occur to the face of the blade, and this happens due to general wear and tear & poor bat maintenance. The slight damage on the bat and edges may not affect performance but make the bat more vulnerable. It would be advisable for you; to utilise bat tape to prevent further damage.

Split Toe

It is unavoidable due to the nature of the sport and the sheer impact of the ball hitting the cricket bat. It attributes to striking the ball at the base of the blade when facing a Yorker type delivery.

Some of the most common breakage causes with cricket bats are:

• Dry willow
• Letting the bat get wet
• Playing poor shots regularly
• Poor preparation in terms of oiling the bat and knocking it in
• Poor maintenance
• Poor storage
• Excessive oiling
• Using cheap hard balls at net practice

Playing in wet, damp conditions can be detrimental to the quality and performance of your cricket bat, as water is transferred up through the toe and into the bat. When the bat then dries, the bat can be prone to splitting. You can avoid such a situation by using an old bat if you want to play in wet conditions or not tapping your bat on the ground in your stance.

When using your cricket bat on multiple occasions in a week during a cricket season, the bat can become more prone to the above problems. Therefore, it might be advisable to use an old bat at net practices, although many players prefer to maintain on and off-field consistency.

Many players store their cricket bats and other pieces of cricket equipment poorly. You keep your bat in the shed or the garage, where the willow can absorb moisture in a natural environment. Avoid leaving bats in the car or under the sun; the temperature can rise as it dries the bat and reduces the presence of moisture. You should also avoid storing your bat close to radiators, fires and airing cupboards.