Preparation and Maintenance of the cricket bat.

Preparation and maintenance are the keys to a long bat life. Once you’ve purchased your cricket bat, the next step is to prepare it for action and maintain it. Preparation comes in two phases:
(1) Oiling and
(2) Knocking it in.

Part 1: Oiling Your Cricket Bat

• Using a soft rag, apply a light coat of oil to the Face, Edges, Toe and Back of the cricket bat. AVOID getting the oil on the splice of the bat as it may undermine the glue holding the handle and blade of the bat together!
• Avoid over oiling the cricket bat.
• After applying a coat of oil, leave the cricket bat in a horizontal position to dry overnight.
• On the next day, apply a second coat, following the directions as the first one. Leave to dry.
• After oiling the cricket bat, the next phase begins – Knocking-In.
• Try and oil your bat regularly to keep the fibres of the wood and prevent the face of the cricket bat from cracking.
• If applying anti-scuff oil only once, very lightly.

Several cricket bat manufacturers indicate that over half of the bats sent back to them for repair have not been sufficiently oiled or have been oiled too much. A balance needs to be there with a light coating as per the instruction provided by bat manufacturers.

If the cricket bat you have just purchased has an anti-scruff cover, the face will not need oiling. However, the back of the cricket bat will need oiling.

Part 2: Knocking Your Bat In:

After purchase, you should knock the cricket bats to prepare them & use them in competitive matches. One must knock the edges, toe and blade of the bat; these areas face large amounts of impact from the cricket ball, making them vulnerable to breakages and damage. Knocking your cricket bat in is an effective way of ensuring that the bat has compacted enough to prevent impact damage. Knocking-in is a vital aspect of preparing your cricket bat for action, and it cannot be rushed and done carefully. Knocking your cricket bat ensures that the fibres are compressed and knitted together. Consider the following steps when knocking in:

• Using a hardwood bat mallet, gently strike the face and the edges of the cricket bat, simulating what the ball would do in a competitive game situation
• Repeat the above on multiple occasions, gradually increasing the power. Use the same method as above to round the edges of the cricket bat, but be careful. Avoid using too much power, as this could result in unnecessary damage. Note: Do not hit the edge directly with the mallet, and it is critical to knock the edges of the bat as they can often be vulnerable to damage during competitive matches and net play
• After 2-3 Hours of knocking the cricket bat in, you can take it to the nets and hit some short catches using an old ball. If seam marks or small indentations appear on the face of the cricket bat, it would be necessary to return to the first step
• After continuing to knock the cricket bat in and completing some close catching sessions, you could try the bat in your net practice
• After a few net sessions, your cricket bat should be ready to use in a competitive match

Added Protection

After knocking your bat in, you may wish to add a protective cover to the cricket bat. It should be positioned and fitted approximately 3-5mm from the toe of the bat, with the protective cover running up the face of the cricket bat and finishing just below the bat manufacturer’s labels.