Cricket Bat Information

Just as in baseball, a bat is an essential part of the game of cricket. The different aspects of a cricket bat include the type of wood used, and the weight, length and shape of the bat. The main precondition before purchasing a cricket bat is that the bat should play well in the field. The type of cricket bat used has a profound impact on the type of cricket being played.

Types of Wood

• Traditionally, cricket bats are made of the English willow variety of Salix alba. The handle of the cricket bat is made from wood of a cane plant, traditionally Sarawak cane from Indonesia. The willow used in the manufacture of a cricket bat is graded (grades 1, 2, 3 and 4) according to the grains and blemishes on the bat. The wood quality is the most fundamental factor determining the playability of a cricket bat.

Butterfly Stain

• The butterfly stain is an important aspect of cricket bat information. The butterfly stain refers to a particular stain (depending on the type of wood), that resembles the shape of a butterfly. New players often reject bats with butterfly stains on the pretext that the bats do not look clean, but bats with butterfly stains are better with respect to playability.

Length

• The length of a cricket bat is proportional to its weight and the bat length should be able to assist the player. The bat length includes the length of the blade plus the length of the handle or grip. Cricket bats are classified according to their length into five categories: Bat size 5 (4 feet 11 inches to 5 feet 2 inches), Bat size 6 (5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 4 inches), Harrow Bat (5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 5 inches), Academy Bat (5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches) and Full size cricket bats (5 feet 9 inches and above).

Weight

• The weight of a cricket bat depends on its construction and moisture content. The shape of the bat is an important factor as it decides the distribution of weight on the bat. The moisture content of the bat is dependent on the type of wood (or more precisely, the type of wood grains) used in the making of the cricket bat. While purchasing the cricket bat, the weight to feet ratio is an important factor that should be decisive in the purchase.

Sweet Spots

• The sweet spot refers to the spot on the bat where the maximum amount of hitting power is generated. The distribution of weight on a bat is an important factor for determining the sweet spot. The sound of the bat striking the ball is different and more resounding at the sweet spot. Sweet spots on a cricket bat can be classified as normal sweet spot, high sweet spot and low sweet spot, depending on the position of the spot on the bat.