How to choose a cricket bat.
Size, weight, willow grade and knocking in, explained by the people who pick every bat on the rack in Pontarddulais. Juniors and adults.
Cricket bat size guide.
Go by height, not age. Between two sizes? Take the smaller one. A bat that is too big ruins technique faster than anything else.
Weight first, then feel.
The right bat is the heaviest one you can still swing freely for a whole innings, and no heavier.
English willow is graded mostly on looks: how straight the grain is and how many marks the blade carries. Grade has little to do with how a bat plays. That is why our Grade 2 and Butterfly Willow bats are such good value, and why every bat is picked by hand rather than by label.
Cricket bat FAQs.
What size cricket bat do I need?
Go by height, not age. As a rough guide: Size 4 suits players around 130 to 137 cm, Size 5 around 137 to 145 cm, Size 6 around 145 to 152 cm, Harrow around 152 to 160 cm, Small Adult around 160 to 170 cm and Short Handle most adults from about 170 cm. Stand the bat next to your leg: the top of the handle should sit roughly at the top of your thigh.
How heavy should my cricket bat be?
Lighter than you think. If you cannot hold the bat out straight for a few seconds, or your backlift drops as you get tired, it is too heavy. Pick the weight you can swing freely for a whole innings, then choose the profile that feels best at that weight.
What is the difference between English willow grades?
Grades are mostly about looks: how straight and even the grain is and how many marks the blade carries. A lower grade is not a weaker bat. Our Butterfly Willow bats are priced down purely on looks, and plenty of Grade 2 blades hit as well as bats costing twice as much.
Do I need to knock in a new cricket bat?
Yes. A new English willow bat needs knocking in before it faces a hard ball, so the face and edges can take the impact. Work over the face and edges with a bat mallet over several sessions, then play with an old ball in the nets before using it in a match. Ask Hedd when you collect your bat and he will tell you what that particular blade needs.
Can I try a bat before I buy it?
Yes. Book a fitting in Pontarddulais and pick up bats from a rack of 60+ before you choose. Hedd will help with size, weight, profile and grip.
