- BAT CARE AND PREPARATION FOR USE

MRB CRICKET suggests the following principles for the preparation of cricket bats. Following these instructions will significantly reduce the possibility of damage to a cricket bat developing.

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- OILING

All natural faced bats MUST be oiled using RAW LINSEED OIL, a specialist cricket bat oil or bat wax – DO NOT USE BOILED LINSEED OIL. The primary purpose of oiling is to keep moisture levels within the bat and reduce the chances of cracking and splitting.

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Light coats of raw linseed oil should be applied to the face, edge, toe and back of the bat. Taking extra care to avoid the splice area. Usually, two light coats of raw linseed oil should be enough. Each coat should be allowed to dry into the bat in a horizontal position before the next coat is applied and should be left for 24 hours. It is possible to fit a clear anti scuff or extra tech sheet for greater protection. Applying an anti scuff sheet does not invalidate the need to 'knock in' or oil the bat. The anti scuff sheet will significantly aid the durability of the bat. However, under no circumstances will it completely stop surface damage. We at MRB CRICKET highly recommend applying a scuff sheet to your cricket bats. 

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- KNOCKING IN

All cricket bats whether they are short handles or size 5's are pressed. Despite this 'knocking in' is absolutely 'ESSENTIAL'. This is the procedure by which the fibres of the willow in the face of the bat and edges are compressed together to create a layer that protects the bat against the impact of the ball. Adequate 'knocking in' will without a doubt drastically improve the performance of the bat and increase the longevity of the bat.

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Step 1 - The 'knocking in' process should be done with extra care. Using a special bat mallet with a large head (small head bat mallets are not the best to achieve the final product). The bat should be constantly struck with the mallet (whilst slowly increasing the force) in all areas where you would typically expect to hit the ball. This 'knocking in' process must be performed with patience. Extra attention should be given to the edges and toe of the bat as these are the most vulnerable areas of the bat. The edges or toe should not be struck directly at right angles to the bat, as this will most likely cause damage. Glancing strikes are recommended. Alternatively, you can roll the edges with a timber rolling pin to round them off and bone them. 

 

Depending on the quality, weight and size of the mallet step 1 should take around six hours, however, it may differ as every bat is different.

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Step 2 - The next step 'of knocking in' is to use the bat to hit short catches with an old cricket ball. Despite this, if the seam of the ball is still leaving seam marks in the bat, then we would recommend returning to 'step 1' for further knocking with a mallet. This step should be done for at least another hour.

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Step 3 – Step 3 of 'knocking in' the bat should be using it at training in a moderately controlled session using old cricket balls with gentle shots – do not start hitting the ball with more expansive shots. Once all these steps have been completed, the bat should be match ready. Furthermore, if seam marks are still appearing after ball contact, you should stop using the bat and return to the 'knocking in' process until the bat is fully knocked in and seam marks stop appearing. It is advisable to initially avoid use against the 'new ball'.

DISCLAIMER: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A BAT BE USED IN MATCH CONDITIONS BEFORE PROPER PREPARATION HAS BEEN DONE & THE BAT IS FULLY KNOCKED IN.

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- Additional information - BY ANY MEANS DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING

• Over oil a bat making the bat dead with no ping.

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• Wash a bat clean with water – never wash the bat with water.

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• Expose the bat to damp places.

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• Persistently tapping the toe of the bat in the crease on a wet wicket. This will saturate the base of the bat, causing the pressing to lift and the base of the bat to swell and generally crack horizontally.

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• Use the bat without “Oiling & Knocking in” treatment

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• Aggressively hit “Yorkers” on the toe of the blade, hence denting and bruising the willow causing it to split horizontally – Yorkers should be played defensively and with care. Be extra careful on indoor, hard or synthetic wickets, as these hard surfaces will damage the toe if struck hard into the surface.

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• Excessive use of bowling machines – this will damage bats due to the hard nature of balls. (we recommend using an old bat for bowling machines)

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• Using cheap cricket balls (especially those with hard centres) which bruise and dent the willow. Numerous bats are dented due to this reason.

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• Continue to play with a damaged bat causing the bat to become non-repairable.

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• Keep your bat in the car or car boot. You must avoid exposure to the extremes of temperature as this will dry the bat out and result in the bat cracking or splitting.

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ENGLISH WILLOW is a natural product prone to superficial damage from the impact of a cricket ball, thus proper preparation is VITAL to avoid damage.

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Minor cracks and indentations are common on all cricket bats due to the nature of the sport (soft willow v hardball) and are not warrantable items.