Generally, when it comes to batting gloves there are a variety in types of cricket gloves and with modern advancements all of them have their own features making them unique and better suited for batters that prefer different types of feel and use. Hopefully in this article we can shed some light and make your life easier when grabbing your next pair of cricket batting gloves.
(Pictured: Left Sausage style glove & right split finger type glove)
When it comes to finger and hand protection in cricket batting gloves there tends to be 2 styles one if the split finger set up and the other sausage style gloves although there are some gloves that share both styes with in the same pair of gloves.
The split finger style set up for batting gloves come in is the protection on the back of the hand split into block either rectangular or in the shape of a shark tooth. The advantage of this is due to the block set up the gloves is more flexible and lighter and don't need to be worn in to mould to your hands thus making them easier to use in a game straight out of the packet. The only downside being that the split finger can be slightly less protective but not so much that the average cricketer would have their hands in danger using them.
The sausage style is when the protection on the back of the hand is one long block all the way down usually from knuckle all the way down the finger. What this helps with is added protection as they're less gaps compared to the blocks and you'll see a lot of top order batters in professional cricket use the sausage style gloves or a hybrid of sausage and block style (withe sausage style usually covering the leading fingers) because of this extra protection. But due to the single block, sausage style batting gloves do need time to be worn in for a couple of session to mould to the hands.
(Pictured: Left Pittard palms & right sheep skin leather palm)
The palms of cricket batting gloves these days tend to be made of either sheep skin leather or Pittard leather palms. In the old days it used to be cotton palms but found to not really absorb sweat that well and also compromised grip after sweating into them.
With cricket batting gloves generally the more expensive the gloves the softer and higher grade of leather that's used to enhance the comfort and feel for the hands with Pittard leather palms reserved for the top end gloves as these feel the softest amongst all the palm styles and also said to absorb sweat better. But again, feel is very subjective, and you won't always see professional cricketers with Pittard palms as feel is personal.
These are probably the main factors when looking at cricket batting gloves, being whether you want more flexibility in the split finger style or more protection in the sausage style along with what kind of palm and level of softness you need in your gloves. Also considering what levels of protection you need for your budget and playing levels with the protection levels getting higher and palm tends to get softer the more you spend on your batting gloves.
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Cricket helmets one could argue is the second most important piece of kit for the batter (The bat being the first of course). Protecting the face and brain of the player and being the only piece of equipment that you actually look through and actively see at all times when you bat with one on, you don't even see your cricket bat at all times.
So what is the job of a cricket helmet? well first and most importantly is to protect the decision-making factory the face/brain of the player, if this is compromised then this could have not only short-term pain but also long-term complications regarding efficient decision making and overall brain health.
Secondly whilst providing uncompromising protection but to also have great vision to allow the batter to see the ball without distraction.
This can only happen if the right fit of cricket helmet is chosen. Too loose and the helmet will move around during use impairing vision and impact from balls could have a worse affect due to the loose fitting creating enough space to rather than absorb the blow but more so create another layer to impact the head and rattle the brain.
Too tight and the grille ends up at eye level rather than looking through the gap again impairing vision and the helmet being too tight actually causing headaches due to the restriction. In some cases, the head not even fitting in the lid exposing vulnerable areas such as the jaw and back of the head.
So choosing a cricket helmet can be tricky but here are a few pointers to help guide you towards the correct lid.
Ever since the unfortunate Phile Hughes incident the standard of helmets have been revamped and the levels of protection have increased immensely. Nowa days all the reputable cricket helmets brands will come with some text saying "Meets the latest ICC / BS 7928:2013 standard" or something similar but the code "BS 7928:2013" is always the same. What this means is the helmet model has been tested to the latest British standards and proven to meet that latest safety standards.
What is a British Standard helmet? To improve helmet safety, the ICC worked with British sports protection experts and consequently it is the British Standard that has been updated and chosen to be the de facto international standard for helmet safety. The British Standard sets a higher all-round standard for helmet safety and its key benefits include:
As mentioned before the cricket helmet fitting is important as an ill-fitting helmet can be dangerous. So, what you're looking for and considering when choosing a good helmet fit.
(Pictured: The difference in lid shapes with Masuri being more oval vs Shrey being more round)
With helmets it's important to note the more you spend the better the protection and comfort but more importantly is if it has the "BS 7928:2013 standard" it is considered safe enough to use at any level so it's not that you need to spend more to meet the standard protection, but you should more so consider the level of cricket that you're playing at and if you need the $350 helmet or if the $110 one will be enough for you knowing you're safe either way.
And lastly is weight. Most helmets come in similar weights and difference in weight is not really noticeable, but the biggest difference is weight is for helmets with titanium grilles compared to steel grille helmets. Titanium grille cricket helmets usually tend to be the top end of helmets and you see almost all professionals using titanium grilled helmets because they tend to be 100 grams - 150 grams lighter than their still grills counterparts.
At the top level the lightness can make all the difference as the margins are finer at top level cricket but for the average cricketer won't make a huge difference but if you are a batter of the more finicky variety and really feels difference and is fussier and are willing to spend more than the titanium grilled cricket helmets would the preferred option.
Hopefully with this guide you'll have a bit more clarity next time you walk in store or shop online and it helps you get the best helmet. Because at the end of the day when you walk out to the crease you don't want to be feeling like your wearing any gear at all and that's our goal so you can be the best that you can be!
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It seems like the first thing you should know when spending a lot of money for a piece of wood but it's surprising how many people that come in and prioritize the wrong things or are not sure where to start. After serving a fair amount of customers and annalyzing what's the best facets to choosing a bat we've prioritized them on order and giving you a great place to start all the way to getting you a bat that is uniquely special to you, as cricket is a sport with so much individual variance and no 2 players are the same.
1.Playing style
So starting off you have to think tactically on what positions you'll expect your self to bat and according to that what phase the match it would be and what lengths the bowlers would likely to bowl and on top of that take into consideration the conditions you play in mostly and you're own playing preferences eg. where you like to hit the ball, preferred shots ect.
Top Order Batter - As the ball is new and hard it will bounce more compared to anytime during the innings so would suggest a middle anywhere from the mid to high range as even the fuller balls would bounce a little more onto the mid part of the bat if you are a front foot player, or the higher middle for someone that prefers to hang on the backfoot and prefers the backfoot drives, cuts and pull. The weight range would mostly be from the mid to light depending on the personally preference and facing more so the pace bowler you would need a weight range to counter that.
Middle Order Batter - As the ball starts to soften so does the bounce get's little lower but with early wickets you would still go in fairly early with a harder ball so you would need an all-round shape to counter all situations with more of a mid middle profile perfect right in the middle to counter any situation and against pace and slow bowlers.
Lower Order Batter - A lower order comes in later in the innings when most likely the innings is finishing off the ball is at it's softest and bowlers a looking to bowl full and straight or against spinners and would suggest a bat with a middle anywhere between the mid to low position to have the hitting area according to that.
Of course this isn't a hard and fast rule, you also need to consider your own playing style as someone who's strength is to front foot drive would need a lower middle for pitched up balls and someone who's strength is backfoot drives, cuts and pulls would need a higher middle for shorter pitch bowling or if its both maybe going for a mid middle profile. So it is up to induvial to determine what their strengths are and what their role is in the team and to make a decision from there as a starting point.
2. Determining the Right Weight
This is mostly an induvial preference as each person has different levels of strength and different comfort in feel but ideally whatever weight you choose you should be able to play all shots comfortable without extra effort especially when comparing how much extra effort it is to play your straight bat shots compared to cross bats shots (eg. cuts & pulls) and its good to get a general weight range with in 2-3oz
3.Pick Up
Once you have a shape and general weight then it's all bout how it feels in the hand now this can be determined by your self or an expert like one of us to help you out, as some bats can genuinely feel 1-2oz lighter than their dead weight and some can feel heaver then their dead weight and that all due to
a.) the bat makers and how they have crafted the bat and
b.) the wood its self as some times it can be denser in certain parts making for the weight to be distributed unevenly making for a lighter or heavier pick up
4. Ping
If the shape is good and the pick up feels great in the hands then the next determining factor would be how good it plays you can easily find this out by tapping an old cricket ball on the main playing area or even with a bat mallet and feeling how it responds. If the mallet is kicking back after making contact or the ball is rebounding without putting much effort then you're on to a good one! If you're unsure then get one of us to help out!
5.Looks
Now if it gets to the point where you've done all the above and still can't decide between 2 or more bats then you can go for something more cosmetic that isn't generally gonna affect the playing but more so how it looks whether that be better grains or stickers BUT this should be done only after the above and never to start your process as the best looking bat is very much likely not always going to be the best performing bat and you need a bat that scores you runs and not just looks good.
5.ONLINE Orders
After a bat is purchased online and if customers hasn't chosen a specific bat already we go through each individual order using steps 3,4 and 5 of the stock available to determine the best bat available in the specific model bought. We make sure we have a process in place to ensure our customers are getting the absolute best available.
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The age old questions "What grade is this?" is always one of the first questions we get asked whenever a customer walks in to our store or is inquiring online. Chances are most people when looking for a bat are wanting a higher grade of willow. What is that exactly? what is willow grading? and what is it based off? and is it the most important factor when getting a new cricket bat?
JS Wright & Sons who are the worlds largest willow suppliers, responsible for almost 80% of the worlds bats meaning if you have a cricket bat sitting next to you the chances are it's come from these guys. Although there is no set determined and officially regulated grading system according to JS Wright & Sons there are 4 grades of English Willow and according to those grades, plus from the stock we've seen and what we've seen from most manufacturers, the grades closely follow the criteria below.
Grade 1
A Grade 1 is the best looking blade, though it will not necessarily play the best. There may be some red wood evident on the edge of the blade. The grain on the face will be straight and there will be a minimum of 6 grains visible. There may be the odd small knot or speck in the edge or back but the playing area should be clean with maybe the odd very minute speck/pin knot or slight wobble in grain being noticeable only from a close distance.
Grade 2
A Grade 2 blade is also very good quality and normally a larger amount of red wood can be seen on the edge of a blade, this has no effect on the playing ability of the bat it is purely cosmetic. Again there will be at least 5-6 grains on the face of the blade with some blemishes, pin knots or “speck” visible, also the top 2% of the excellent quality butterfly blades get into Grade 2.
Grade 3
This is a middle grade that is produced in much higher numbers than the top grades and it offers very good value for money. A Grade 3 Blade has up to half colour across the blade which again has no direct relation to the playing ability of the wood, it just has less visual attraction. There will be a minimum of 5 grains on the face of the blade which may not always be perfectly straight. Again some knots or butterfly stain may be present with sometimes more prominent “speck”.
Grade 4
A Grade 4 Blade is normally over half colour or contains butterfly stain. It will still play as well as the other grades. Any number of grains are possible with often only 4 grains, the willow containing ‘butterfly’ stain is very strong, there could also be more “speck” and other faults.
"I keep hearing of this players grade what is a Players Grade Bat?" Players grade is essentially the cream of the crop of grade 1, so although not technically its own grade of willow it's become a common term these days amongst manufacturers and sellers to essentially say well these are made from the best of the best of grade 1 English willow.
The characteristics from what we've seen is in most players grade what is seen is tighter grains around the 9+ mark and evenly spaced with minimal marks or blemishes on the playing area and through the toe with some specks or marks visible on the back but generally pretty clean. They also tend to be made from lower density of willow making for very light bats for their size as most professionals use around 2lb 9oz - 2lb 10.5oz whilst still maximizing the MCC Regulations of 40mm edges and 65mm spine and at the same time allowing for a full profiles with minimal to no concaving making for a bigger hitting area.
More grains means the quicker the bat will reach peak performance but on the other side means the bat will not last as long. That is why a lot professionals go for this option as they want their bats reaching performance quicker and are not fussed about replacing them as in most cases they're getting their bats for free or they can afford to buy many bats in one time as those are the tools of the their trade.
With lesser grains means it'll take longer to reach it's peak performance and sometimes could end up wasting a whole season or maybe even 2 with something with too wide a grain to get it to reach peak performance and that to after taking care of it to a tee. The average cricketer doesn't have the means or want to buy a new bat every month and would want something that would ideally in this day and age last about 2 seasons and perform to it's peak early on in those 2 seasons.
The trick would be to find something in between optimal range. What we've found is anywhere between the range of 6 to 10 grains is optimal if the bat is pressed well, this will ping just as good as anything and is more likely to last a good amount of time. It shows that it's not always about spending more = better bat, it's about knowing exactly what to look for or trusting us to do that for you
Not always the case as wood is a natural material that even on 2 pieces of wood, with the same number of grains and blemishes completely raw untouched, untreated will perform and rebound the ball different due to the natural variations in the growth of each individual piece of wood.
Generally you do find that the more grains/cleaner grains feel softer and more effortless when rebounding the ball off the bat but not always the case as we've seen many hidden gems in mid-lower grades sending the ball cannoning off and exceeding the more expensive bats in performance and that's purely down to pressing in the factory and the natural make up of the wood itself.
That's why it's important to tap up a bat and not dismiss looking at lower grade bats when purchasing a new bat as you never know where the canon is lying hidden away! & that's exactly how we select our bats for our customers especially those online who can't come instore.
As JS Wright said their Grading is based purely on looks and not on performance and at the end of the day a cricket bats job is to send the ball a long way and not sit there and look pretty.
Yes grains are important to a degree but to get a good cricket bat as a whole its dependant on how well it's pressed, the the natural make up & the craftsmanship put into the bat to allow it to feel great in the end users hands and perform according to expectations and when you're buying a bat all of that should be considered priority over looks whether that be you doing it yourself or trusting us to that for you as it's not just a simple case of more money = better bat.
You should be asking yourself when picking a bat. Is it the right shape for my playing style? does it feel good in the hands? does it rebound well? Is more likely to last? and then worry about looks after you've answered those questions.
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When looking at cricket bats you may have notices certain marks or knots along somewhere on a cricket bat, but what does it actually mean and is it all that relevant? JS Wright and Sons the leading supplier of English Willow details below exactly each type of mark you'll see on a cricket bat and what it means below.
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Pin Knot Probably the most common imperfection found is the small knot or “pin knot”. These are generally up to 10 mm in diameter and are still living. Normally they will be present in the edge and / or back of the bat although sometimes they are visible on the face. They will not affect the playing of the bat at all. |
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Speck Using light microscopy the speck was examined. It was determined that each speck was in fact a small cavity running longitudinally and following the grain in a radial direction. Dark Fibrous material was present in the cavity, but no sand, gravel or mineral like deposits were observed. The specks are consistent with damage caused to the growing tree by small flies in the family Agromyzidae of the Diptera order. Adult flies lay eggs inside the bark, and the larvae feed on the nutrients in the Cambium (the layer between the bark and the wood). The larvae then leave the tree and pupate in the soil. Wound tissue forms over the tunnels, and this is eventually included in the timber, forming the speck. The speck is purely cosmetic and does not have any detrimental effect on the bat. |
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Butterfly Stain There is a worse form of butterfly stain, commonly named “Bar Stain” or “Tiger Stain”. It is formed the same way as butterfly stain, but there is so much stain it adds weight to the blade as well. The stains are close together and there will be many of them over the blade. |
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False Growth
A very common imperfection is the “False Growth”. This is caused when for some reason the tree has stopped growing for maybe one season. It can be caused by drought, fire or weed killer. Nine times out of ten there is no weakness in the bat and they will certainly not break along the False Growth. It will normally run parallel to the normal grains.
When the blade has a brown line down the middle it has been caused by the roots having been cut either by a digger or perhaps a plough. It is rot in the very early stages but not to the detriment of the playing ability.
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Dead Knot
A “dead knot”. The tree has been trimmed up very late and the resulting branch has been left to grow for many years. Before this can be used to make a bat the knot is drilled out and filled. As long as it is not on the face of the bat it will have very little detrimental effect on the playability.
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Storm Damage ( also known as Wind Damage) This wind damage is a natural occurrence and there is absolutely nothing we or the bat manufacturer can do about it. The majority of these bats are found when they are in the manufacturing process but some will still get through to the customer. They will not always break ( they normally break as per the attached photo by snapping across the grain) but if slightly misused or they catch a fast Yorker on the toe with perhaps a poor quality ball they are more likely to break. A good way to reduce the chances of this are by having extra toe protection on the bat. You can see from the photo that storm damage is obvious as the bat will split right across the blade (across the grain) , or sometimes halfway across. |
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Bleached Bats
The public generally want a bat that looks good, which means they want top grade willow with no knots or blemishes and no red wood ( or very little). In the 1970’s and 1980’s bats were bleached, this hid any imperfections and colour although it did look unnatural.
Due to modern farming methods and the lack of labour on our farms it is harder and harder to find large numbers of Grade 1 and Grade 2 willow, therefore the bleaching has started to re appear to make the Grade 3 and below willow look more pleasing to the eye. This has no detrimental effect on the bat and is purely cosmetic.
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A Final Note From JS Wright & Sons To the Consumers
J.S.Wright and Sons Ltd. have a strict returns policy for our English Cricket Bat Willow clefts and blades. (Called blades or clefts depending which country you are in).
English Cricket Bat Willow (referred to as EW) is grown commercially in the UK and has been for over 100 years. We have done everything possible to ensure the wood is in the best possible condition when sold but sometimes natural occurrences can cause issues.
The one issue that causes most of the problems are high winds, this cause’s the trees to move excessively and sometimes to such an extent the fibres break. If it is a serious amount of damage it can be seen by us when the tree is first processed and this is then rejected at that stage, but if it is only slight damage and is not evident in the tree or the rough sawn cleft it may get through to the bat maker and even after making into a bat is very hard to spot. We do not accept any returns at all for any type of natural material defect in the wood that causes splitting or breaking of the bat, it has to be accepted as a natural product and we do not feel our customers (the bat manufacturers) should have to offer replacements either. Please be aware if there is any cause for complaint please contact the manufacturer, although they are under no obligation to replace the broken bat free of charge.
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