Cricket bat

When first purchased, most bats are not ready for immediate use and require knocking-in to allow the soft fibres to strike a hard new cricket ball without causing damage to the bat, and allowing full power to be transferred to the shot. Knocking-in involves striking the surface with an old cricket ball or a special mallet. This compacts the soft fibres within the bat and reduces the risk of the bat snapping. The bat may also need raw linseed oil, which fills in the gaps between the fibres.[4]

In 2004 Newbery created the Uzi, with a truncated blade and elongated handle for the new Twenty20 format of the game. This change allowed more wood to be placed in the middle, as more attacking shots are played in the shorter version of the game.

In 2009 an extreme version of the Newbery Uzi shape named the Mi3 was launched by Mongoose.[12] The design is unusual in that the blade is 33% shorter than a conventional bat and the handle is 43% longer.[13] Launched with a fanfare of publicity it proclaimed the idea of not defending the ball in the T20 format and purely playing attacking shots.

On 11 March 2010, Mongoose launched its range in India with the announcement of Matthew Hayden as the brand ambassador.[14] Stuart Law, the former Australian Test player, called it "a half-brick on a stick".[15] The bat was used by Anuraag in the 2010 version of the IPL. Gareth Andrew, the Worcestershire all-rounder, scored the maiden 100 with an MMi3 in professional cricket, when he hit 100 off 58 balls at the Oval in 2010 against Surrey.

In 2008 Lekka Cricket launched a T20 format bat, the Big Hitter. Black Cat Cricket then launched a T20 format bat, the Joker, in 2009. These worked on a similar principle to other T20 bats with the blade length reduced by one inch and an inch longer handle, but uniquely reduced the width of the bat to 4 inches in an adult bat.

Before first being played, a bat should be "knocked in". Knocking a bat in compresses the surface wood fibres and allows it to be ready for use, as most brand-new bats will crack or badly dent if used in competition without being knocked-in. This is usually done after purchase, although some are sold ready-knocked.

The process begins with the application of a layer of linseed oil to the surface of the bat, after which a worn-down 'soft' leather cricket ball or a specialised mallet may be used to repeatedly hit the face of the bat. After three to four hours of knocking in, another layer of linseed oil may be applied. At this stage, the bat may be used in light practice but should not be used in competition without another few hours of knocking-in. The splice of the bat should not be knocked as this will cause the bat to "jar". After being properly knocked in, the wood will make a slightly higher-pitched sound when hitting the ball and will feel softer to use.

During the knocking-in process, a fingernail is pressed into the front face of the bat to check if the bat is properly knocked in. If an indentation is left on the bat during this process, it shows that the wood is still not fully compressed, and should be knocked in for longer.

Many large sports stores and specialised cricket stores use special machines to knock in the bats for customers. Some manufacturers will roll the bats through a special press to compress the wood, however many bat manufacturers choose not to do this as the spring may be rolled as well, causing jarring. Many bats that claim to be pre-knocked-in by the manufacturer should be manually knocked in anyway as this claim is not a guarantee that the bat is ready to be used in competition.

A traditional wooden bat has its surface oiled with raw linseed oil before play, and regularly during the season. This has a protective effect on the wood, and also makes it less sensitive to humidity changes in the atmosphere, which could cause warping or splitting. Another important factor is that it increases the surface friction of the ball to bat surface, giving better control of the shot. A worn surface can be noticed by the player, indicating that re-oiling is needed.[16] Raw linseed oil is used, rather than boiled linseed oil, as the raw form is not a drying oil to the same degree, and so the surface remains tacky.

Some bats are plastic-coated or other otherwise sealed on the surface and either cannot be oiled, or do not require oiling until this coating begins to wear off.

Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat .

The willow used in making these bats was brought in by the British, who ruled India, during the 1820s.[17] The industry, established in Kashmir, combines traditional tools with modern technology.

Kashmiri bats require constant knocking and oiling to make the bat good enough to use in a cricket match. Knocking makes the fibres of the willow blade compress together, which helps the bat bear the impact of the ball. Another major aspect of taking care of such bats is oiling. Oil is applied on the back, toe, front and edges of the bat to make it more durable and to ensure the fibres get knitted properly. Some of the districts where these bats are made in Kashmir are Anantnag, Baramula, and Pahalgam.

The species is identical (Salix Alba var. Caerulea) to "English Willow" and the only difference is that the willow is not grown in England. "Kashmir Willow" bats play well and no evidence has been presented that the wood or finished product has different properties or plays any differently. However, Kashmir willow bats sell for significantly lower prices than English willow, on the belief that the English willow bats are superior. Kashmir willow bats are very common in social and amateur competitions, although English willow is seen as a more "serious" cricketer's bat.

Much of the English Willow cricket bat market consists of bats which are actually made in India from imported English willow blanks. It would be virtually impossible to detect "counterfeit" English willow bats made from Kashmir willow. The marketing of English willow bats is therefore a trust exercise between the buyer and the brand, that the brand has not inflated their supply of "English Willow" bats by sourcing blanks from India as well as England. This risk of substitution is a major hurdle for small brands looking to get bats manufactured in India. Resources are needed to ensure the integrity and custody of the English willow at all stages of production.

English willow bats with minor visual defects such as grains which are not perfectly straight, or discolourations, are also cheaper. Former England captain and one of the most successful Test players in history, Geoffrey Boycott has stated that such bats will play just as well as better-looking ones and that players ought to buy the cheaper ones to get the same performance at a better price. It is unlikely that any difference in performance can be noted by most players from imperfections unless they are severe. Provided the willow has been handled and prepared competently after felling and during the bat's creation, the much more important factor is the pickup (or weight distribution) of the bat, and its suitability to the player's style. Different shaping techniques create a higher or lower centre of balance, and different "sweet spot" size and location.

One issue presented as the case against Kashmir willow is the warmer growing region. The timber is said to be firmer, with less spring. However, this is a common issue for English willow bats, too. Due to the shortage of stock and demand for English willow, many small plantations on private property have been established in ideal conditions, with trees maturing as young as 10 to 12 years. This has meant a much wider grain in the wood, sometimes leading to bats with as few as 6 or even 4 grains. Bats with 8 or fewer grains are held to be harder and take longer to play well, but also to last longer. Bats with 16 or more grains are held to be softer and more playable immediately, but with a reduced lifespan. 8 to 12 grains is commonly the desirable range.

Australia is another country growing Salix Alba Caerulea for cricket bats, with the entire Australian stock descended from staves sent to Australia in the 1930s from the then-England captain to his Australian counterpart. Australia grew its own willow for decades, until Slazenger bought the company which owned most of the plantations. Slazenger's only interest was in apparel and the plantations were mostly sold and destroyed. In the 1990s a project was launched to again commercially grow cricket bat willow. There are now plantations in Victoria and New South Wales, but not Queensland, where all forms of willow cultivation are banned.