Tips For Buying A New Cricket Bat

When it comes to buying a new cricket bat there are a number of factors that you need to address before making your final decision to purchase a new cricket bat, such as:

- The brand, - The size, - The model, - The weight,

...these are just a few factors to consider.

This article will look briefly at a few tips to follow when it comes to replacing your old favourite bat with a new cricket bat.

Choosing a cricket bat based on its brand really comes down to personally preference, as realistically there is not much major difference between brands. They all have cricket bats with similar attributes and features; it is the variation between models that I would pay closer attention too, not the brand name. However it is worth mentioning that some of the new Kookaburra cricket bat models are almost unique, as some are now reinforced with a new graphite matrix, giving maximum power transfer and increased strength.

When buying a new cricket bat, carefully select the model of cricket bat that most suitably fits your style of play. As some bats are designed specifically certain styles in mind, for example the Kookaburra Big Kahuna, is designed for strong, big hitters'. Whereas the Kookaburra Kahuna Ricky Ponting cricket bat is an excellent choice for a stroke player who likes to hit boundaries.

It is very important when buying a new cricket bat to choose the correct size bat. As a bat that is too large or too small will only hinder your playing ability. I've found the best way to determine if a bat is of the right size, is to stand in your batting stance and rest the toe of the bat against the outside of your back foot, lean the cricket bat so that the top of the handle rests next to the inside groin of your front leg. If the bat is of the right size it should rest comfortably next to your box on the inside groin of your front leg.

The weight of a cricket bat is probably most important and you should choose a lighter bat where possible. A lot of players make the mistake of buying a bat which is too heavy and their performance suffers as a result, this is especially applicable to younger players who are often lulled into buying bats which are either to heavy or too big. As an adult I tend to choose a weight of around 2' 8 - 2' 10 oz, in a short handle (SH).

You should also take into account to grade and type of the willow of the cricket bat. Most bats are made from English Willow, which is a soft fibrous wood, with good striking qualities and is the best option. There is also Kashmir Willow, which is cheaper, harder and quite durable. It is often used in junior bats and produces less ball striking satisfaction. Always choose English Willow given the option.

Cricket bat willow is graded on a scale from G1+ to G4. A willow grade of G1+ is the highest grade and is used by the top professionals, it is the best willow and is unbleached with straight even grains and no markings or discolouration. It's more expensive but as always you get what you pay for!

Grade 4 (G4) willow is often non-oil and will usually have a covering on the face, such as an anti-scuff covering. It is the lowest grade of willow, which is represented in the price. If you have the money always opt for the highest grade willow you can afford.

You can now buy cricket bats online cheaper than you can offline, as online stores tend to have fewer costs associated with their businesses and so can offer cheaper prices and discounts. Also most offer guarantees on their bats so you can return it if the size or weight is not quite what you want. A sneaky tip; if you see a new bat you like go to your local store, check the size, weight, feel and pickup, then buy online, so you'll get exactly what you want and save money in the process.

These are just a few ideas and tips I consider when buying a new cricket bat, most important are the bats size, weight and feel. Obviously the price is an important factor, but by buying online you can often save money.

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Cricket Batting Tips: The Basics - A Correct Batting Grip

As a batsman in cricket it is essential that you have a good batting grip to enable you to play the full range of batting shots with full control and precision.

The way a batsmen grips the bat often varies slightly from player to player which is some times reflected in their batting style. For simplicities sake the easiest way to hold a bat correctly is to lie your bat face down on the ground and pick it up with both hands as though it were a small axe and you shouldn't go to far wrong.

However, there is a definite recognised and 'correct' bat grip which is taught by the English Cricket Board (ECB).

After picking up the bat ensure you have your fingers and thumb wrapped around the centre of the handle with your hands close together.

The shape should form a 'V', in line between the splice and the edge.

This means that when you are holding the bat a 'V', as such is formed between where the inside of the thumb and fore finger hold the bat with each hand. The two 'V's on each hand should line up almost centrally between the splice/handle and the leading edge.

This is quite hard to explain without out a diagram, but if you have a cricket bat nearby you should be able to try this out.

Often some players rest their fore-finger down the side of the bat/handle and not closed around the grip; this is not recommended as it can lead to injuries (possibly even a broken finger) as you progress to higher levels, with faster delivers and higher impacts.

Your top hand should rest nicely against the inside front thigh. You should have a relaxed stance, with feet parallel and around a foot length apart. Make sure you have you weight evenly distributed across both feet and keep your knees flexed. The stance is a side-on position in relation to the bowler and should always be relaxed.

Your head position is very important and you should ensure you keep your eyes level, as having a slightly tilted head actually has been proven to reduce reaction time as it is harder for the brain to process the incoming information. Keep you eyes level over your toes.

Ensuring you have a correct cricket batting grip and stance is essential to your success as a cricket batsman as all successful shots start with an effective grip, stance, backswing and step.

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Cricket Bowling Tips And Hints

When bowling in cricket there are many possible cricket tips or hints that can help improve your bowling.

In bowling, a combination of natural ability, good technique and practice is the recipe for good bowling, whether it is fast, slow or spin.

Here are some tips that will help your bowling and when implemented correctly your bowling speed:

The basic grip to hold the ball is to keep the seam vertical and to hold the ball with your index finger and middle finger either side of the seam with the side of your thumb resting on the seam underneath the ball.

In your approach/run in, try to stay:

- Smooth,

- Balanced,

- Economical,

- Rhythmical,

- Consistent and stay relaxed and try not to tense up.

During your approach and action, your head position is very important. Make sure that as you approach the wicket you are running at a steady, consistent speed, and increase strides. Aim to keep your head as steady and level as possible, looking towards your target.

Pull your front arm down and through the target area, making sure you complete the delivery with a full follow through.

Try to keep everything in the same direction, towards your target, keep your hips and shoulders parallel/in-line, and follow through the delivery in the direction where you intend the ball to go.

Also as a bowler it is very important to stay in great shape, as you'll enjoy the game more and perform better in the latter stages if you have good stamina. So incorporating some light weight sessions in to your training is important.

Also aim to try and run 3 times a week to keep your cardiovascular system in top condition and to improve your stamina. South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, is well know for running 10Km every morning, even on match days!

But make sure you consult your coach/doctor/gym instructor before starting any sessions.

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Cricket : A Gentelmen's Game!

Cricket was invented in the vast fields of England, supposedly by sheperds who herded their flock.Later on this game was shown benovalency by aristrocrats, and now has the strature of being Englands national game. After a century now, cricket stands in the international arena, with a place of its own.

THE GAME

Cricket involves two teams with 11 players on each side. The captain who wins the toss decides whether his team bats or bowls first. If they bat first , their aim is to score a lot of runs and make sure the other team does not reach that score.

FORMATS OF THE GAME

Cricket is played in many formats , but the most popular are TEST CRICKET and ONE DAY cricket. In TEST cricket game goes on for 5 days, with each team batting twice - if time permits.

ONE DAY is the most popular format, with each team getting 300 balls to score runs. ANd the other team tries to outscore them within the same number of balls.

KEY PLAYERS

Three functions of the players are 1. BATSMEN, 2. BOWLING 3. FIELDING.

1. Batsmen - one who scores runs of the balls bowled by the bowler.

2. Bowler - One who bowls, and tries to get the batsmen "out"(dimissed from the ground).

3. Fielder - Players (10) who assist the bowler in achieving his goal, and prevent the batsmen from scoring runs.

BATSMEN

The game of cricket mainly revolves around batsmen. Crowds love the batsmen, especially when they wallop the ball all over the ground. Batsmen are the ones who whip up hysteria in the crowd, eveybody loves them, they are the Don Juans of the game.