Useful
Information about Cricket Gear and Equipment
Cricket Gear Buying
Guide
Selecting the Right
Cricket Bat
Following are the factors that play a critical role
in selecting the best bat:
Willow Source
Only the highest grades of willow can produce the
finest quality cricket bats. The world's best raw
materials are needed for manufacturing excellent
willows. Cricket bat willow is primarily sourced
from the UK and Kashmir.
Willow Grade
Willows grow to a maximum height of about 70-90ft.
The diameter is 3-4ft. Trees grown for making
cricket bats are felled after reaching a
circumference of roughly 56". The density of the
wood as well as consistency of the grain right
through a cricket bat’s playing area is critical to
the end balance and its performance.
Size
Getting the correct size bat is critical for the
development of budding cricketers. It is vital the
bat is not too long and not too heavy to prevent
good technique and fluent stroke play. Junior bats
are proportionately scaled down in weight and size
for meeting this important requirement. Heavier bats
will result in a slower bat speed than lighter ones.
Also, a greater effort is needed to use it, whereas
a lighter bat will result in faster bat speed and
allow batsman middle the ball better.
Grains
This is an aspect often overlooked by most young
cricketers who buy bats. The number of grains on
your bat holds key to its performance. One with
narrow grains (more grains across the blade) will
boost your performance as batsman.
Selecting the Right Batting Gloves
Batting gloves will protect your fingers from
injury. Following are the things that need to be
considered when selecting the best batting gloves:
Complete protection
When you are looking at and evaluating which batting
gloves to buy a pair of gloves from available
options, look at the fingers of the gloves to check
that each finger of both batting gloves carries
flexible padded areas. Also check that the thumb of
the bottom hand (left hand for a left handed batter
and vice versa) sports extra protection.
Measurement
The critical measurement, you should note that, is
from the beginning of the wrist to your longest
finger’s tip, in a straight line.
Selecting the Right Batting Pads
Batting pads will protect your legs. Following are
the factors that play a critical role in selecting
the best pads:
Customization
Cricket batting pads are one of the most important
equipment that you require when you start playing
the game. In the beginning, you may opt to borrow
them from one of your teammates or club. But at some
stage, you will have to buy them. This is where
customization and understanding what exactly you
need come into play.
Comfort and ease of usage
Ensure that you get a pair, which fits your legs
properly and is comfortable to wear. If you get a
good pair of pads, which suits your style and
stance, you will feel much more comfortable while
batting.
Measurement
Perhaps the most critical measurement to consider
when buying a pair of pads is the approximate
distance down to the instep (where the tongue of
your shoe would rest) from the middle of the knee
cap. Pads are available in various sizes to suit
different players. (Sizes may vary slightly from one
make to another.)
Selecting the Right Helmet
In a game of cricket, batsmen are often required to
wear a solid and sturdy helmet for protecting
themselves from any serious injury by the hard
cricket ball, which can be bowled at a high speed.
Go through these tips for choosing the best helmet:
Good fitting
A helmet should have a good fitting. A good fitting
helmet is worn with the peak usually protruding
horizontally from the line of a batsman’s eyebrows.
Weight
Apart from being steady and solid, a helmet needs to
be light in weight. It should allow airflow apart
from provision for a comforting sweat absorption
material.
Foolproof protection
A helmet should dissipate shock and hence minimize
head injury. It should feel firm but comfortable
from a wearer’s perspective. There should be no
excessive or unwanted movement in any direction to
disturb the batsman. It is recommended that a
batsman always fastens the chin strap for added
security.
Measurement
To measure, you should run a tape measure just above
the eyebrows, around the middle of the forehead and
also around the side (slightly above the ears to the
‘bump’ on the back of your head). Over a period of
time the internal padding will mold to the shape of
a wearer’s head.
Selecting the Right Wicket Keeping Gloves
In a game of cricket it is not easy to find a
substitute player for wicketkeeper from the playing
eleven, which is exactly why it’s critical to buy
wicket keeping gloves of the highest standard. We
provide some suggestions for purchasing the best
wicket keeping gloves:
Thorough protection
Broken fingers are one of the most serious risks on
the cricket field as far as a wicketkeeper is
concerned. But for a glove, it can get very painful
when the ball thuds a wicketkeeper’s fingers! Look
at the fingers of the gloves to check that each
finger of both batting gloves carries flexible
padded areas.
Measurement
The critical measurement, you should note that, is
from the beginning of the wrist to your longest
finger’s tip, in a straight line.
Selecting the Right Wicket Keeping Gloves
A wicketkeeper is unarguably the most active
individual on the field. He needs to watch each and
every ball, take crucial catches, stop byes, effect
stump-outs and encourage his team members. Here are
some tips for getting the best wicket keeping pads:
Ease of usage
As is the case with batting pads, it is necessary
that wicketkeeper gets a pair of pads that will fit
his legs and will aid smooth movement behind the
stumps. Comfort and ease of usage is the most
critical factor.
Complete protection
Wicket keeping pads will protect legs from a painful
blow. The best wicket keeping pads are designed with
all the necessary protection for any level of play.
Check for the sturdiness of calf and ankle straps.
Selecting the Right Cricket Shoes
From point of view of smooth and precise feet
movement either for a batsman or bowler as well as
fielders, getting the right cricket shoes is
critical. Following tips will help in this task.
Comfort and grip
The most important things to consider while buying
cricket shoes are their comfort and grip.
Suitability for a playing surface
You can select your cricket shoes depending on the
type of surface you are going to play on. To
elaborate, spiked shoes are good for soft ground,
whereas pimpled rubber soles are suitable for hard
ground. You can also seek a combination of both
types - spikes and pimples.
Batsmen generally prefer shoes with sturdy spikes at
the front for proper grip combined with
rubber-treaded heels. Fast bowlers usually prefer
shoes that have spikes at the front and back along
with good support around the ankle area.
Size
Mostly shoe sizes in an online store will be quoted
in UK sizes. Over the last couple of years there has
been a visible improvement on part of all
manufactures in standardizing sizes; this alongside
normal shoe sizes. As a result, you should feel
reasonably comfortable in making the right choice on
basis of your normal shoe size, but don’t forget to
account for a thicker sock when you size up a shoe.
