Having the right cricket gear is almost as important as talent or skill, and knocking in your cricket bat will only improve it more.
Most cricket bats are made from English or Kashmir willow. Thus, cricket bats require preparation before you can use them to strike a cricket ball. All cricket bats are pressed during production, which gives them a type of conditioning that improves the power of the bat.
Manufacturer’s press each cricket bat individually; thus, cricket bat makers assess each cleft and establish how much pressure is needed to optimize power and durability for each piece of willow.
All cricket bats are pressed; however, knocking in each bat is another crucial step. Knocking in is a process where the fibres of the willow in the edges and face of a cricket bat are compressed together. This forms a barrier that protects the cricket bat against the impact of cricket balls. Effective knocking in can improve the performance and lifespan of a cricket bat.
Despite many retailers and manufacturers using machines to knock in cricket bats, you can do it the old-fashioned way: by hand, with a mallet.
However, knocking in a cricket bat manually can be a daunting, noisy, arduous, and time-consuming task that’s easy to get wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing. In this article, we’ll go through the step-by-step procedure of knocking in your cricket bat.
You have a teenager who’s a cricket fan, and you’re looking to get them a bat, follow this link to find out how to choose the right cricket bat for a 14-year-old.
Knocking In A Cricket Bat Manually
To learn how long to knock in a cricket bat for, click this link.
If you want to knock in your new cricket bat yourself, here is how to go about it:
Step 1: Oil Your Bat
All uncovered cricket bats must be treated using a specialized cricket bat oil or raw linseed. The primary purpose of oiling a cricket bat before use is to maintain moisture levels in the blade. This reduces the odds of it cracking and splitting. However, avoid over oiling your cricket bat because this can damage it too.
Apply the right coat of oil to the edge, face, toe, and back of the blade. Avoid oiling logos or stickers and the splice area. Next, allow your cricket bat to dry.
Typically, two or three coats of oil will be enough. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat of oil. You can dry your cricket bat by placing its blade in a slightly raised horizontal position from the handle down.
Step 2: Knocking In
You should knock in a bat carefully, using a special cricket bat mallet and a quality cricket ball. Repeatedly strike your bat, increasing the force gradually. Knock in all the areas that you’d expect a cricket ball to make contact with.
Pay special attention to your cricket bat’s edges, as you shouldn’t strike the edges or toe directly with right angles to the blade because it will cause damage. This step should take (on average) six hours, although the time may vary because every cricket bat is different.
Step 3: Pre-Playing
Next, bounce a used but high quality cricket ball on the bat. Using an older ball means that it’s softer than a brand new one and will help your bat get used to striking the ball. Test all areas of the cricket bat. If you see seam marks on the blade, spend another half hour knocking in those specific areas. Then do the cricket ball bouncing test again. If you no longer see any seam marks, then your cricket bat is entirely knocked in.
Step 4: Playing In
After taking the above steps, your cricket bat should be ready to use against an old cricket ball in the nets. First, play defensively and avoid fast bowling. If you see any seam marks on the face of the cricket bat, resume the knocking in process. But if you don’t see any seam marks, then your cricket bat is ready.
You can add a cover to the face of your cricket bat for maximum protection. However, this doesn’t negate the need to knock in your cricket bat. The cover may improve the durability of your cricket bat, but it won’t prevent surface damage.
Once you’ve covered all these steps above your bat will be properly knocked in and ready for use! Be sure to fully prepare the bat to prevent any future damage once you bring it out on the field. If you’re not sure about knocking a bat in yourself, your local INTERSPORT store may be able to help.
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