Cricket bats are made from English Willow, a hardwood with good durability. However, at some point in every cricket bat’s life, it’ll become damaged. Going in and out of cricket bags, being frequently impacted by cricket balls, getting cold and hot in storage, and typical wear and tear all takes a toll on the bat.
Seeing small cracks in your cricket bat can cause panic. After all, it’s such a special investment, especially if you took your time to select the best one. Small cracks and indentations can appear early on, so it’s good to be prepared with knowledge of how to properly care for and repair bats. If you want to read about refurbishing a cricket bat, click here.
To prevent breakage for as long as possible, you can learn about the importance of using high-quality cricket gear at this link.
Fixing Cricket Bat Edges
Small cracks may occur anywhere on your cricket bat. The most common areas include the edges and toe, but they can also appear across or along the grains. Whenever you see a crack, especially at the edges of your cricket bat, it’s crucial to take action. The good news is that the cracks at the edges of a cricket bat are easily repairable with a few essential steps:
1. Knock In Your Cricket Bat Properly
If indentations and cracks appear on the edges of your cricket bat early on, this is a sign that it needs more preparation.
Things like knocking in your cricket bat, oiling your cricket bat, and doing slow bowling in the nets are essential in ensuring your cricket bat is ready to use. Preparing your cricket bat can save you replacement or repair expenses in the future. To learn how to oil a cricket bat, check out our article here.
2. Sandpaper The Edge Of The Cricket Bat
Sometimes, the cracks on the edges of the cricket bat could be so small that sandpaper will do the trick. Cricket bats contain many wooden layers, so a small crack may only affect the top layers. These cracks may occur even after you’ve knocked in your bat correctly.
Sandpaper the affected area gently for about thirty seconds, and the minor cracks should disappear. This is a sign that there’s no fault with your cricket bat; it’s just due to regular impact with cricket balls.
3. Apply A Small Amount Of Superglue
Sometimes, sandpaper might not do the job, especially when the cracks are significant. This is known as a “hairline” crack, which is often less than 5 cm long. Apply a thin layer of superglue across the crack, and then leave the bat to dry.
4. Use Tape
The edges of a cricket bat are delicate, requiring some protection to prevent damage. A good time to apply tape is after using superglue, once small cracks appear. Even if you’ve prepared your cricket bat well, it’s a brilliant idea to tape the cracks, as this helps to strengthen your cricket bat against fast bowling.
Fibre bat tape is perfect for protecting the edges of a cricket bat and minor cricket bat damages. This tape is usually 20-30 mm thick, and it substantially reduces the risk of hairline cracks becoming larger.
Apply the edge of the bat tape from the end of the toe of the cricket bat and move upwards. Stick down the face of the cricket bat first and use both hands to apply the tape over the edges. Be sure to use half of the tape on the face of your cricket bat, and the other half of the tape should be on the edges of the cricket bat.
Final Thoughts
Some damages and cracks on the edges of cricket bats are minor, which you can fix without a professional. By knocking in your cricket bat properly, sandpapering its edges, applying a small amount of superglue, and using tape, you can fix the edges of your bat and increase its lifespan.
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