NAQQASH SPORTS

Bat Sizing

To get the best out of your game you need the right bat. The right size, style and weight all contribute to performance, as does the position of the sweet spot. We are more than welcome to discuss the type of bat the individual wants before you buy a bat. The right bat does make a difference to your game, and with our expertise we will see that you get a bat that suits the style of play you prefer.

When selecting your bat, we suggest you give consideration to the weight and length of the bat, as well as the handle. Pick up or balance should also be considered as this impacts on bat speed and your ability to play shots. You should also give consideration to the position of the sweet spot - it could be high, low or in a normal position. If you do not already have a preference then please use the sizing chart under bat length as a guide and email us with your details. If you are unsure and want plenty of advice please send plenty of detail. The more detail you provide the better the advice you will receive about the bat that will suit your game.

Do I Need Two Bats?

Many players ask us whether they need two or more bats. This depends on the level you are playing at, personal preference and how often you use your bat. Top players always have a number of bats, but they are making a living from the game and their bat is their livelihood. Some players that are not at international or first class level have several bats, sometimes very similar, and sometimes dramatically different. This is down to individual preference, and the reasons we hear for having more than one bat are fascinating. Some players like to have a couple of bats that are very similar, so if one breaks they have another they are comfortable with ready for immediate use. Others like to have different bats to use depending on the form they are in. This usually means a lighter bat when they are in form, and a slightly heavier bat for when they are not. The heavier bat means that they get value from shots they do not middle, and when they get back in form they return to the lighter bat that gives them more shot options.

Bat Weights

These are to be used as a rough guide only, please e-mail us to discuss in more detail. Selecting the weight of the bat is crucial to maximising your performance. Weight impacts on the way you bat. A heavy bat with a lot of wood in the middle will hit the ball a lot further than a lighter bat. A lighter bat will have a faster bat speed meaning you are more likely to hit the ball in the middle. While the bats weight is determined by personal preference, the following are general recommendations based on the position in the batting order. Please use these as a guide only, and for advice based on your build & style of play please email us.

Opening bat

A lighter bat is recommended usually in the region of 2lbs7ozs - 2lbs9ozs. This is due to the faster bat speed required when facing the new ball. A heavier bat means that there will be a slightly slower reaction time, which can be the difference between playing the ball too early or too late (another point would be "the difference between a thick or thin edge")

No's. 3 & 4 A slightly heavier weight would often be required due to getting into a more aggressive style whilst still retaining the balance needed for facing faster bowlers. 2lbs8ozs-2lbs10ozs.

No's. 5, 6 & 7 One would generally require a large amount of size to the bat so that when one hits out the ball is sure to travel beyond the boundary. A good weight range for a middle order player would be 2lbs10ozs - 2lbs12ozs.

No's. 8 & 9 This depends very much on your build and what feels comfortable to you, players tend to use bats of around 2lbs12ozs, sometimes with a longer blade(depending on height) you are very often required to stay at the crease so it is not necessarily correct to have a big heavy bat.

No's. 10 & 11 These are very often crucial batting positions in the game as you may find yourself in a position where you are needed to score the winning runs, if you find that you are a pretty good timer of the ball and like the heavy bat (3lbs +) when in the throws of the final over then a good balance is crucial due to the way it improves your timing. If you feel that the bat has to be light and you cannot use a heavier bat well, we would recommend one in the region of 2lbs10ozs but making sure that the bat length is correct. Lower order batsmen should be particular about the bat they use. Being in the lower order means you need every advantage you can get. Lower order batsmen do not have the skill that those batting up the order have, and having the correct bat can dramatically improve your batting performance.

General Recommendations

Some times players may find that they like a particular weight but prefer a longer blade for instance. A longer blade will help if you sometimes get back pain or if you are looking to make yourself stand up straighter. As a rule if you normally use a 2lbs8oz bat in a standard short handle size the weight for a long blade will be 2lbs9ozs, this is due to the extra length right at the toe of the bat. It will also feel more "toe heavy" than what you are used to because the extra length moves the general weight distribution further away from your hands. The same principles apply to a long handled bat due to pushing the weight further away from your hands.

Note:
With all of these recommendations players will have different preferences please contact us to talk about these so that we can be sure that the bat is correctly made, the more information we have about you, the easier it is to make the correct bat and ensure satisfaction. When emailing about bat specifications please provide as much information as possible about your game. The more information you send the easier it is to recommend the correct size, weight, balance and style of bat for you.

The Bat Speed

The bat speed is the speed that the bat travels to hit the ball. Generally the faster the bat speed the more likely the batsman is to be able to hit the ball with the middle of the bat. To be able to make slight adjustments to a shot when the ball deviates or they have made some other misjudgment or error in execution.

The Following Factors Influencing Bat Speed

Length of Bat
The length of the bat impacts on bat speed in several areas. The longer the bat, the further away from the hands the weight / sweet spot. The further away from the hands the weight is, the heavier the bat feels, and for practical purposes is. A long bat or a bat with a low sweet spot will have a slower bat speed than a shorter bat or a bat with a higher sweet spot. A longer bat will also travel further from the top of the pickup to the point of impact. This reduces the bat speed, meaning it takes slightly longer to reach the point of impact.

Weight of Bat
Heavier bats have a slower bat speed than lighter bats. The effort required to move the bat increases as the weight of the bat increases. A lighter bat will allow faster bat speed and increase the chance of middling the ball. A heavier bat will not be quite as easy to middle the ball with, but when you connect the ball will stay hit. This topic will be one that has come up in our Cricket Bat Lore Newsletter. In the thirties batsmen used very light and slightly smaller bats - their style of play differed from the style of play of the modern batsman.

Weight Distribution
A bat that has an even weight distribution will have a faster bat speed than a bat that has its weight in near the toe. This means that a heavier bat with a good distribution of weight will have a faster bat speed than a light bat with a lot of weight in the toe.

Balance/ Pick up
Balance or Pick up describes the bats centre of gravity. If the bats centre of gravity is closer to the handle the pickup is quite poor. If the centre of gravity is approximately 8 inches from the shoulder then the pick up should be good. We do not advocate measuring for the centre of gravity - you should test the pick up using the method described below. To test the pickup of your bat, hold it in your top hand and lift it using your normal pickup. If the bat feels heavy then the pick up is not great. If it is easy to pick up and the bat does not feel heavy then you have a bat with good balance and pickup. A bat with a good pick up will allow for a better bat speed than a bat with a poor pickup.

What All This Means

Like the selection of any sporting equipment, there is a compromise between fast bat speed and having a bat that has enough middle to get the ball to the boundary. Fast bat speed allows all manner of shots to be played, and adjustments to shots while the shot is being made. Heavier bats slow the bat speed down, but have more mass behind the 'middle' meaning the ball will travel further when hit properly. Simply put, the batsman has to decide whether he or she wants a bat with lots of weight that will hit the ball a long way when it connects, or a bat that is lighter and allows you to hit the ball in the middle more frequently. Most players end up taking a middle path, selecting a bat with an average weight (2'9"- 2'11). When emailing about bat specifications please provide as much information as possible about your game. The more information you send the easier it is to recommend the correct size, weight, balance and style of bat for you.

Sweet Spot/Middle

The sweet spot or middle of the bat is the area of the blade where you are looking to strike the ball most of the time to ensure that you achieve the largest amount of power in the shot you are playing. The middle is dictated by the profile through the back of the bat. Most players will have a bat with the sweet spot in the normal position. This would be about 4" from the toe to 12" from the toe. A bat with a normal sweet spot will suit a batsman who plays the full range of shots and does not favour any shot in particular.

A high sweet spot is usually 5" from the toe through to 13" from the toe. This bat suits a batsman who opens or prefers playing short pitched bowling, and off the back foot. With a higher sweet spot, the weight distribution is higher up the blade, meaning that the bat speed is faster. This type of bat suits those who like playing cuts, hooks and pulls. A low sweet spot is usually 3" to 11" from the toe. This type of bat suits a player that enjoys driving the ball and playing aggressively during the final overs of a game. It is particularly suited to wickets that do have much bounce - those that are damp or have good grass cover. The pick up is affected due to the weight of bat being nearer to the toe. Please note that hitting the ball regularly in the desired area will enhance the sweet spot. If you have a bat with a high sweet spot you need to be hitting the ball high on the blade regularly to get the best out of the bat.

In general we recommend a sweet spot in the normal position, but if you have a preference for a particular position then we can make the bat to your specifications. When emailing about bat specifications please provide as much information as possible about your game. The more information you send the easier it is to recommend the correct size, weight, balance and style of bat for you.

Grips

The number grips you have on your bat will be determined by personal preference. As a rough guide all of the bat weights we have specified in recommendations are with one rubber grip. Each additional grip will increase the bat's weight by one and a quarter ounces. We do have double thickness rubber grips for those who like a thick handle or have big hands. These do weigh three ounces so add considerable weight to the bat.

Increasing the number of grips raises the centre of gravity and improves bat speed, as well as the feel of the bat. Too many grips, however, can make the bat feel very heavy and seem to be without life.

Oiling Your Bat

The purpose of oiling your bat is to help prevent the wood from drying out and becoming brittle, it also helps to soften and bind the surface fibres of the willow during the knocking in process. By oiling the toe you are helping to prevent water ingression that could lead to the toe cracking and the face peeling. Unless specifically told otherwise cricket bats require oiling with raw linseed oil or special cricket bat oil. A minimum of two coats (preferably three) should be applied to the bat leaving 24 hours between coats for the oil to dry and soak in. During the drying time the bat should be laid horizontally. A coat of oil is about one teaspoon full, but be especially generous with the oil around the toe area of your bat. However avoid oiling the splice area and the stickers as the oil could loosen the glue. Also NEVER stand the bat in oil or apply too much oil as this will deaden the wood resulting in very poor performance .