Onderhoud van Cricketmateriaal

Looking after your cricketing equipment is very important as you pay a lot of money for it and you want to play with it for many seasons. There are several things players can do to ensure they get the most out of their equipment and this section aims to help them with their equipment maintenance.

Cricket Bat care

Knocking in a new bat:

Knocking in is the process by which the fibres of the willow blade are compressed and knitted together to help prevent damage from the impact of a cricket ball. The best way to do this is by using an old ball or specific bat mallet.

Knocking in should be done in a patient and thorough manner and should take no less than 6 hours in total . Whacking a few balls in the nets wont help - you need to give your bat a lot of time. The effective life of your bat is determined by the thoroughness of your knocking in process so it is very important. You also want to minimise the damage to the edges and toes of the bat so see below how to knock in your bat properly:

So How Do I Knock in My New Cricket Bat?

It is a 5 step process:

1. Apply a light coat of linseed oil to the face and edges of the bat
2. Strike the playing areas (face and edges) with an old good quality cricket ball, allowing pressure to build gradually. Wooden bat mallets should only be used with extreme care. You do not need to knock in the back of the bat.
3. Increase the force and work the edges until they show a rounded, compact appearance.
4. After a couple of hours spent with the ball being directly hit onto the face of the bat, you can use the bat to hit short catches or for out-fielding.
5. Progress to using the bat in the training nets against old, softer balls.
6. Progress to using the bat in the training nets against newer balls Overall you need to spend a lot of time knocking it in to ensure you get the best out of your bat. Another aspect of cricket bat care is Oiling.

To oil your bat properly you must:

1. Use only LINSEED OIL (don't use bike oil please….!_
2. Using a soft cloth and apply a light coat of oil to the front, edges, toe and back of the bat blade. (DO NOT OIL THE SPLICE AREA)
3. Keep bat in a horizontal position after oiling
4. It is not necessary to oil often, it is better not to oil than to over-oil. Every few months is best, and you can do it after giving your bat a light sandpaper after excessive use then a light coat of oil.

What causes bat damage:

Dry bat

It is important to store your bat wisely to prevent the willow drying out and becoming brittle. Ideally you should store your bat in a room or shed where the wood can absorb some moisture from the atmosphere. As we live is a cold climate during winter, it is important to keep it somewhere so your household central heating doesn't dry the bat out. Generally keeping the bat out of general rooms and contained inside a bat cover is good.

DO NOT leave your bat close to a central heating radiator or fire.

DO NOT leave your bat in areas of direct sunlight at home or in car, as this can have a damaging effect

Toe swells due to damp (very important for Dutch cricket)

When the toe of your bat swells this has been caused by water/dampness getting up into the wood fibres. Avoid this by doing one of the following:

1. Applying a light coat of oil to toe before each game.
2. Use of a sealant to prevent water penetrating.
3. Applying a toe guard before bat is used.

1. Place the toe of the bat in a woodworking vice, being careful to cushion both sides of the blade to prevent damage.
2. Allow damp area to dry normally then use an old ball to knock out the swollen area. Do seek professional guidance on this issue though, as your repair work can sometimes do more damage rather than repair it.

The majority of bats will be damaged if the batsman edges a quick ball or digs out a fast yorker. Knocking in the bat edges and toe properly will help minimise the risk of damage being done and it is important to make the edges as rounded as possible. If the external damage is quite substantial (i.e - you lose some willow, or a the bat has a very deep crack), consult your place of purchase and they will instruct what to do.

Surface cracking

Willow is not manufactured. Surface cracks will appear on the face of all bats after a period of use. The knocking in period is vitally important in minimising surface cracks. Surface cracks do not harm the bats performance but proper knocking in delays the appearance of these cracks

Other Cricket Equipment

Cricket equipment has a finite life. Batting gloves might last two seasons, cricket leg guards might last a little longer but all in all it depends how much you use each item in your kit. Gloves and leg guards can be washed with hot water and light detergent to keep them clean but there is nothing really you can do to help maintain the leather. Cricket shoes too can be cleaned with light detergent and left out to dry. If the rubber soles of your shoes are coming loose, get a good adhesive to stick it back together.