I need some help about my cricket bat please?

Question

I just bought a new cricket bat and i dont now if i should oil it or put special tape on it, please can u help?

Answer 1

Here are some tips for your new bat.

The purpose of oiling your bat is to help to soften and bind the surface fibres of the willow during the knocking in process and also prevent the wood from drying out and becoming brittle. By oiling the toe where no toe guard is fitted you help to prevent water soaking in which could lead to the toe cracking.

Cricket bats require oiling with raw linseed oil or special cricket bat oil. A minimum of two coats (preferable 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 left in a horizontal position out of direct sunlight. A coat of oil is about a teaspoon full being generous around the toe area of the bat. AVOID oiling the splice area where the handle joins the blade and the stickers as the oil may loosen the glue fixing them. NEVER stand the bat in oil or apply to much oil as this will deaden the willow resulting in poor performance.

Good luck.

Answer 2

wellmate it depends on the willow,has it been knocked in?a light wipe of oil would harm the wood before you stick a cover on,im a pro cricketer playing in ireland at the moment and im sponsored by kookaburra i prefer the cover due to te conditions it helps presere the bat against marks and moisture!!!my advise is if its english willow give it a light coat of oil leave the bat on its back for a day or two then take a sock with a old ball and knock it in for about 10min every day for a week you can even take it to the nets for throwdowns but use old balls.then after a week a another light dab of linseed oil then slap that cover on !happy cricket season for you mate enjoy

Answer 3

You really have to ask the people at the shop you bought the bat from for a good answer to this one. It depends on various things such as the type of willow and the original form of blade covering. Most often, season (knock-in) the bat if it hasn't already been seasoned and don't put any covering. Make sure you oil it, in fact, oil a bat regardless of its covering because the willow dries out and that leads to premature cracking of the blade. If there are small yet long cracks through the bat, it's not yet the time to tape it. In such a case it means the bat is at its seasoned best... try and make hay while the sun shines.. score runs! When the bat starts to make large cracks, start taping it. Another thing is to add a small dose of oil to the toe of the bat (usually there's a little hole to pour it in) everyday during season. And avoid getting any oil on the bat handle.