Cricket Equipment – Selecting a Cricket Bat

Jul 20th, 2010 Posted in Cricket News | No Comments »

When you get ready to go shopping for cricket equipment, usually the first thing you’re going to buy is the cricket bat. Selecting a bat essentially is a matter of personal preferences and what feels right to you. Regardless of what brand it is, cricket bats are all pretty much the same, therefore don’t get buffaloed into feeling like you have to buy one brand because it’s better than all the others.

While it’s true a bat with more modern technology might have a slight advantage, such as the use of reinforced graphite, this will make it more costly, and is not completely necessary in order to be an effective competitor. So why purchase more costly cricket equipment when cheaper equipment can provide the same work? Choosing a less expensive cricket bat saves you some money and can do just as well. Here are a few hints to assist you in choosing a cricket bat.

Determining the proper size of a bat is simple. You simply go to a nearby sports shop and check out various length bats. Position yourself in batting position, hold the bat and put it alongside your front foot’s heel. If the handle just fits to the inside of your groin then it is the right size. Write down the size of the bat; now you know what length is your size, so you can go online to find a better deal if you want.

The next thing to consider is the grade of wood. G1+ is considered the best, and G4 is the worst. If you’re buying a starter bat for training it will likely be a G4. G1 indicates that the word was from the best quality English willow; professional cricket players use these bats. But if you are shopping for your first bat, price might be an issue so G2 might be the best you can do. The higher grade will offer a nicer feel, where the ball will feel like it’s bouncing off of it with little effort. Just get the best grade that you can afford to buy.

Weight is another important criterion of a bat to consider. You must select a bat which is not so heavy that you can’t swing it successfully. One mistake a lot of people make is buying bats that are too heavy, particularly junior cricket equipment. A bat must be effortless to swing and lightweight. If it feels lethargic at all, you should change it out for a lighter weight one, or else you will be sorry later.

If you have carefully considered the three criteria listed above, then you should be confident with your new cricket bat. The grade of wood is possibly the most important characteristic of the bat that you should pay close attention to, because they can truly make a big difference. Of course the weight and feel are just as important too, so always try it out before you purchase it and be sure to have fun at the game where you get break in the new bat.

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Cricket Equipment – How to Choose Good Wicket Keeping Gloves

Jul 12th, 2010 Posted in Cricket News | No Comments »

When you find yourself needing to purchase a good pair of wicket keeping gloves, you could be overwhelmed by the sheer quantity available to buy. So many different makes and brands to choose from! How is one to know which are the best to choose, and which features are important? Not to worry, choosing a pair of decent gloves need not empty your pockets, and you really only need to consider a few criteria when buying this necessary bit of equipment for your sport.

Fit, of course if very important to get correct and you want to try them on in the store if at all possible. If you can’t do that, maybe because you’re shopping online, then measure your hand from the tip of your middle finger to the bottom of your wrist. If the measurement you come up with is approximately twenty-one centimeters, choose large gloves. If it’s more than twenty-two centimeters, go with extra-large gloves. If your hand is smaller than twenty-one centimeters, try junior cricket size gloves.

Padding for your gloves is important too, and the more the better, however you don’t want to go overboard since that might cost you in terms of how fast your hands can move. You need to be protected from the super-fast balls though, so be prepared to pay extra for a bit more high-quality padding.

Almost all gloves have some finger protection built into the tips nowadays, but double-check to be sure, just as a safety precaution to avoid any unnecessary injuries.

Webbing that stretches from the index finger of the glove to the thumb is nice for when your aim is just a tiny bit off. However, you should check with your league rules for how much is permissible before you buy the gloves.

These four items are just a couple things to think about when shopping, but actually, selecting gloves is really all about your personal preferences and what is comfortable for you. The name-brands like to make a big deal out of specific features and they always have some big new thing that you have to have, so long as your glove has thick padding and excellent finger protection, you’ll be fine. Some players have even played with a starter pair of gloves for years just because that one pair is what felt right to them. The cricket equipment companies would like you to think that their brands have the features which are necessary to have, but that’s just not necessarily true. Always just go with what feels right to you. In regards to cricket equipment, the costliest is not necessarily the best!

Find out more information about how cricket gear at the Cricket Equipment site!