Bat Care

LOOKING AFTER A PENINSULA CRICKET CO. BAT

OILING:

Oiling is a key part of ensuring the longevity of your cricket bat. It seals the existing moisture inside your bat and stops it from becoming too dry. It prevents the bat from cracking, splitting and/or breaking. Raw linseed oil is the only oil that should be used. Apply a teaspoon of oil onto your bat, rub the oil all over the blade of the bat using your hand or a dry cloth - avoid the handle and splice. Once the oil is rubbed in simply wipe the excess oil off using a dry rag.

We suggest oiling a cricket bat immediately after purchase.

KNOCKING IN:

Knocking in your newly purchased cricket bat is a hell of a job, but essential to the performance and longevity of your new bat. You will need to purchase a knocking in mallet to perform this critical process. 

With your mallet start by gently tapping your cricket bat from the toe of the bat all the way up to the splice. You will need to do this process for around 2 hours, slowly striking the bat harder and harder as you go on.

You may start to see little dents in the bat as you hold it up to the light, this is not an issue,  continue working all parts of the blade until all dents are levelled out. Once you have levelled the dents on the blade and have been hitting your bat with the mallet for over 2 hours, you can move to hitting catches or light throw downs with old cricket balls.

Once you have completed around an hour of catches and light throw downs, move on to some harder throw downs in the nets. Keep checking your bat for cricket ball seam marks, if seam marks have appeared you will need to wind it back to the mallet for further knocking in.

Once you have completed around an hour of throw downs, and there is no seam marks on your bat, you can move to facing bowling with old balls. We recommend a good six net sessions with old balls.

If no seam marks appear you are right to go and the bat is ready to use.

PROTECTIVE FACING:

Extratec or antiscuff sheeting is a great way to protect the face of your cricket bat. The plastic facing helps reduce cracks and splits in the face of your cricket bat. 

SERVICING YOUR BAT (OVERHAUL):

Peninsula Cricket Co. highly recommend getting your bat "Overhauled" after every cricket season. Any damage done can be repaired and the bat will come back looking good as new.

By servicing your bat each year you will extend the life of your cricket bat.