| Cricket bats have many different features that you | | | | distance. Conversely, a heavier bat is harder to swing |
| can change to suit your needs. These include handle | | | | than a lighter one. You may need to experiment with |
| length, bat weight, grade of wood & type of | | | | different bat weights to find the one that suits you |
| grip. | | | | best. |
| Most bats are made from English Willow, and the | | | | Handle length is usually just changed according to |
| grade of wood refers to the quality of the grain in | | | | your height. But you may also need to change this to |
| the wood. Grade 1 means best quality, Grade 4 | | | | suit your gripping style. If your hands are close |
| means the worst. A Grade 1 bat will be unbleached, | | | | together when you bat then you may prefer a |
| have straight grains, with no discolouration or marking | | | | shorter handle, especially if you have a wristy batting |
| on the bat face. A Grade 4 bat is usually bleached, | | | | action. If you are tall, or have your hands apart when |
| will have an irregular grain and some marking to the | | | | you bat, then you may prefer a longer handle. |
| bat face. The theory is that with straighter grains the | | | | You can also choose different materials for the |
| bat will hit truer and will be stronger than a bat which | | | | batting handle grip, such as latex or rubber, and |
| has blemishes. Grade 1 bats can easily cost 3 times | | | | different patterns for the grip, like ribs or mini |
| more than Grade 4 bats. | | | | suckers. Again, testing of different grips will help you |
| The bat weight can determine how far you can hit | | | | find your favourite. |
| the ball, a heavier bat being able to achieve a greater | | | | |