Knocking the Bat : Cricket bats are made from a fairly soft and fibrous material called willow

or Salix Alba Caerulea. With cricket balls being delivered like missiles at up to 90mph against your cricket bat it is obviously advisable to prepare your blade so as to achieve optimal performance, resistance and longevity. This process is refered to as Knocking or Running your cricket bat in. All cricket bats purchased new must be run in. Running In as outlined above is a process of ensuring that the owner of a new cricket bat prepares it for use against a new and hard cricket ball. All bats must be run in to both ensure the maximum performance of your cricket bat and to ensure its maximum life span. There are cricket bats from some companies which are available new and 'ready to use' but we and others are not overly convinced about the merit of such an option as there is every possibility that these cricket bats may be 'over pressed'. Over pressing a cricket bat will extend a bats life span but will also and detrimentally reduce the performance and ping of your bat. A cricket bat should be crafted to provide optimal ping and performance and by knocking in such a bat properly yourself you are then able to extend the lifespan of your cricket bat. Running a cricket bat in is in fact a very simple process but it must be done correctly. Please ensure that you run your bat in properly after purchase and before use against new cricket balls in the nets or in matches. A cricket bat which has not been run in may still perform ok but it will perform much better and last a lot longer if it has been run in properly. It is well worth investing a few hours over a few days to ensure your bat is run in correctly. Cricket bats ordered through Middlepeg will come in a natural polished willow finish. This is universally accepted as the best finish for a cricket bat because they can be both oiled and used as is or be applied with a Cricket bat Facing material. Your Free Middlepeg Cricket Bat Package will contain among many other items both the raw linseed oil for your cricket bat plus Bat Facing sheeting. Steps and Procedure - Oiling On ordering your cricket bat from Middlepeg we will have liased with you with regards to your cricket bat and how you would like it to arrive. The options here are fully knocked in, as is, a 'pre app' of oil as well as the various Bat Facing options. All of these numerous options are simple and self explanatory procedures which we will outline with you prior to ordering. For the purposes of this procedural explanation let us assume your cricket bat arrives as is in a natural polish finish. Oiling your cricket bat is the first step in the knocking in process. Using the Raw Linseed Oil found in your Bat Package lightly oil your new bat. No rocket science is involved here but it is important not to over oil your bat. Use an open weave cloth or a Chux Wipe to spread a film of oil over the main face of the bat. Ensure that the edges are also oiled and there is nothing wrong

with giving the back of the cricket bat a very light coverage as well but avoid oiling the splice of the bat (the very top section of the blade). There should be enough coverage of oil on the front face of the bat so that you can see a thin film of oil on it. You should NOT see any oil running if you stand the bat upright. If this happens there is too much oil so wipe it away to only leave a thin film. Lie the bat down horizontally after this. After leaving it at least overnight repeat the procedure again but this time use even less oil than the first application. In other words give it only a very light rub with the same open weave cloth from before. Leave lying horizontally for at least 6 hours. After this oiling you are then ready to begin the Knocking In procedure. Again, this is not rocket science - it is a simple procedure to follow. Knocking In By knocking your cricket bat in we are trying to harden and knit the fibrous textures of the face of your bat before we expose it to a new cricket ball being bowled at 90 mph. This is the most crucial process of running your bat in. A cricket bat that is run in correctly will provide you with more driving power and also have a much longer life span. We prefer the following technique to knocking in although our method is probably over the top. Either way its your choice. The first step we do is to obtain the oldest, daggiest leather ball we have and then start to softly hit the front face (blade) with the ball in one hand and the bat on our laps. Have a seat in front of the TV and watch some telly because you need to do this for at least 2 hours. Warn you partner or family that this procedure could become annoying but as far as we are concerned there is nothing like sitting in front of the TV knocking in a new cricket bat. Some people recommend doing this with a Wooden or Ball Bat Mallet straight from the start and you can do this immediately but put an old sock over the Mallet to soften the initial knocking in process. During this process make sure that you are knocking every region of the blade. Work down the edges in a methodical fashion and then up and down through the central blade. A cricket bat is designed to hit a ball in its lower middle section, between 10 to 30 cms (4 to 12 inches) from the bottom, so even though you should eventually concentrate on this region you also need to knock the entire blade in as well. As much as we would like to play all of our shots from this hitting zone, even the Don miss hit a few shots. Every once in a while press a finger nail lightly into the blade. At the beginning this will leave an indentation but over the entire running in procedure such marks will become harder to make. After these first 2 hours with an old leather ball or the sock covered mallet have a break. If you are going to leave it overnight or have a few hours break then give the bat the absolute lightest of

oil rubs with that same open weave cloth. There will be more than enough oil in the cloth already so no need to put any more oil onto the cloth. The next day or after your break use a wooden Bat Mallet (provided with some cricket bats from Middlepeg) without its sock to begin gently tapping the face and edges of the blade. Again make sure that you cover every region of the blade. Gradually begin to increase the force of your blows. It is so important to ensure that you cover every area of the blade that a ball can hit it including the edges which should show a rounded appearance after a while. We recommend you spend another 2 hours on this procedure. Running a cricket bat in must require patience. You simply will not get the best out of any cricket bat unless you spend this time correctly running it in. Your investment of time will be well worth it as there is nothing like a well run in cricket bat. Your diligence and patience during this process will be well rewarded. So now that should be 4 hours you have spent patiently running your bat in. Now you can go outside and begin to bounce that original daggy ball up and down on your bat and also hit some small catches in the back yard. At this stage begin to get the feel of the cricket bat. All cricket bats have their sweet spots and you will be able to easily identify yours during this process. The sweet spot should be where you play the majority of your attacking shots from. After an hour or so of this its time to finally head off to the nets. Get a mate to throw or bowl you some old leather balls in the nets. DO NOT use "compo" balls or balls that are not made from leather. DO NOT use new balls at this stage. Spend an hour playing mostly defensive strokes with the occasional gentle and well timed drive, cut or pull. Keep an eye on the face and edges of the blade. If you have knocked your cricket bat in properly these older leather balls should not be leaving any deep indentations on the blades face. If they are, then go back to the TV and continue with the original knocking in procedure. That should now be 6 hours spent knocking in your cricket bat. We said it was a long process and I suppose that is why some people prefer to pay to have their new cricket bats run in. There is nothing wrong with paying to have you bat run in as long as it is done PROPERLY. Needless to say all bats run in by Middlepeg are knocked in properly. Begin to use newer balls in the nets playing these mostly defensive and gentle attacking strokes. At this stage it is vital to keep an eye on the indentations that these newer balls make. If you have knocked it in well there should be very few signs of indentations. Spend an hour or so with these newer balls. Following this (7 hours so far) begin to use new balls in the nets. Again keep an eye on the face after each stroke and concentrate on timed shots as opposed to big hitting.

Its not a bad idea to follow this net session with a brief session with the mallet once you get home. Assuming you have followed these steps your cricket bat should be ready for use under match conditions. During the season we recommend that you give the bat a very light but regular (once a week after matches) wipe down with that same open weave cloth which we suggest you keep in your kit in a plastic bag. During "major oil services" (seasons start and seasons end) give your bat a light sanding with very fine sandpaper removing marks and dirty surfaces prior to the oiling process. Cricket Bat Facing and Bat Protection To 'face' or not to 'face' your cricket bat? Facing your cricket bat refers to the application of a protective adhesive sheet which is applied to the hitting area and edges of your bat. Whether to face your bat or not has long been a topic of some debate. There are those that have said 'facing' your bat both reduces its performance and adds weight and there are those that say 'facing' is an excellent way to protect and prolong the life of your cricket bat. There are actually merits to both of these views. Those against the idea cite the heavy, thick and spongy extra tech type facing materials which have traditionally been used on cricket bats in the past. These materials added weight and if they were too thick noticeably reduced the 'ping' and performance of a bat. Fortunately facing materials have improved over the years and you are now able to face your cricket bat with materials that are much lighter, thinner and generally better all round. It is universally agreed today that so long as the material being applied to your cricket bat is a good facing then there is no question of the benefits of applying a protective facing to your bat. This view is held by the best bat makers in the world who fully support and endorse the application of a good facing for your cricket bat. Middlepegs Cricket Bat Facing - the best facing material around! After 2 years of sourcing and testing all of the available cricket bat facings that are offered Middlepeg Cricket has finally found and endorsed a cricket bat facing material that offers superior performance and longevity at a fraction of the weight of current so called "bat facing materials" on the market. Middlepegs Bat Facing is a super tough and specially hardened material that is actually used in numerous military and heavy duty industrial applications. The adhesives used are also suitable for use on willow bats and can be easily removed when servicing your cricket bat. The product

comes directly from the United States and was originally made as a protective facing for the blades of helicopters so it is both super tough and very light. Some of the other facing materials used on cricket bats these days can weigh over 1 ounces which does not do much for the weight and balance of your bat. Middlepegs Facing weighs in at under half that weight and has a uniform thickness of only 0.35mm which is also up to half the thickness of other materials out there. It is important for a cricket bat facing material to be both thin and strong as thicker materials reduce ball velocity impact speeds both on and off your cricket bat. As mentioned, after 2 years of testing and sourcing all the materials out there Middlepegs Bat Facing offers your cricket bat a super strong, thin and light protective face. Prior to endorsing this material and in addition to our own extensive trials we also asked a number of the best cricket bat makers in the world to thoroughly check, test and virtually thrash the Middlepeg Bat Facing material. All results and tests on Middlepegs Facing overwhelmingly endorsed this as the best material around. Tests and trials were also carried out on the ping and performance of a range of cricket bats with the Middlepeg Facing on and there was absolutely no reduction or impact on the bats performances as this material is super thin. With the material being so thin your cricket bat retains that super sweet ping and performance. This view is also shared by the best cricketers in the world who also prefer to use and have a Bat Facing material applied to their cricket bats. International cricketers and the best batsmen in the world today all prefer to have a Bat Facing material applied to their bats for a number of reasons but mostly and especially to protect that favourite blade of theirs. And this is the very reason why you should also ensure your cricket bat has a protective facing applied to it. A hard new leather ball being bowled at 90mph hitting your willow bat creates a huge and sudden impact force and given the increasing number of bad quality cricket balls (some as hard as rocks!) being used today protecting that treasured cricket bat of yours should be high on your 'to do' agenda. All cricket bats can be faced though there is little point in facing an extra cover type bat (a cricket bat with a factory applied cover or coating). Once faced and if properly oiled (see below) a cricket bat can be used for a number of years with that facing on though it is a good idea to service and oil your bat every few years. Middlepegs Cricket Bat Facing : only $15 Aus.

Application Instructions - Middlepegs Cricket Bat Facing If your cricket bat has been purchased from new it is imperative that it is oiled properly prior to the application of your Bat Facing. Depending on which cricket bat you have purchased from Middlepeg your bat will generally require 1 to 2 applications of oil (oil is included with

your Free Cricket Bat Package). Some cricket bats like Laver & Wood already come with a pre application of oil which means they should only get 1 extra oiling. Middlepeg may also have discussed a pre application of oil on your bat during the ordering process (ie Bradbury Cricket Bats). No matter which cricket bat you have purchased from Middlepeg we will individually advise all of our customers on the specific oiling procedure required prior to the application of the Bat Facing. Generally when facing a cricket bat from new it is required to apply an extra half coating of oil on bats which will have the Bat Facing. The extra half coating of oil (a very small amount of oil) should take place a few days after the second coating of oil and the bat should then be left for a further 3 to 4 days to allow the oil to penetrate and soak in. Leaving it outside but undercover (in case it rains) to air helps the oil to soak into the willow. Apply this extra half coating only to the area that the Bat Facing will cover (front edges and blade) as this is the area that will need the extra oil. Other areas such as rear edges, back and upper blade areas can be regularly oiled as per normal once the facing is on. After leaving the bat for these 4 days get a very light sandpaper (around 150 grade sandpaper supplied free with our Middlepeg Cricket Bat Package) and then very lightly sand your bats face and edges where the facing will be applied to. Remove the paper backed covering, align the Bat Facing to the cricket bat and then apply the Facing. Try to get the Facing as low down on the blade as possible as the toe area is an important area to protect. Some people like to shape and cut the facing to suit the toe area of their cricket bat. When applying ensure that the Facing does not have air pockets or bubbles in it and that you smooth and press the Facing from the centre outwards to aide in this process. It is actually very easy to properly apply the Facing but do take care when doing it. Once applied wrap the cricket bat tightly in a blanket to leave pressure on the Facing so that contact and proper curing with the bat can take place for at least 12 hours. After this you can continue with your knocking in procedure. Cricket Bat Facing - Removal Instructions All cricket bats should be serviced at least every two years or so. This involves giving your bat a light sanding and good oiling. To do this with your Faced bat simply remove the Bat Facing. When doing this ensure that you peel the Facing off the bat in a sideways process. In other words, do not peel the Facing off from the top or bottom. Start from one side and peel it off sideways. Once removed give your cricket bat a light sanding so as to give your blade and edges a smooth feel and appearance. Two light coats of oil as per original instructions and a 4 day period after the last oiling and you can once again apply your new sheet of Bat Facing material.

Cricket Bat Repair Service Middlepeg offers a world class Cricket Bat Repair Service. All of our major repairs are carried out by Master Bat Makers based for your convenience in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Common Cricket Bat Problems - by Master Bat Maker James Laver The following excerpts come from Master Bat Maker Mr James Laver. James is widely recognised all around the world as being one of the very best Pod Shavers and his cricket bats are accordingly used by many international cricketers. There is no one better to discuss some of the problems associated with cricket bats and their repairs. ******************* Over the years that I have been repairing and reviving cricket bats these are the most common problems. Handles The cricket bat handle is susceptible to an incredible amount of strain due to the nature of the way that the ball is played. The section about an inch above the shoulders is the weakest point. This can break very easily when a ball is driven with gusto at the very base of the bat (the toe). The bat is endeavouring to pivot around the bottom hand but is not being allowed to do so due to the top hand being in position to complete the effectiveness of the shot. Usually the front section of cane is fractured and so the handle would need to be replaced, best done by a manufacturer of bats or a bat repairer. Sometimes the handle becomes very flexible and has the feel of a broken handle but no fracture can be seen. This is due to the rubbers within the construction of the handle coming unstuck. Removing the string and gently pulling apart the canes sufficient to apply some adhesive should repair this. The best adhesive to use here is superglue (the thin watery kind). Once a small amount of the superglue is applied the handle can be clamped back together by rolling a few strong rubber bands down the length of the bat handle. If the bat feels as if it has lost a bit of power small splits are visible running parallel to the splice going downwards from the shoulders. These are sometimes very hard to effectively repair depending on the extent of the damage. On occasion these are caused by the manufacturer not bringing the handle binding down low enough to hold the shoulders together or the rubbers in the handle go too far down into the handle splice thus causing too much movement.

If the splits are less than one inch long then one can help to stop them going further by soaking superglue into the crack repeatedly until the crack has filled and hardened. When the splits are noticeably longer the bat is best sent to a proper bat repairer or if still under warranty returned to the manufacturer. The splice of the cricket bat sometimes comes away to the point of observing movement when the handle is flexed. Applying superglue to the small hairline cracks visible can also repair this. The Toe The base of the cricket bat (the toe) is very susceptible to damage. The balanced design of a cricket bat means that this is the weakest part of the willow blade and yet is subjected to the fastest ball and bat speed at point of impact. Yorkers are the worst kind of bat breaking ball to be bowled and most toe breakage is as a result of receiving one. The Yorker can often result in a vertical crack running up the length of the blade on the front and back of the cricket bat. If the crack is only and inch or two long it can be repaired by the simple superglue method described earlier. If the cracks are longer than two inches a good quality PVA adhesive should be used. This will require clamping. PVA is used as it is slightly elastic and absorbs the impact of a ball well. It is incorrect to use epoxies as they will crack very easily as they do not have the flexibility of PVA. I have repaired a cricket bat that has been split right up the middle so that it had to be separated into two halves and clamped back together with PVA, the player then used the cricket bat for a whole season. This is not always the case but worth a try, especially if you have a cricket bat that is perfect for you. Doweling has sometimes been used to help with the repair of this kind of crack but from experience it does not work consistently well. Doweling creates a weak point so that the cricket bat then breaks around the dowel. I recommend going to a professional cricket bat repairer for any major work to be done on the toe of the bat. A thin smear of raw linseed oil a few times over the season is strongly advised to help dispel moisture that may seep into the toe when batting on a wet wicket. The Face & Edges The face and edges of the cricket bat receive a continuous battering and they must be looked after to ensure they last and the middle performs well. The cricket bat needs to be prepared as per the knocking in guidelines given on the L&W website. The use of raw linseed oil is crucial to ensure that the face and edges survive the impact of the ball, read more about this in our knocking in section of the website.

Once in use the face will start to crack in horizontal lines across the grain. This is quite normal together with small vertical cracks on the blade. The best way to deal with this is to use the superglue method to help reinforce the willow and then apply an adhesive facing. The best adhesive facing available on the market is a product made in Auckland and is quite often used to protect helicopter rotor blades from small stones chipping them. We actually sell this adhesive facing in our accessories section of our website. (see alsoMiddlepegs Cricket Bat Facing above) The face of your cricket bat will sometimes keep going for more than a season before it starts cracking if you look after it - it happens differently in every bat. As mentioned for the toe of the bat a thin smear of raw linseed oil over the face and edges helps the cricket bat to retain its own moisture and reduces the rate of cracking due to allowing the fibres to stretch rather than crack. ******************* Middlepeg thanks James Laver for his valuable insight into this area of cricket bats. To see more on the fantastic art of Pod Shaving please visit the Laver & Wood website at:www.laverwood.co.nz www.laverwood.co.nz

Do's and Don'ts of Cricket Bats DO NOT leave your cricket bat in the hot boot of a car. This is one of the worst things you can do especially in hot summer months when cricket is played. DO NOT take your dismissal out on the cricket bat once you get in the change rooms. DO NOT use your cricket bat against cheap cricket balls especially the old compo's! DO NOT expose your cricket bat to excessive moisture or rain. Always dry your bat immediately if it does get wet. (To minimise absorption through the toe of the bat feel free to give this area a light coat of marine varnish. Some of the cricket bats sold by Middlepeg have had the toe region treated with DriGuard which repels moisture) DO NOT OVER OIL your cricket bat. Less is best when it comes to oiling. It is just as dangerous to over oil a bat as it is to under oil. DO NOT try to discover the aerodynamic capabilities of your cricket bat after a dismissal. Cricket bats were not designed to fly and throwing your bat is one of the silliest things you can do to it. We have never known a cricket bat to be responsible for a dismissal anyway! DO take care of your cricket bat. DO prepare and Run your cricket bat in correctly.

DO oil your cricket bat regularly (a very, very light coating once every few months). DO store the cricket bat in a cool dry location away from excessive heat or moisture.

Cricket Bat Care and Maintenance Tips Knocking in Your Cricket Bat Once you have oiled your new cricket bat you need to spend some time conditioning it before using it in a competitive environment. This is done by the process of knocking it in. Ideally you should knock in any new cricket bat for at least six hours, yes its a lot but it will help condition your bat for heavy usage without damaging it. You should also knock-in your new cricket bat even if it comes advertised as ready to play, as it still wont be ready for the full force of a hard new cricket ball, especially if you catch an edge or the ball hits the toe. Ive seen players go out on to the square with a brand new cricket bat, which hadnt been knocked in. In the first over he dug out a Yorker, which resulted in a fatal crack in the toe of the bat. If it had been knocked in properly its unlikely this would have ever happened. If you dont knock in your bat you could literally be throwing 200 down the pan. To knock in your bat I highly recommend you use an old high quality cricket ball. Begin gently by tapping the bat, particularly focusing in on the edges, as these are a very vulnerable part of the bat and by the end you want the edges to be almost slightly rounded. Spend 2-3 hours doing this stage of knocking in the bat, making sure you cover all of the face of the bat, excluding the splice area. Dont knock-in the back of the cricket bat.

After you have done this gradually increase the force with which you hit the bat, making sure you systematically cover all of the face of the bat. By the end you should be hitting the bat with full force to simulate the impact of a real cricket ball. When you have finished knocking in the bat, you should first progress to using the bat for out field practice and then in the nets against an old used high quality cricket ball, especially avoid bat breaker cricket balls, you know the ones, cheap, hard and usually shiny. If your bat is going to break or split its these balls thatll do the damage. Once youve played the bat in for a few hours in the nets itll be ready to take out onto the square. Its a tedious process but well worth the time and effort for the results youll get for your hard work. Its worth mentioning that some sports shops may offer a knocking in service for a small fee. Personally I like to do it myself to see how the bat progresses as it becomes more knocked in.

Caring for your Bat Preparation, care & maintenance for your Gunn & Moore bat Oiling: For Natural finish (untreated) bats:Before use, apply a light coat of raw linseed oil (bat oil) to the face, back edges and toe with the fingers and palm of the hand. Avoid oiling the splice area. 3 or 4 further light coats should be applied to the face, edges and toe at about weekly intervals. Clean the bat using fine sand paper before each application. Repeat occasionally if the bat is very dry.

After oiling lay the bat flat for a few hours. For bats with a cover on the face:Apply oil as described above, but only to the back, uncovered edges and toe. For polycoated bats:No oiling is required, however, during play the polycoating will wear from the toe area and the exposed willow should be lightly oiled as described above. Knocking In: All Gunn & Moore bat faces have been expertly pressed to provide an optimum resilient playing surface and do not need further pressing. However, the face, especially the front edges, will be further improved and its useful life prolonged by careful 'knocking-in' with an old leather cricket ball, or a specially designed Gunn & Moore bat mallet. A few words of caution: take great care when knocking in the edges and toe as hitting too hard may crack the willow - take your time and be patient! The blade should be knocked in on the face of the bat including the edge of the face but not on the sides of the blade, the underneath of the toe or back of the blade. Playing In: After knocking-in, the bat should be used to hit short catches and/or "throw-downs" with an old, good quality cricket ball. It is advisable to initially avoid use against a new ball in either nets or a match. Maintenance: To maintain your bat in peak condition we recommend you to follow this simple advice. Don'ts:

Don't expose to extremes of temperature Avoid prolonged spells in Car Boots/Trunks/Interiors Don't over-oil. It is more dangerous to over-oil than to under-oil. Over-oiling adds weight, spoils driving power and may cause rot. Don't ever, ever stand the bat in oil. Don't allow the bat to become damp. Don't misuse or treat carelessly off the pitch, for example at nets, or in changing rooms. Don't use cheap hard balls. These will damage the bat. Don't continue to play with a damaged bat; this will aggravate the damage to a point where the bat may be beyond repair. Do's:-

Do prepare the bat carefully

Do store the bat in off-season in a cool dry atmosphere away from excessive heat or damp. Do re-oil the bat after any prolonged period of non-use: it's particularly important to remember to do this prior to using in pre-season indoor nets. Do inspect the bat regularly for damage in play and repair promptly.

It is a Kashmir Willow bat. If you want to play with leather ball then, yes, you have to know the bat and if you are just playing with heavy tennis, then do not even bother about it. But if you still want to knock it, follow the steps given below: 1) Clear out face of the bat, any face tape or fiber tape, and sand the face using sand paper. Make it a bit rough but not too much. 2) Take about 7 or 8 drops of raw linseed oil in a piece of cloth and wipe the face going from top to the toe. DO NOT OIL AROUND THE SPLICE AREA AS OIL COULD MAKE THE HANDLE LOOSE. TRY NOT TO OVER OIL EITHER. 3) Once done oiling, leave the bat laying on the ground horizontal, face up, for at least 24 hrs. After that, push the face of the bat with your thumb. If you see the oil coming up on your thumb, let it be for another 24 hrs. That should take care of the oiling. 4) Now the knocking. Get a mallet or an old leather ball, put it in to a sock and start tapping. Edges first. Make sure to knock all the edges, even by the shoulders. Once done with edges, start the face. And again, just tap in the beginning. After a little while increase the intensity. Be sure to knock the toe as well. 5) Once you think the bat has gone through enough initial knocking, start using the bat in the nets and again with old balls. Try not to have any edges and try to play straight. 6) After a day or two in the nets with old balls, start using the new balls. If you feel jerks then go back to knocking for a day more but this time knock the bat hard. 7) Play in the nets for about a week and if you think the bat is ready for regular use then go out there and knock the bowlers out with the rain of sixes and fours. I know it is a long procedure but hope it will help you. If you are in US or Canada and need to buy a bat mallet go to www.pavilionshop.com and place an order online. I just bought few items from them and the prices are quite reasonable.

Cricket bats are made of willow. It is to be expected that the condition of the bat will deteriorate during its usage. Irrespective of make or finish of a bat, superficial face and edge marks will almost certainly appear, together with indentations or bruising of the willow. This happens especially when 'poly type' coverings have been used, when the covering (a man-made fibre) does not react in exactly the same manner as willow (a natural fibre). In these circumstances there is no need to worry or concern as the durability and performance of the bat will be unaffected. Almost all bats returned to us by worried and sometimes ill-advised customers, are not complaints due to manufacture but merely reactions of willow. If you are in doubt, telephone us before returning the bat. It could save unnecessary postage and inconvenience. >> PREPARATION FOR PLAY KOOKABURRA recommends the following principles for the preparation and maintenance of cricket bats. Following these procedures will significantly reduce the possibility of damage occurring. >> OILING All natural faced bats MUST be treated using raw linseed or a specialist cricket bat oil. The main purpose of oiling is to maintain moisture levels within the blade, and hence reduce the chances of cracking and splitting. Light coats should be applied to the face, edge, toe and back of the blade - taking care to avoid the logos and the splice area. Generally two or three coats should be sufficient. Each coat should be allowed to dry into the blade in a horizontal position before the next is applied. >> CRICKET BAT WARNING Do Not Stand Over Oil Do Not Stand The Bat In Oil Do Not Stand The Bat In A Vertical Position After Oiling Bats with full protective coatings should not have oil applied, but they must be conditioned as detailed

ALTERNATIVELY - It is possible to fit a clear Anti-scuff or similar cover. This does not negate the requirement to 'knock in' the bat. The cover may assist the durability of the bat, but under no circumstances will it totally prevent surface damage.

>> KNOCKING IN All bats are pressed, however 'knocking in' is VITAL. This is the process by which the fibres of the willow in the face and edges are compressed together to form a barrier, which protects the bat against the impact of the ball. Effective 'knocking in' will significantly improve the performance and increase the lifespan of the bat. Stage one The 'knocking in' process should be undertaken carefully, using a special bat mallet or an old, quality cricket ball. The bat should be repeatedly struck (with gradually increasing force) in all areas where one would normally expect to hit the ball, this conditioning must be performed with patience. Particular attention should be given to the edges, although the edges or toe should not be struck directly at right-angles to the blade. This would be likely to cause damage. This stage should take in the region of six hours, although it may vary as every bat is different. Stage two The next step is to graduate to the use of the bat to hit short catches with an old, quality cricket ball. However, if the seam marks the blade, it is necessary to return to 'Stage one' for a further conditioning. This stage should be performed for at least another hour. Once these steps have been taken, the bat should be ready for use in matches. It is advisable to initially avoid use against the 'new ball'. WARNING: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A BAT BE USED IN MATCH CONDITIONS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS FOLLOWING THE DATE OF PURCHASE >> THE WORST THING A PLAYER CAN DO

Over Oil an untreated, plain, non-synthetically covered blade, thus increasing the weight and making the willow dead with no drive, this eventually gives the wood 'oil rot. Endeavour to wash it clean with water. Constantly tap the bit in the crease on a wet wicket, thus saturating the base of the bat, causing the pressing to lift and the base of the bat to swell and generally crack horizontally. Use it without Knocking in' or treatment Continual 'edging' thus causing bruising and unnecessary indentations. Hit 'Yorkers' on the toe of the blade, thus denting and bruising the willow causing it generally to split horizontally but completely through the bat. This is more likely to happen on indoor, hard or synthetic wickets, or at the beginning of the season when the ground is very hard. Using cheap cricket balls (especially those with hard centres) which bruise and dent the willow. Many bats are dented due to this reason

Vital Tips for Bat Care: 1. Oiling - All natural faced cricket bats must be treated using raw linseed or a special cricket bat oil. The main purpose of oiling is to maintain moisture levels within the blade, and hence reduce the chances of cracking and splitting. Light coats should be applied to the face, edge, toe and back of the blade. Each oil coat must be allowed to dry before a second coat is applied. 2. Knocking in - All bats are pressed, however 'knocking in' is crucial and vital. This is the process by which the fibres of the willow in the face and edges are compressed together to form a barrier, which protects the bat against the impact of the ball. Effective 'knocking in' will significantly improve the performance and increase the life span of the bat. The bat should be gradually struck with while increasing the strength of the knock. Appropriate attention should be paid to the edges and the angles of a bat; they should not be affected by the hits as that may decrease the quality of a shot. The next step is to hit short shots with an old but quality cricket ball; this will let anyone know that whether a bat requires further conditioning or is set for matches. Winter Care: The ideal place for a bat in winter is in a garage or shed with a sealed floor - this will provide sufficient but not excessive moisture. If the floor is not sealed, support the bat above the floor. Try to store your bat in a bat cover. Summer Care: Temperatures in a car, will reach a level that will dry the bat as if it had been left next to a fire or radiator. Wherever possible, remove your bat from the car as soon as possible and store as per 'winter care' above. Every 20 days during the season apply a light coat of oil to preserve the juice in the willow and to keep the fibres of the willow elastic. This will not only prolong the life of the bat but will enhance the ping.

It's not just about picking out the right bat. You need to make sure that you look after it correctly. Incorrect care and maintenance will lead to reduced performance and a shorter life span for your bat. Why & How to get the best performance out of your new bat. Almost all new cricket bats require knocking in before use. Knocking in is the process of hardening and conditioning the blade's surface. There are two reasons for knocking in; firstly, it protects the bat from cracking as well as increasing its usable life and secondly, it improves the middle of the bat so the middle is bigger and better. The nature of the game of cricket is that a hard ball is propelled at high speed toward the batsman who swings the bat in the attempt of hitting the ball. This contact will cause an insufficiently prepared bat to crack very quickly and therefore have a short life span. Cricket bats are pressed in the bat-making workshop using a mechanical press. The mechanical press applies up to two tons per square inch of pressure to the face of the bat through a roller. Willow, in its natural state, is a very soft timber and has to be pressed to form a hard, resilient layer on the surface. Once this has been done, the bat can be shaped. The finished bat still needs a final hardening as the mechanical presses are unable to completely protect the bat, or get the perfect performance required from the blade. This requires knocking in by hand with a mallet. Whilst it is possible to prepare a bat solely by pressing, this compresses the wood too deep into the blade which dramatically reduces the performance of the bat. A bat pressed heavily will have a small middle and the ball will not travel as far it would from a bat pressed lightly and knocked in by hand. Heavily pressed bats do not break so some firms over press bats to keep their warranty work down. This ruins the middle of the bat and the ball will not 'ping' off the middle as it should. We occasionally get asked to try to improve the middle of over pressed bats - this is a tricky task and not always successful. The knocking in process: There are different ways of preparing your bat for the knocking in process, but we recommend the following process as repeated trials in bat factories have shown us that this works far better than all other methods. Raw linseed oil should be used to moisten the surface of the bat and enable the fibres to become supple. This helps them knit together, thus forming an elastic surface. This is more likely to stretch on impact, rather than crack. Raw linseed is used, as it stays moist for longer than boiled linseed. About a teaspoonful should be applied to the surface of the bat. We recommend that oil should be applied once (3 times if not one of our bats) before the process of compressing the face begins. Each coat of oil should be about one teaspoon full. Spread the oil over the face of the bat using your fingers. Spread the leftover linseed oil over the edges and toe of the bat. Let each coat of oil soak in overnight and repeat the process before starting the knocking in with the mallet. Knock in Face After the oil has been applied, the knocking in process can begin. This should be done using a Hardwood bat mallet. This provides much better performance than a ball mallet and also

speeds up the process. Start by hitting the middle of the bat just hard enough to create a dent. [This is surprisingly hard]. Hold the bat up to the light to see if you are making a dent.

Knock in Toe Gradually compress the face of the bat around these dents so that the face of the bat is level and you cannot see the initial dents any more. The bottom of the bat toe ( the part that is in contact with the ground) should never be hit with the mallet.

Knock in edge The edges require special attention. They need to be rounded off so that the hard new ball cannot damage them too much. The edges should be struck at 45 degrees to the face so that the mallet can compress the willow. Similar to the face make one dent on the edge, and then gradually even out the edge so that the whole surface has a smooth, rounded appearance. The back of the bat should never be touched with the mallet (or the ball). If the bat is hit on the edge at 90 degrees to the face, it reduces the width of the bat and is making contact with an area that is not mechanically pressed. This increases the likelihood of cracking and you should not be hitting the ball flush on the edge in any case. With a hardwood bat mallet the knocking in process should take between 10 and 15 sessions of about 10 minutes each (it is probably worth doing this for a bit longer if the bat is of different brand to ours). Once you have completed this process take the bat into the nets and play a few shots with an old ball. If the bat is showing very deep seam marks then it needs more compressing. One will always get seam marks on the face of the bat; however they should not be too

deep.

General knocking in The price of a bat does not have any effect on whether or not it cracks. The best bats are usually more expensive, but liable to crack more than cheaper bats because the willow is often softer. Back in the late 1800s the bats were subjected to huge amounts of pressure at the pressing stage to make the willow very hard. If the blade started to show signs of cracking during this process, it was rejected. Linseed oil was very often used to saturate the blade in order to soften the wood, make it more comfortable to use (over pressed bats jar on impact), and get a bit of extra performance out of it. WG Grace would have a few of the junior members of his club using his linseed soaked bats for a season or so before he would deem them ready for use. When a bat is pressed very hard, it is very difficult to hit the ball off the square. The thin protective layer of hard (pressed) willow becomes a thick layer that is too deep into the willow. Hard-pressed willow does not have the desired elastic qualities of the soft pressed willow, meaning the ball does not 'ping' off the bat. Some manufacturers over press their bats, as the harder wood does not crack as readily, reducing the need for warranty work. Their bats, however, have very small middles.