Selecting a crickt bat can become a million dollar task. However if you are aware of and you can set your prioritis right from the very begining you will not only find the bat that best fits your requirement, you can avoid overspending and even end up making a great bargain.
Step 1:
First things first. You cant spend more that what you have budgeted for the equipment, set this criteria as the top most so that from the very begining you can narrow down the choice to the bats that you will really consider buying.
Step 2:
The bat must suit to your playing style and the pitch conditions of your grounds. Choose the right shape considering the bounce of the pitch, your foot work and the shots you intend to play. Sweet spot at the right location is the key.
Step 3:
Now it get a bit tricky, Ideal bat would be the onewith maximum volume and minimum weight but this specification does not work.
You need to work out a specification for yourself by trading off volume with weight reduction. Basically you go for the maximum volume (around the sweet spot) that you can handle weight wise.
Step 4:
If you do not have a lot of experience then you will need to pick up the bat in your hand to feel and see how good it works for you. How long can you stand on the crease and keep performing with that peice of willow without geting tired. Details, details … i lave them up to you and your trusted team mate.
There are further details like handle shape, ammount of pressing, blade size, blade width, handly size, toe thickness, shoulder thickness.
Batman’s tip:
If you are looking for English willow bats, better stick to brands with good reputation. English willow is not easy to source, not every brand has the same level of access to English willow because of which the grading scheme of each brand is different.