Bat Care

Cricket bats are made of willow. It is to be expected that the condition of the bat will deteriorate during its usage. The manufacturers have put together the following notes to assist you in taking care of your bat.
GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Cricket Bat Willow
   English willow (Salix Caerulea or Alba Var) is by nature a soft fibrous reed. Performance and durability are enhanced by drying and pressing. In normal usage willow will become bruised, scarred or dented simply due to the nature of the game (the impact with the ball.) The performance of the bat will not be affected. Such marking can occur at any time during the lifespan of the bat.
2. Kashmir Willow 
   Willow grown overseas is by its very nature much harder than English willow. Therefore bats made of this type of willow will not have a comparable level of performance with English willow bats.
3. Returns
   All repairs or discounts given on replacement bats are at the discretion of the MANUFACTURER. Bats returned under complaint MUST be accompanied by proof of purchase (including date of purchase). Failure to comply may affect the customer's statutory rights.
4. Lifespan of a Cricket Bat
   There can be no definitive length of time that a cricket bat will last. The condition of a bat deteriorates with use. The length of time before the player needs to replace his bat will depend upon:
   a) The amount of use
   b) The weight of the bat (heavier blades tend to be more durable than lighter ones)
   c) The care with which the bat is treated
5. Age Of The Cricket Bat
   Bats over TWELVE months old (from the date of purchase) will be considered entirely at the manufacturer's discretion, taking into account the age and condition of the bat. It is possible for the condition of the bat to deteriorate even without use (simply due to the natural drying out process).
6. In Case Of Damage - Immediate action should be taken. This normally necessitates withdrawal from play whilst repairs are carried out. It is vital the repairs are carried out by professional bat makers. The manufacturers are unable to guarantee repair work carried out by non-approved repairers.
7. Storage
   To ensure that a bat remains in good condition it is essential that it is not stored in excessively warm conditions (e.g. near to central heating). This will cause the bat to dry out and precipitate future problems. The bat should ideally be stored in a position that will allow a little of the moisture from the atmosphere to be absorbed.

1. HANDLE BREAKS
Cause: General wear and tear 
Solution: The bat itself is not replaceable, but the handle may be repaired at the MANUFACTURERS discretion.

2. BREAKAGE TO THE BLADE 
Cause: Weak or excessively dry willow. 
Solution: Potentially replaceable by full or partial credit, at the MANUFACTURERS discretion

BLADE DAMAGE
1. SURFACE CRACKING TO THE FACE OF THE BLADE
Cause: General wear and tear 
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, crack will not affect the performance of the bat.

Repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.

6. DAMAGE DUE TO MISUSE OF THE BAT OR BY ACCIDENT
Cause: Generally caused by accidentally striking an object other than the ball, for example the stumps.
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, may be repairable at the CUSTOMER'S expense.

Next Section: Ball damage
DAMAGE DUE TO THE USE OF POOR QUALITY CRICKET BALLS

Every bat will sustain damage with use. It can occur at anytime in its life span & is unavoidable part of the game. Poor quality or excessively hard cricket balls can be a cause of many types of crack damage to the blade of the bat, as previously illustrated.
Please understand in use damage caused by Mistimed Shots, DENTS & CRACKS, Willow Lifting, Thick Edge or Yorker Damage this DOES NOT MEAN THE BAT IS FAULTY and can be easily fixed. 

ALL CRICKET BAT MANUFACTURERS recommend that only balls of reputable manufacture are used. Use of any other style or type of ball may cause damage to bats and WILL affect any claim made

PREPARATION FOR PLAY
The CRICKET BAT MANUFACTURERS recommend 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 splice area. Generally two or three coats should be sufficient. Each coat should be allowed to dry into the blade, which should be kept in a horizontal position before the next is applied.

WARNING - DO NOT OVER OIL
DO NOT STAND THE BAT IN OIL
DO NOT LEAVE 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 BELOW

ALTERNATIVELY
V Sports can expertly 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.

Pre Knocked or Pre Prepared Means
All bats that are pre-knocked in. Pre-knocked in however does not mean ready to go immediately. It means that the majority of preparation work has been done, but that you will need to complete the final part of the process. We therefore recommend that you spend little more time finishing knocking your bat in. This is best done with a purpose-made bat mallet. Hit the bat firmly with the bat mallet for a short period, don’t just tap it. It is important that you make sure that the toe and the edges of the bat are well knocked-in. After this process use against an old ball to maximise the bat performance

KNOCKING-IN - V SPORTS OFFER THIS FULL SERVICE at nominal cost of £45 including blade protective antiscuff cover and oiling)
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 that 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 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".

In addition to these steps it is recommended that the purchaser follows closely the "bat care" instructions issued by the manufacturer.

WARNING
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A BAT BE USED IN MATCH CONDITIONS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS FOLLOWING THE DATE OF PURCHASE.