Knocking in your Bat

KEY POINTS

Being patient with the knocking in process. It must not be rushed.

Move in steps leading up to match use. eg :[hidepost=1]

• Machine knocking In
• Hand knocking In
• Giving close catches
• Facing throw downs
• Light net sessions
• Match play

Different procedures for different bats and sizes.

Paying special attention to the weak areas of the blade such as the edges and toe.

COMMON PROBLEMS

Using incorrect techniques

Using a new ball or a cheap hard ball or an unrecognized style of bat mallet.

Not giving the bat enough knocking In.

Not enough work given to weak areas of the blade as already mentioned such as the edges and toe.

Knocking In the wrong areas such as directly or flush on the edges and around the splice.

Knocking in the bat with the seam of the ball. This will mark and dent the bat.

CORRECTING THE PROBLEMS

Always seek the proper advise from reputable cricket / sports store staff or cricket coaches.

Always get the recommended equipment to knock in your bat from a reputable cricket / store.

Borrow an old match ball from your coach, team or club.

Leave aside a certain amount of time each day for knocking in your bat. Seek advice on how long you need to knock it in for before match use.

Buy your bat from a cricket store that can provide you with a reputable and thorough knocking In service such as Kingsgrove Sports Centre in Sydney who have a knocking in and a rolling machine.

Avoid hitting the bat with the seam. Use the open areas of the ball where the brand information can be found i.e. the middle of each side of the ball.

You’ve spent your hard-earned money on your dream bat. One problem! It is only made of wood and will continually have a very hard cricket ball smashing against it. Most bats eventually conk out and break, and you can never predict when. It can happen the very first ball you play or it may not break for ten years. You can never put a life on a cricket bat. The only action you can take to HELP prevent and LESSEN the chance of your bat breaking, particularly early in its life, is knocking in the bat properly. Of course it is essential you know the right procedures and techniques in order to help this cause. Lets look at it in point form.

1. You are purchasing your bat from a reputable Cricket / Sports store either in person or online. Ensure you ask firstly whether they have the applicable machinery to knock in your bat such as a Bat Roller and / or a Knocking In Machine. Your bat should go through this process before you commence your own manual knocking in. You also need to ask for advice on what manual knocking in is required. If you are buying the bat in person, ask the staff member to demonstrate for you how this is suppose to be done. Online, this information should be available as apart of their web site or should be E-mailed to you.
2. Why the need for the machines?
   • BAT ROLLER – This will compress the blade (face of the willow). A light roll helps to toughen the bat for cricket ball use. The willow of your potential bat may still be very soft coming off the shelf. This helps prevent seam marks and ‘dings’ damaging your bat.
   • KNOCKING IN MACHINE – This simulates a hard ball hitting the blade squarely. This in its own right plays the part of also preparing the willow. These machines really focus on hardening the blade but more work will be required at home to enhance the life of the bat and to make the bat truly effective.
3. You are now the owner of your new bat and you are just dying to start playing but wait…There is more knocking in to be done before we start hammering 4’s and 6’s. I like to do this whilst watching TV, preferably the cricket of course, or outside away from the family because it is a little noisy. If we are using a good quality ball we need to ensure that it is not new so we don’t run the risk of denting the bat. We grip the ball in our hands so there is a reasonable amount of the ball facing the bat in our other hand. We must also ensure that the seam is not in line, as this will also mark your bat. We want to hit the bat with the area of the ball were the brand logo is found. This is the middle of each of its sides. Once all is in position, we commence firmly tapping / knocking in the bat against the ball. As the hours progress, we can start applying more pressure to the point where it is light hammering. If it is beginning to hurt your hands you may be hitting too hard. The same principles are used if we are using a bat mallet. Some bat mallets are simply a stick with a ball on the end of it and others are all wooden with a round end to it simulating a ball. Always use the round sections. You should initially knock in all sections of the bat’s face. If your bat has gone through a bat roller and knocking in machine, not as much time is required on the face as the weaker areas of the bat such as the edges and the toe. The best area to start is from the bottom of the manufacturer’s sticker that covers the splice. Work your way down so you cover the whole blade. Once you have spent some time on the blade it is time to start concentrating on those weaker zones. To work on the edges, angle the bat in a little bit and hit the area of the edge connected with the face of the bat. Do this as if you are getting very thick edges in a match situation. This is an area that needs a lot of strengthening. Another, area that needs much attention is the toe. When a bat cracks prematurely, it is generally in these two areas. Overall, you should spend at least 6 – 8 hours manually knocking in your bat like this. Perhaps half an hour a day for a couple of weeks.
4. You have completed manually knocking in the bat, but it is still not advisable to start belting the ball around. Incorporate your bat into your practice sessions. For example, use it to give short catches to your teammates and practice your simple batting techniques against throw downs from a friend. This will continue to further harden the bat and keep it away from inaccurate play whilst the bat may not be fully prepared. This is one of the major reasons for damage early in a bat’s life.
5. Our bat is now ready for batting in the nets. Take it easy, no big swings and hoiks. Play straight. One mis-timed slog on the toe or edge could spell disaster for your bat. Be careful with yorkers as well.
6. Once you are satisfied that your bat is ready for the big business, it’s time for match play. The way to tell is by closely inspecting the face of the bat and edges. If your bat is still slightly denting, showing seam marks or surface cracking, it is highly likely that it is just naturally a soft piece of timber and requires extra knocking in. Don’t be disheartened, these usually end up being the best bats. If you do encounter problems, always contact the place from where you bought your bat. They are there to help you. Now it’s time to turn all your hard work and effort into runs !!!

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