Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Cricket Bats

Before going any further it is a good idea to consider the two different types of wood used for cricket bats. Both are types of willow and share many of the same properties. However, there are differences which affect how the finished bat will play and its life span. We'll take a look at each one in turn and then consider which type of wood is best to go with.

English Willow (Salix alba 'Caerulea')

This is the traditional and most commonly used wood. Its combination of being both tough yet lightweight when coupled with a reasonable resistance to splitting means it is an ideal choice for use in cricket bats. English willow is known for its rebound which in turn gives a cricket shot its ping as the ball races away. Finally, its being white willow is an additional advantage as the wood tends to be lighter in colour with a clean finish.

As the name suggests English willow is largely grown in the UK (true English willow is only grown in the UK), usually in low laying wetland areas, along river banks and in coppices. As it is a fast growing wood, trees can be ready for turning into bats after four years.

Kashmir Willow

This willow is a close cousin of the English variety, however it does have some notable differences. For starters this willow tends to be darker and drier and as a consequence is rarely as durable. These bats are prone to cracking, splitting or even breaking especially if they are poorly looked after. Matters are not helped as the grading system (see the section lower down) is for Kashmir willow is not as rigorous as for English willow. It may be that the wood you have in your hand was originally destined to be a pallet or fruit box. This is not to say that you will not find good Kashmir bats but this are the exception rather than the norm.

Kashmir willow is mainly grown in the Kashmir region of Pakistan and India (hence the name). As a result of its location and lesser properties its main use is for junior or adults bats at the lower end of the price scale.

Just to complicate matters...

There is a complication as in recent years English willow has begun to be grown abroad. India, Pakistan and more recently Australia all now produce English willow, which is called English Willow Nurtured Abroad (EWNA or EWNI (with the I standing for India)). Whilst they are the same plant as English willow the soil and drier growing conditions means this wood finishes somewhere in between English and Kashmir in terms of suitability for use in a cricket bat. Bats will often have have brown markings and wavy grains, and can be excessively dry. However. it is expected that as these regions gain experience the wood will improve in quality.

Which do I choose?

The main reply to this comes down to two main considerations. The first one being cost. English willow bats can cost anywhere up to £400 where as a Kashmir willow bat will top out at around £100.

Secondly it is worth considering the level you are likely to be playing at Due to the differences in playing properties most decent club cricketers will opt for English willow as it gives full value for shots. Professional players will of course use the very best of the English crop. Junior players, especially those under the age of 15 will most likely be fine with a Kashmir bat.

Outside of the above it really is down to personal choice. Try visiting a cricket factory or shop and trying out different bats. You'll be amazed at how differently each one will play!

You will have noticed at around the 9 minute 20 mark in the above video, the podshaver (bat maker) pauses to hit the bat with a mallet. This is in order to gain an idea as to the playability/rebound of the bat before applying a sticker indicating its grade. Unsurprisingly, this method is unique to Julian Millichamp and based on over 30 years in the business. Due to the large volume of bats produced plus not every company having a Julian most cricket bat companies use a standardised grading system for willow.

This grading system is based upon the look of the wood; the cleaner the willow the higher it is likely to be graded. For ease, the willow is broken down into four grades with grade one being the highest and also the most expensive. For each grade you would expect to see the following:

Grade 1 Blade
A Grade 1 is the best looking blade money can buy, though it will not necessarily play the best. There may be some red wood evident on the edge of the bat. The grain on the face will be straight and there will be at least 4 grains visible. There may be the odd small knot in the edge or back but the playing area should
be clean.

Grade 2 Blade
A Grade 2 blade is also very good quality and normally a larger amount of red wood can be seen on the edge of a bat, this has no effect on the playing ability of the bat it is purely cosmetic. Again there will be at least 4 straight grains on the face of the bat with maybe some blemishes, pin knots or "speck" visible.

Grade 3 Blade
This is the grade we produce and sell most of and it offers very good value for money. A Grade 3 Blade has up to half colour across the bat and is sometimes bleached, again this has no direct relation to the playing ability of the wood, it just has less visual attraction.

There will be a minimum of 4 grains on the face of the bat which may not always be perfectly straight. Again some small knots or a little 'butterfly' stain may be present with perhaps more prominent "speck".

Grade 4 Blade
A Grade 4 Blade is normally over half colour or contains butterfly stain (see our page on Imperfections in Willow). This wood is also normally bleached just to make it "look better", it will still play as well as the other grades. Any number of grains are possible and the willow containing 'butterfly' stain is very strong, there could also be more "speck".

Eagle eyed readers will notice references to things such as 'specks' or knots. These terms relate to blemishes on the wood, often an indication of variances in growing conditions. One reason they are less than desirable is they can be slightly harder than unblemished areas of the bat, meaning less rebound. However, as willow is a natural product is it not unable for even the best piece of grade 1 wood to have a few marks.