Looking to buy a new Gray-Nicolls cricket bat? This guide will ensure you purchase the right one to power your game.
With so many cricket bats in our collection, we know it can feel overwhelming to even begin looking for a new one. Which size? What shape? Which sticker design? We’ve written this blog to demystify the journey, and to give you all the information you need to buy the right cricket bat for you.
Having been making cricket bats in Robertsbridge for 150 years, you can be assured that whichever bat you buy, you are getting one that is very much at the top of its category. Every cricket bat Gray-Nicolls makes goes through the same rigorous process, all handmade by one of our batmakers.
Things to consider when buying a new cricket bat:
1) Size: Probably the most important factor, you need a bat is appropriate for how tall you are! As a general rule, if you are an adult of 5ft5 or over, we would recommend a short handle bat. For kids, it will come down to height. Check out our Bat Size Guide below to see which size category you fit in to.
2) Weight: A huge problem we see – particularly in juniors making a step into adult cricket – is bats that are too heavy for you. If a bat is too heavy, you won’t be able to control it, you’ll be slow in reacting to the ball, and you won’t be able to hit the ball regularly. This leads to frustration, which in turn can lead to some kids feeling disheartened and giving up.
To counter this, find a bat that is a bit lighter that you can swing freely; even a couple of ounces can make all the difference. Our 5 Star Lite bats are a superb choice for this.
3) Middle Position: The position of the swell or the “middle” of the bat is slightly more nuanced – generally a higher middle on a bat will suit a back foot player, and a lower middle will suit a front foot player. Increasingly however, cricket requires cricketers to play all around the ground. As part of Gray-Nicolls’ core collection, Stratos has a slightly higher middle, Ventus has a slightly lower middle, and the Classic has a mid-blade sweetspot.
4) Price: Everyone has a different budget; we pride ourselves on having cricket bats across every price point to ensure cricketers can use Gray-Nicolls. The same level of care goes into making all our bats, no matter the price. The core difference is in the grade of willow used. The higher up the scale you go, the cleaner the willow will be and the straighter the grain – an indicator of potentially higher performance
Want more specific examples? We’ve picked out some of our most popular cricket bats across specific categories that we know will be perfect!
Best cricket bat for beginners: CLASSIC ACADEMY
Whether you are buying a cricket bat for a child who’s never played or you’re coming to the game late, the Classic Academy cricket bat covers all sizes and comes at really competitive price. With its mid-blade sweetspot and balanced pick-up, you can learn the art of batting easily with a Classic Academy cricket bat.
SHOP CLASSIC ACADEMY CRICKET BAT
Best cricket bat to move into adult cricket: STRATOS 1.1 5 STAR
As juniors improve their game, the desire to test themselves against adults will grow. It’s crucially important they have the right bat to make this step – and the Stratos 1.1 5 Star Lite is perfect. Available in size 5, 6, Harrow and Short Handle, the slightly lighter weight and pick-up of the Straots 1.1 cricket bat is ideal with players requiring faster reactions and quicker bat speed – with no compromise on quality or power.
Best cricket bat on a budget: VENTUS 1.0 200
Everyone loves a bargain! If you are shopping for a cricket bat on budget, we have the right one for you! The Ventus 1.0 200 cricket bat packs a huge punch, with big middle, large edges and front foot profile. And with a Short Handle available at just £174.99, we firmly believe this is an unbeatable bat for budget-conscious cricketers.
The Choice Is Yours
We’ve told you what we think – now it’s down to you to choose the bat to take your game to the next level. Feel free to reach out to our team on social media or via email and we’ll point you in the right direction. Don’t forget, we offer pre-paid returns so if you get your bat and it doesn’t feel quite right for you on first pick-up, you can simply pop it back to us and choose something else!
Shop our full bat collection here
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