We talked previously about the best cricket bat size for each age group. Now, we’re going to talk about what weight your perfect cricket bat should be.
For the purpose of this article, I will use the term ‘you’ a lot, unless I am specifically speaking about a child or junior cricketer; if you are considering buying a bat for your child, please substitute them for the term ‘you’, as a lot of what is mentioned will apply to an adult or a junior cricketer.
Of all the cricket gear you can have, when you step out on that pitch, the bat you wield is your primary weapon against everything the bowler can send against you. A bat that doesn’t feel right, or a bat that is too heavy or too light, can affect the timing of your strokes, and the power you can put behind any of your shots.
On the other hand, the right weight can turn a shot that barely dribbles into the outfield, into a four or a six.
In this article, we’re not concerned about which brand of cricket bat is best. We’re not concerned about which bat your favourite cricketer uses. They are usually very expensive and are often out of the reach of most people.
Your bat needs to be right for you. You need to be comfortable with the weight and size of your bat. When you pick it up, it shouldn’t feel too light or too heavy. You should be able to swing the bat around without feeling like you are struggling to keep control of the bat.
Choosing a bat is a calculated choice, and it takes into factors like your height, your physique, your age and your playing style. Understanding the subtleties of cricket bat sizing and weight becomes imperative.
Understanding the Different Weights of Cricket Bats.
In the previous article about the different cricket bat sizes, we listed out a number of different Cricket Bat Sizes. For junior cricketers, the bat size began at Size 1 and finished at Size 6. An intermediate bat size was Harrow, and then the adult bat sizes were Small Adult, Short Handle and Long Handle.
But as for bat weights, we have a different set of terms, and they are pretty simple:
Light, Medium and Heavy.
Light bats are usually in the vicinity of 1.1 to 1.2 kilograms, which, in the old weights (which, oddly, is often used when describing bat weight) is 2.4 to 2.6 pounds. Medium bats are, understandably, heavier, coming in between 1.2 and 1.3 kilograms, which is 2.6 to 2.9 pounds, and the heavy bats are between 1.3 and 1.4 kilograms, or 2.9 to 3.1 pounds.
Bats can come in lighter than this (Size 1 bats for very young children, may come in at only 0.765kg or 1 pound 11 oz, but they also have a bigger spread in terms of weight; size 3, for example, can range from 1 lb 13 oz to 2 lb 11 oz, or 0.82kg to 1.2 kg), or even heavier, if you want a really solid railway sleeper.
Navigating the Nuances of Cricket Bat Weight
To determine the best bat for you, you need to determine … you. How do you want to play? Are you a nudger of runs, or deflector of singles, someone who is going to blunt the bowling and focus on not getting out. Are you better at bludgeoning an attack, or can you play any shot in the book?
What kind of physique do you have? Do you have a barrel chest with arms the size of tree trunks, or are you more of a lean mean fighting machine?
It’s all important.
A light bat is ideal for those who have supremely fast reflexes, playing on fast pitches. You can use the bowler’s pace and rely on your own timing to get runs. Also, batters who rely on inventive shots, who play to every point of the field, use light bats.
A medium bat is the catch all bat. It’s not too heavy, not too light; the kind of bat you use when you don’t know what you might be facing. If it’s fast, it is still light enough to allow you to get into position and time the ball correctly. If it’s slow, it is heavy enough to still give your shots some oomph.
Naturally, a heavy bat is for those people who want more power in their shots, and are strong enough to provide that power. This is a good bat for players who prefer to hit down the ground, as the weight of the bat helps keep your bat straight when you swing.
Now, in saying all of that, some of the biggest hitters in cricket use light cricket bats, while sometimes batsman who seem small use heavy bats. The weight of your bat doesn’t have to slow down how fast you can score, it just might effect the types of shots you use.
We know we said we weren’t concerned about which bat your favourite cricketer uses, but knowing what bat weight they used can be helpful in determine what might be best for you.
So, for example, Chris Gayle, a batsman so powerful he once scored a T20 fifty off 12 balls, and a T20 century off 30 balls, someone who could mishit a ball for six, used a heavy bat.
AB DeVilliers, a batsman renowned for being able to play shots to any point of the field, and the batsman who holds the fastest ODI century off 31 balls, used a light bat.
Sachin Tendulkar, who was not a big man, was a fan of the heavy bat, but Virat Kohli, his heir-apparent, prefers the light.
It all really depends on who you are, and what type of cricket you want to play.
The weight of a cricket bat isn’t just about how much it weighs when you pick it up. How the weight is distributed along the bat is also important. Players often talk about the ‘pickup’ of a bat, which refers to how heavy the bat feels when playing a shot. Usually a bats ‘pickup’ is influenced by the bat’s centre of gravity … its ‘sweet spot’. A bat with a lower sweet spot might make a bat feel lighter, while one with a higher sweet spot might make it feel more substantial.
It is paramount to consider your personal comfort when handling a bat. A bat should compliment your individual style, strength and limitations. When looking at a bat, always swing a variety of bat weights to allow you to determine which weight will assist you in playing your natural game.
Go for a bat that feels like an extension of your arm. And consult with coaches or experienced players who can help you with insights.
Have you ever played with a bat that just ‘felt right’, as if you and it were one well-oiled machine? Or have you ever played with a bat that was too heavy, or too light, and it felt awkward? Please comment in the section below, because we would love to hear from you.