Due to the wide range of cricket bats that are available, choosing one can often be a daunting task. Here’s Different types of Cricket bats.
Different Types Of Cricket Bats Used in Cricket.
There are literally hundreds of bats made by different companies, with different materials, and in different sizes.
Because a quality cricket bat is likely to cost you a decent chunk of money, you will want to make sure that you’re aware of all of the different types that are available before you make your purchase.
Only then will you be able to make a proper, informed choice about which bat you want to buy!
Cricket bats can broadly be categorised by their size, the material they’re made from, their brand & their weight.
Within each category there is plenty of variation, so a cricketer will definitely be able to find a suitable bat.
The table below will give you an idea of the types of bats you’ll find in each category.
| Sizes | Materials | Brands | Weights |
| Junior Size 0 | English Willow | Kookaburra | 2lb – 2lb 6oz (Junior bats) |
| Junior Size 1 | Kashmir Willow | Gray Nicolls | 2lb 6oz – 2lb 12oz+ (Adult bats) |
| Junior Size 2 | Plastic | MRF | |
| Junior Size 3 | DSC | ||
| Junior Size 4 | Adidas | ||
| Junior Size 5 | New Balance | ||
| Junior Size 6 | Gunn & Moore | ||
| Harrow | SG | ||
| Short Handle | Puma | ||
| Long Handle | Aero |
This table shows all of the types of cricket bat that are available.
Junior cricketers that are quite tall for their age will often find themselves using a harrow size bat, whilst adults who are on the smaller size of the height scale could also end up using a harrow.
| Height of Batter (Feet & Inches) | Recommended Bat Size |
| 4ft and under | Junior Size 0 |
| 4ft – 4ft 3 inches | Junior Size 1 |
| 4ft 3 – 4ft 6 inches | Junior Size 2 |
| 4ft 6 – 4ft 9 inches | Junior Size 3 |
| 4ft 9 – 4ft 11 inches | Junior Size 4 |
| 4ft 11 – 5ft 2 inches | Junior Size 5 |
| 5ft 2 – 5ft 6 inches | Junior Size 6 |
| 5ft 6 – 5ft 9 inches | Harrow |
| 5ft 9 – 6ft 2 inches | Short Handle |
| 6ft 2 inches and above | Long Handle |
This table will tell you exactly what size bat you need based on your height
In my opinion the size of the bat you choose is the most important consideration, so if you stick to the size guide above you should make the correct choice the majority of the time.
All you have to do is measure yourself or your child and see what category you/they fall into!
Types Of Cricket Bat Materials
If you’re looking for a proper cricket bat like the ones that professional players use, then there are two main materials that it could potentially be made from; English willow or Kashmir willow. English willow is often regarded as being the highest quality type of willow.
Therefore, a high-quality grade 1 English willow bat is likely to cost you somewhere towards the highest limit of your price range!
Cricketers that are looking for a cheaper bat, or ones that they could use against rubber balls like wind balls, could potentially choose to opt for a bat made out of Kashmir willow. Kashmir willow is often said to be drier and harder than English willow, therefore it is usually available for cheaper prices!
Lastly, you have plastic bats! These are by far the cheapest option available and are usually only bought for small children and people who are looking for a simple introduction in to the sport.
Plastic bats are great for kids because they don’t weigh much at all, making them easy to swing and strike the ball with! Obviously, plastic bats should only really be used to hit tennis balls, or softer sponge balls.
Types Of Cricket Bat Brands
When it comes to all of the different cricket bat brands, the first thing to say is that there’s certainly plenty of choice! I included a lot of the major brands in the table at the beginning of this post, but there are definitely plenty of smaller brands in addition to those.
Generally, the more famous the brand, the higher price that brand can charge for a bat. If you were to buy one from a smaller, more obscure company that doesn’t have many international players using their products, you would probably end up paying less.
Which type of brand you choose to purchase a bat from honestly depends on your individual preference. Some brands are more visually appealing than others, so some cricketers will make their choice on this basis.
Others simply like to buy the same brand as the one that their favourite players use! When I first got interested in cricket, I wanted a Woodworm Flame or a Woodworm Torch cricket bat because they were the ones that Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen used.
Legions of Indian cricketers used MRF bats because players like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have kept them hugely popular in the last 20 years.
Recently I’ve become much more of a fan of the more classical brands like Gunn & Moore and Gray Nicolls, and I’m eyeing up one of the Gray Nicolls range for my next purchase!