SC Bat Mallet with Ball knocking in cricket bats

Knocking In

"Knocking in" your new cricket bat is  VITAL for the survival of your new cricket bat. This is the process by which the fibres of the willow in the face and edges are compressed together to form a barrier, which protects the bat against the impact of the ball. Effective "Knocking In" will significantly improve the performance and increase the lifespan of the bat. I also  recommend that factory pre-prepared bats need extra preparation by further knocking in using a mallet.

How to "Knock In" your bat?

First Step- Using a special bat mallet, the bat should be struck repeatedly across and down the front of the blade. You should gradually apply more force over time. This conditioning must be performed with patience. Particular attention should be given to hardening the edge, by deflecting the mallet across them, not at right-angles to minimise damage from an edge shot. I also recommend "boning" the edges by running the handle of the mallet down the edge to compress them. The toe area of the bat should be faced carefully as there is risk of causing cracks or splits across the base of the base if it is struck too hard. This step takes between 8-10 hours to complete.

Second Step- To ready your bat for match use, you should use your bat against throw downs in the nets or by giving short catches. Make sure the ball you are facing is a quality old ball. This should be done for at least 2 hours. If seam marks, small surface cracks or indentations are visible, it is necessary to go back immediately to the first step for further preparation for at least 2 more hours. This is not sign of a faulty bat- it simply means that the bat requires further attention.

Once these steps have been completed, the bat should be ready to use in matches. You should try to avoid use against a new ball initially. If this can't be avoided or you are an opening batsman, you should purchase Extratec for added protection.