Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

4 ways you can repair your Cricket Bat

Written by Mohan Raj

Don’t Forget Your Cricket Bat is Made of Wood!

Cricket bats are made of wood (soft wood at that!) and used to hit a hard ball. This naturally causes certain amount of wear, tear and even damage to the bat. Below are a few examples of damage caused to cricket bats, and how you can repair them so you get maximum value for your money. After all, good cricket bats are costly!

This article covers how your cricket bat can get damaged and how to repair it. A more detailed article on how to pick the best bats and bat care can be found here.

1.1. Damage Caused By Dampness

The toe end of the cricket bat is in contact with the ground all the time and suffers normal wear and tear. If the ground is wet, the toe end can absorb moisture and suffer more damage than usual. The wetness is absorbed by the wood and becomes heavy, losing the cushioning property to some extent. This makes it vulnerable when the ball is hit, causing it to splinter.

The bat face could also absorb moisture from the ball in the course of play. This will create scuffing on the surface of the bat that will lead the wood to peel off in layers.

A good grade “toe guard” can protect your bat from the moisture and prevents splintering. Bat faces and edges can be protected from moisture by applying protective tapes made of fiber.

1.2 Damage Caused By the Cricket Ball

Cricket balls are hard and have a seam. This naturally tends to impact the surface of the wood hard and cause some damage. A cricket ball can cause considerable damage to the surface of your cricket bat if it is not properly “seasoned” or “knocked in.”

The edges of the cricket bats are especially vulnerable. Yorkers cause severe damage to the toe end of the bat. Knock your bat in thoroughly to ensure the entire surface is done evenly. Play with old balls for a week or so to bring the bat to playing fitness. A proper toe guard can prevent splintering of the toe end. Also, applying protective tapes to the edges and face will protect it from damage.

2. Repairing a Cricket Bat

2.1 A piece of wood chipping off but still in place

You can tape the entire surface horizontally to cover the chipped area or use a twine thread to bind the area and protect it with tape.

2.2 Chipped Wood has fallen Out – Retrieved

Clean the piece, fix it in place using a good grade adhesive like Fevicol and tape the surface.

2.3 A Chunk of Wood has Fallen Out – Not Retrieved

Use a piece from another bat shave and fit it to the damaged bat. Use adhesives and binding in addition to vice clamps for holding the bat tightly and to apply pressure to the mended area. More here: https://youtu.be/vuQWGbtKkwY

2.4 Vertical Cracks

Use hard twine thread to bind the affected area horizontally while using a clamp to hold the area tightly and then apply adhesive to the bound area.

You can watch a video of how to bind a cricket bat here: https://youtu.be/cXh_20Tr-GU

Written by Mohan Raj

Thanks for reading!