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Bat & Ball Care & Maintainance |
Section 1: Bat Damage
Cricket bats are made of willow. It is to be expected that the condition of the
bat will deteriorate during its usage. The manufacturers have put together the following
notes to assist you in taking care of your bat.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Cricket Bat Willow
English willow (Salix Caerulea or Alba Var) is by nature a soft fibrous reed. Performance
and durability are enhanced by drying and pressing. In normal usage willow will become bruised, scarred or dented simply
due to the nature of the game (the impact with the ball.) The performance of the
bat will not be affected. Such marking can occur at any time during the lifespan
of the bat.
- Kashmir Willow
Willow grown overseas is by its very nature much harder than English willow. Therefore
bats made of this type of willow will not have a comparable level of performance
with English willow bats.
- Returns
All repairs or discounts given on replacement bats are at the discretion of the
MANUFACTURER. Bats returned under complaint MUST be accompanied by proof of purchase
(including date of purchase). Failure to comply may affect the customer's statutory
rights.
- Lifespan of a Cricket Bat
There can be no definitive length of time that a cricket bat will last. The condition
of a bat deteriorates with use. The length of time before the player needs to replace
his bat will depend upon:
- The amount of use
- The weight of the bat (heavier blades tend to be more
durable than lighter ones)
- The care with which the bat is treated
- Age Of The Cricket Bat
Bats over TWELVE months old (from the date of purchase) will be considered entirely
at the manufacturer's discretion, taking into account the age and condition of the
bat. It is possible for the condition of the bat to deteriorate even without use
(simply due to the natural drying out process).
- In Case Of Damage - Immediate action should be taken. This normally
necessitates withdrawal from play whilst repairs are carried out. It is vital the
repairs are carried out by professional bat makers. The manufacturers are unable
to guarantee repair work carried out by non-approved repairers.
- Storage
To ensure that a bat remains in good condition it is essential that it is not stored
in excessively warm conditions (e.g. near to central heating). This will cause the
bat to dry out and precipitate future problems. The bat should ideally be stored
in a position that will allow a little of the moisture from the atmosphere to be
absorbed.
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1. HANDLE BREAKS
Cause: General wear and tear
Solution: The bat itself is not replaceable, but the handle may
be repaired at the MANUFACTURERS discretion.
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2. BREAKAGE TO THE BLADE
Cause: Weak or excessively dry willow.
Solution: Potentially replaceable by full or partial credit, at
the MANUFACTURERS discretion.
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BLADE DAMAGE
1. SURFACE CRACKING TO THE FACE OF THE BLADE
Cause: General wear and tear
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, crack will not affect the performance
of the bat. Repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.
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2. SURFACE CRACKING TO THE EDGE OF THE BLADE
Cause: General wear and tear
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, crack will not affect the performance
of the BAT. Repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion
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3. SURFACE CRACKING TO THE TOE OF THE BLADE
Cause: general wear and tear. This type of damage is often caused
by the striking of a "yorker" delivery and/or excessive tapping of the crease.
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, crack will not affect the performance
of the BAT. Repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.
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4. SPLIT THROUGH THE TOE AREA OF THE BLADE
Cause: This type of damage is caused by the striking of a ball
at, or near the base of the blade, e.g. the driving of a "yorker"
Solution: Repairable and/or replaceable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion
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5. CRACKING TO THE SHOULDER OF THE BLADE
Cause: General wear and tear
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.
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6. DAMAGE DUE TO MISUSE OF THE BAT OR BY ACCIDENT
Cause: Generally caused by accidentally striking an object other
than the ball, for example the stumps.
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, may be repairable at the CUSTOMER'S
expense.
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MOISTURE DAMAGE
Cause: This type of damage occurs as a result of use in damp or
wet conditions. It generally leads to swelling of the toe area of the blade, which
after drying may well split.
Solution: NOT REPLACEABLE, there is no fault in the manufacturing
or the materials used. The damage may be repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion
and the CUSTOMER' S cost.
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Section 2: Ball Damage
DAMAGE DUE TO THE USE OF POOR QUALITY CRICKET BALLS
Every bat will sustain damge with use. It can occur at
anytime in its life span & is unavoidable part of the game. Poor
quality or excessively hard cricket balls can be a cause of many types of crack
damage to the blade of the bat, as previously illustrated.
DENTS &s; CRACKS DOES NOT MEAN THE BAT IS FAULTY
ALL CRICKET BAT MANUFACTURERS recommend that only balls of reputable manufacture
are used. Use of any other style or type of ball may cause damage to bats and WILL
affect any claim made
PREPARATION FOR PLAY
The CRICKET BAT MANUFACTURERS recommend the following principles for the preparation
and maintenance of cricket bats. Following these procedures will significantly reduce
the possibility of damage occurring.
OILING
All natural faced bats MUST be treated using raw linseed or a specialist cricket
bat oil. The main purpose of oiling is to maintain moisture levels within the blade,
and hence reduce the chances of cracking and splitting.
Light coats should be applied to the face, edge, toe and back of the blade, taking
care to avoid the logos and splice area. Generally two or three coats should be
sufficient. Each coat should be allowed to dry into the blade, which should be kept
in a horizontal position before the next is applied.
WARNING - DO NOT OVER OIL
DO NOT STAND THE BAT IN OIL
DO NOT LEAVE THE BAT IN A VERTICAL POSITION AFTER OILING
BATS WITH FULL PROTECTIVE COATINGS SHOULD NOT HAVE OIL APPLIED, BUT THEY MUST BE
CONDITIONED AS DETAILED BELOW
ALTERNATIVELY
It is possible to fit a clear Anti-scuff or similar cover.
This does not negate the requirement to "knock-in" the bat. The cover may assist
the durability of the bat, but under no circumstances will it totally prevent surface
damage.
PRE KNOCKED OR PRE PREPARED MEANS
All bats that are pre-knocked in. Pre-knocked in however does not mean ready to
go immediately. It means that the majority of preparation work has been done, but
that you will need to complete the final part of the process. We therefore recommend
that you spend little more time finishing knocking your bat in. This is best done
with a purpose-made bat mallet. Hit the bat firmly with the bat mallet for a short
period, don't just tap it. It is important that you make sure that the toe and the
edges of the bat are well knocked-in. After this process use against an old ball
to maximise the bat performance
KNOCKING-IN
All bats are pressed, however, "knocking-in" is VITAL. This is the process by which
the fibres of the willow in the face and edges are compressed together to form a
barrier that protects the bat against the impact of the ball. Effective "knocking-in"
will significantly improve the performance and increase the lifespan of the bat.
STAGE ONE
The "knocking-in" process should be undertaken carefully using a special bat mallet
or an old quality cricket ball. The bat should be repeatedly struck (with gradually
increasing force) in all areas where one would normally expect to hit the ball.
This conditioning must be performed with patience. Particular attention should be
given to the edges, although the edges or toe should not be struck directly at right
angles to the blade. This would be likely to cause damage.
This stage should take in the region of six hours, although it may vary, as every
bat is different.
STAGE TWO
The next step is to graduate to the use of the bat to hit short catches with an
old quality cricket ball. However, if the seam marks
the blade it is necessary to return to "stage one" for further conditioning.
This stage should be performed for at least another hour.
Once these steps have been taken, the bat should be ready for use in matches. It
is advisable to initially avoid use against the "new ball".
In addition to these steps it is recommended that the purchaser follows closely
the "bat care" instructions issued by the manufacturer.
WARNING
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A BAT BE USED IN MATCH CONDITIONS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS
FOLLOWING THE DATE OF PURCHASE.
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