Does the back of a cricket bat need oiling?

wellAlbidarned · 02-02-2013, 05:46 PM

The bloke in the cricket store said don't bother, while all the GN and Kookaburra tutorials say yes. Clearly just a bit of a non-issue, but does anyone have further thoughts?

Marcuss · 02-02-2013, 05:55 PM

Need? No.

Wise to? I'd say yes for no reason other than if it should ever be exposed to moisture, e.g rain, then it'd be better for it

jonathanfs · 03-02-2013, 10:28 AM

yes do it make sure you oil it evenly and the whole of the face and edges and then lay in flat so that the oil doesnt run down to the bottom of the bat if you were to have it standing.

Daemon · 03-02-2013, 11:05 PM

reckon laxman sivaramakrisnan took it literally when someone asked him to oil the face

SJS · 06-02-2013, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wellAlbidarned

The bloke in the cricket store said don't bother, while all the GN and Kookaburra tutorials say yes. Clearly just a bit of a non-issue, but does anyone have further thoughts?

No. Neither needs nor is ever to be done.

There was one very interesting thing once told to me by an old Delhi cricketer who had become an umpire by the time I started playing. He said there was a way to use a new bat, fresh from the shop, without ever having oiled it - this was in the early seventies when every bat HAD to be oiled. "Pour cold water on the back of the bat," he said to me. "Just on the back and then you can take it in with you in a game and it will be fine as if you had oiled it and wouldn't break or crack or chip for want of oiling and playing in"

I never tried it being too scared to take a chance with the precious bats but always wondered . . .

Daemon · 07-02-2013, 12:36 AM

Oiling doesn't really make a difference to how the bat performs in a match vs a non oiled bat. All it does afaik is it prevents moisture from seeping in, and helps to prevent cracks and splits.

So yeah, that cold water thing, probably wouldn't try it

The Coach · 11-02-2013, 07:02 AM

Oiling help preserve the wood fibre to prevent cracking [don't mean the crazy-paving onthe face - that is to be expected and is unavoidable].

You could get away from not doing it but the life expectancy of the bat will reduce.

Cricket Bat · 15-05-2013, 12:30 AM

Not really necessary, but no harm in a very light oiling of the back of the cricket bat

02-02-2013, 05:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
wellAlbidarned International Vice-Captain Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: spaghetti Posts: 4,992	Does the back of a cricket bat need oiling? The bloke in the cricket store said don't bother, while all the GN and Kookaburra tutorials say yes. Clearly just a bit of a non-issue, but does anyone have further thoughts? __________________ "MTV isn't really my cup of tea... mostly because I hate huge pieces of **** in my tea." - Aziz Ansari

11-02-2013, 07:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
The Coach Cricket Spectator Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Shropshire Posts: 16	Oiling help preserve the wood fibre to prevent cracking [don't mean the crazy-paving onthe face - that is to be expected and is unavoidable]. You could get away from not doing it but the life expectancy of the bat will reduce. __________________ I'm off to coach in Uganda in April '13 but must first raise £750 for the Cricket Without Boundries charity - your donation here would be very much appreciated.

15-05-2013, 12:30 AM	#8 (permalink)
Cricket Bat Cricket Spectator Join Date: May 2013 Location: Brisbane Posts: 2	Not really necessary, but no harm in a very light oiling of the back of the cricket bat Last edited by Cricket Bat; 15-05-2013 at 12:31 AM.

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03-02-2013, 10:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
jonathanfs Cricket Spectator Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: England Essex Posts: 15	yes do it make sure you oil it evenly and the whole of the face and edges and then lay in flat so that the oil doesnt run down to the bottom of the bat if you were to have it standing.

03-02-2013, 11:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
Daemon Cricketer Of The Year Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: . Posts: 8,759	reckon laxman sivaramakrisnan took it literally when someone asked him to oil the face

07-02-2013, 12:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
Daemon Cricketer Of The Year Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: . Posts: 8,759	Oiling doesn't really make a difference to how the bat performs in a match vs a non oiled bat. All it does afaik is it prevents moisture from seeping in, and helps to prevent cracks and splits. So yeah, that cold water thing, probably wouldn't try it

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