Best bats for junior players

[pnesam07]

For a 14 year old junior who is 5 foot 6.
so im harrow i guess?

what bat would be best for me? i do take my batting very seriously so i would like a top bat.

but on the whole what are the best bats for juniors

 

[Neil Pickup]

Harrow or Short Handle - quite possibly SH because let's face it you're about to grow stupidly.

Bat type is entirely dependent on the style of player you are, no matter whether you're a senior or junior. What are your scoring zones? How do you build an innings?

 

[pnesam07]

im a shotmaker. im not a player who pushes singles around

 

[Goughy]

Using a short handle at your age is very common but causes a lot of issues further down the line. They are just too big and heavy to play shots (especially square of the wicket) properly. TBH, Im a little suprised by the answer given to you by Neil Pickup.

Ill give you 2 pieces of advice. What I believe to be best and what I would have done.

Id recommend a harrow (or even smaller) to help develop your cricket. And Id recommend a Kashmir willow bat. They are far cheaper than an English willow bat and there is little difference at your level. As you are growing quickly Id get a cheap, good bat that is the right size that can be cast aside as you grow.

What Id have done at your age is wanted the best and most fashionable Mens (shorthandle) bat I could get.

Too much of cricket (and life I guess) is fashion and fitting in. Option A is best for your cricket whilst Option B) is probably best for showing off and looking cool.

 

[Neil Pickup]

At 5'6" surely that height is about right for a short handle? I used SHs from that height and smaller (actually, me doing something is a good argument for doing the opposite...) I've always gone off the fact that a good height bat rets under your pelvic bone.

Surely weight is down to the bat rather than the size: my SH now is very light, almost certainly lighter than half the size 5 and 6 bats that the 10 and 11-year-olds at my school have. Those GN Fusion ads have a lot to answer for... of course, everything ends up being shanked across the line and no one can play through the offside properly.

 

[Goughy]

At 5'6" surely that height is about right for a short handle? I used SHs from that height and smaller (actually, me doing something is a good argument for doing the opposite...) I've always gone off the fact that a good height bat rets under your pelvic bone.

Surely weight is down to the bat rather than the size: my SH now is very light, almost certainly lighter than half the size 5 and 6 bats that the 10 and 11-year-olds at my school have. Those GN Fusion ads have a lot to answer for... of course, everything ends up being shanked across the line and no one can play through the offside properly.

You let 10 and 11 year old use 5s and 6s?

As for his height. Im 6'1" and I use a short handle and Im a fully grown man. A SH at that age is too long. They can learn to use it but it is a bad way to progess and leaves issues. Really hampers development in certain areas.

A good height for a bat is if outside edge of feet are shoulder width apart (no more) then putting the toe of the bat outside the right foot then the top of the handle should rest no higher than mid inside thigh of the left leg.

Pelvic bone is far too high.

 

[sanga1337]

Definitely a harrow. While you may be tall enough to use a SH the weight difference is fairly big and it will hamper your shots. You may think that you can use a SH bat when your trying it out in the shops, but take note if its a heavy bat your going to get tired more quickly if you play a long innings. When I bought my bat the shop owner said you can really use a harrow until your 6 foot 1. Also I think if you take your cricket seriously you should get an English willow bat, just not a stupidly expensive one as they do make a difference. Well for me they do.

 

[Neil Pickup]

10 and 11 year olds using 5s and 6s is de rigeur in England in all my experience of playing and coaching cricket. Pelvic bone is when the bat is resting between your feet rather than outside your right foot (or, going vertically, effectively the top of your crotch), but clearly there's still quite a differential from the hymn sheets we're singing off.

I have used short-bat drills as ways to exaggerate the importance of getting forward, forward, forward when playing off the front foot.

 

[Goughy]

10 and 11 year olds using 5s and 6s is de rigeur in England in all my experience of playing and coaching cricket.

Oh without a doubt. However, that doesnt mean it is correct. Its a general combination of people not knowing what they are talking about and people not wanting to spend money every time little Tommy grows a few inches.

Whilst I know it is common practice, I find the idea of children being sabotaged in their development by using bats innappropriate for their needs very annoying as it is completely avoidable.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I want to set myself correct here:

I would have said that is just about fine, but you're saying you want it significantly shorter?

 

[Goughy]

I want to set myself correct here:

I would have said that is just about fine, but you're saying you want it significantly shorter?

I guess. However, I have never seen that method used and Ive no idea how it translates. Also Ive no idea of the age/size of the boy and of the bat illustrated.

Just looking, it seems most use the method I suggest (ie in a cricket stance)

Here
It is very important when buying a new cricket bat to choose the correct size bat. As a bat that is too large or too small will only hinder your playing ability. I’ve found the best way to determine if a bat is of the right size, is to stand in your batting stance and rest the toe of the bat against the outside of your back foot, lean the cricket bat so that the top of the handle rests next to the inside groin of your front leg. If the bat is of the right size it should rest comfortably next to your box on the inside groin of your front leg.

Given this is an English article I think it is on the high side but the idea is there.

Here
a bat is too heavy it forces the player to alter his grip trying to lift the bat when playing a shot, bringing the bat down across the line of ball. Bats that are too long prevent the bat being picked up correctly as the top of the handle gets in the way. Choosing the correct bat is vital for proper technical development. A young player, playing a reasonable level of cricket is much better off with a slightly smaller, lighter bat, which will help him improve his stroke play, than a heavy, oversized bat which will cause his play to deteriorate and maybe lessen his interest in the game.

The main aim for a comfortable bat is to enable the player to play strokes without undue effort or hindrance. To help you judge what size you should be looking for, the chosen bat should be placed on the outside of the right foot (if right handed), left foot (if left handed), and allow the bat to be placed on the inside of the thigh. The top of the bat handle should sit no further than the top of the groin, otherwise it will get caught up in the pads. Also, it will be too heavy to handle. To judge the weight, ask the player to hold the bat straight out in front of him at shoulder height with his playing hand. If the bat moves or trembles at all, then again it is too heavy.

 

[Goughy]

The interesting thing is that, compared to a number of coaches I respect, I am not a bat size Nazi.

However, despite thinking myself a moderate, the concept of a 10 yr old using a size 6 angers me.

Here is a SA guide on bat size for children and youths. Obviously adults can do what they want. Given the average 10 year old is under 140 cm.

Ive seen the difference in forcing children and parents (I know coaches that refuse to coach unless correct bats were purchased) to buy the correct equipment. They are like different players and progression is fast tracked. Why have coaching if you are going to sabotage yourself with the wrong equipment?
A waste of everyones time and effort.

 

[Pup Clarke]

So Sachin Tendulkar shouldn't be using a full size bat?

 

[Goughy]

So Sachin Tendulkar shouldn't be using a full size bat?

This is for child development as noted in the above post. Nothing to do with Mens cricket.

Its also a serious cricketing subject.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I'm sold. This has been a very useful thread.

 

[zaremba]

im a shotmaker. im not a player who pushes singles around

Love the attitude!

 

[Jakester1288]

I am twelve years old and 165 cms last time I checked and I have two Short Handle bats I use. I mainly use my uncased one, but when I'm in really bad form, I swap to my other bat. It seems to work for me.

 

[sanga1337]

So Sachin Tendulkar shouldn't be using a full size bat?

Sachin Tendulkar is easily strong enough to use a SH.

 

[James90]

Reckon the lighter bats are the way to go myself. I'm 6'0" and 70kg and use a SH that ways 2lb 6. If I'm to get a bigger bat it'd only be by 2oz at most because I rely on punishing anything short. Would struggle to adjust to a heavier bat.