‘Knocking in’ is a very important part of the bats preparation. During the process the fibres in the bat are stretched and have a chance to knit together which strengthens the bats durability. This creates a hard-playing face. The intention of this is to get the bat ready to withstand the impact of a hard cricket ball and minimise splitting.
A Bat Mallet is used to 'knock in'.
- Visually break the bat down into 4 areas (toe, sweetspot, top part of face, edges)
- Start gently and then increase to a medium force gradually increasing to hard hitting focusing on each area
- When knocking in the edges hold the bat at approx. a 45 degree angle. Strike the edge with a glancing motion (as a cricket ball would behave). The aim being to round off the edges
- Once you feel that the bat is ready to use, find a ball that is in good condition and has a decent seam and have some throw downs. If the ball leaves any kind of seam mark on the face then the bat is not yet ready so repeat 'knocking in'
- If however the ball does not leave a mark then carry on with the 'Playing In*' process (minimum 100 balls)
- Once this stage is achieved, we highly recommend that you apply an scuff sheet as this will help retain the bats moisture. This will help to protect the bat from surface cracks and give the bat a longer life span
Tips
- Do not strike edges and toes at right angles
- This conditioning of the bat requires patience and consistency
- The time frame for 'knocking in' at bat can vary as each bat is different and will have been pressed differently, may have a different moisture content etc. By hitting a ball during the later stages of 'knocking in', you will be able to recognise when the bat is ready from the feedback through the handle and ping
* 'Playing In' - throwdowns, slip catching, fielding drills
Bats are sometimes advertised as ‘ready to play’ or ‘match ready’ however we personally recommend that the bat still has a minimum of 1 hour 'knocking in' as well as 'playing in*' before match play.