So you have just bought your budding young cricketer their first proper cricket bat, before they can jump into a game you will need to prepare the bat for match play.

Most junior cricket bats are made using willow which is by nature a soft fibrous timber which possesses the perfect characteristics, namely balance, power and durability to perform in a Cricketing environment. 

You will come across two types of willow when searching for a Junior cricket bat

Kashmir willow - Found in cricket sets and cricket bats less than $100. Kashmir willow is harder and dryer by nature than English willow, so doesn't perform as well or last as long. This bat is ideal as a starter bat for use against a softer safety ball (Incrediballs, Wonderballs, Windballs e.t.c) 

English Willow - Softer type of willow  and the best cricket bat for junior cricket . Willow is graded by quality on a scale of Grade 1 to about Grade 4 or 5, with Grade 1 being the highest quality. Higher quality willow generally has straighter grains, more consistent colour, and few-to-no imperfections. English willow bats are for use with harder leather cricket balls.

Preparing cricket bats

Because of the soft type willow of English willow, cricket bats need to be prepared and conditioned to take the impact of a hard cricket ball. Some manufacturers have "pre-prepared or ready play" cricket bats these still require knocking a little knocking in and playing in. 

Oiling:

For Natural finish (untreated) bats:-Before use, apply a light coat of raw linseed oil (bat oil) to the face, back edges and toe with the fingers and palm of the hand. Avoid oiling the splice area.3 or 4 further light coats should be applied to the face, edges and toe at about weekly intervals. Clean the bat using fine sand paper before each application. Repeat occasionally if the bat is very dry.After oiling lay the bat flat for a few hours.

For bats with a cover on the face:-Apply oil as described above, but only to the back, uncovered edges and toe.

For polycoated bats:-No oiling is required, however, during play the polycoating will wear from the toe area and the exposed willow should be lightly oiled as described above.

Knocking In

Knocking in your cricket bat is an essential part of its preparation - all cricket bats perform better once they have been knocked in. The edges, toe and blade all need to be well knocked in to withstand the impact from a cricket ball, to prevent breakages and damage to the bat. The knocking in process cannot be rushed and must be carried out carefully, to ensure the wood of the bat is compact, so the fibres are compressed and knitted together.

• Using a specialist hardwood bat mallet, gently strike the face and edges of the bat to harden and round these areas (similar to the impact of a cricket ball in a game). Take care not to hit the edges, toe or back of the bat directly to avoid unnecessary damage.
• Repeat the above process several times, gradually increasing the power of your blows.
• After you've spent a minimum of 2-3 hours knocking in your cricket bat, you can then test it at the nets by hitting some short catches using an old cricket ball. If seam marks or small indentations appear on the face, you will need to continue the process for a longer amount of time. Most cricket bats can take up to 4 hours to be fully knocked in.
• After a few net practice sessions, your bat should be ready to use in a competitive game.

Kashmir willow cricket bats still require oil on bare willow, most kasmir have a painted or protected face. If you decide to use your Kashmir willow against a harder ball, you will need to knock in to condition the bat, as Kashmir is a harder willow this will take a lot longer than English willow and less ping off the bat. 

For all your Junior cricket needs visit Little Rookie Sport I Kids Cricket Store for all your junior and kids cricket equipment.