Your first cricket bat: a no-nonsense buying guide

Bat sizes for junior players are usually numbered — roughly 0 to 6, then Harrow and short-handle adult sizes above that. The right size is about the player's height, not their age, and a bat that's a size too big will do more harm to a young player's technique than any amount of willow quality can fix.

The simple check: standing upright, the bat's top edge should sit comfortably around hip height when held with a straight arm. If a child has to reach or stoop to hold it correctly, it's the wrong size — full stop.

Two bats of the same size can feel completely different in the hands depending on weight and pick-up — how light or heavy the bat feels when swung, not just on the scales. A bat that's too heavy slows the swing and wrecks technique under pressure; one that's picked up well will feel lighter than its actual weight suggests.

Always try before you buy where you can. A bat should feel controllable through a full swing, not just steady standing still in a shop.

English willow is the traditional choice for serious play — graded roughly 1 to 4, where grade 1 has the cleanest, straightest grain and (generally) the best performance, tapering down in cosmetic quality and price from there. Kashmir willow is heavier and more durable but less responsive — a common, sensible choice for beginners or for practice bats that will take a beating.

For a first bat, there's no need to chase a grade 1 English willow — a mid-grade English or a solid Kashmir willow bat, properly sized, will serve a beginner far better than an expensive bat that's the wrong fit.

A new bat needs to be knocked in before it's used in a proper match — compressing the fibres of the face so the bat doesn't crack or split under a hard ball. Skipping this step is one of the most common ways a brand-new bat gets ruined in its first few weeks.

If you're not confident doing this yourself, ask wherever you're buying from — a shop or academy that sells bats should be able to either knock it in for you or talk you through it properly.

Get the size right first, the weight and pick-up second, and treat willow grade as a budget decision rather than the most important one. A well-fitted, sensibly priced bat that a young player can actually control will always beat an expensive bat that's wrong for them.

If you'd rather have a second opinion than guess, MAX Sports stocks a range of bats across sizes and budgets, and Coach Zaheer and the team are happy to help you pick the right one rather than just the priciest one. Have a look at what's available in our shop.