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The first stage in maintaining a cricket bat is to choose one which suits your style of play. A good timer of the ball, who can push quick singles and make his (or her) boundaries seem effortless will probably want a lighter bat, whereas a big-hitter will want a heavy bat. Lighter bats will not endure constant "slogging". Also, don't fall for cheap bats which have design faults. Look closely at the point where the handle meets the paddle. The V should be long and thin, giving more area for the two parts to fix together, and there should be no visible gap in the joint.

Do not buy bats coated with a plastic veneer, as this is no replacement for breaking the bat in properly, and you should be aware that bats which are commercially broken in may be "over-pressed" in a way which detracts from the performance. There really is no better way than breaking in your own bat.
Once the right bat is chosen, it is essential to break it in before use. Some stores will do this for you, so it's worth asking. To break in the bat you need a small bottle of linseed oil, an open weave cloth, an old, soft cricket ball, a sock and a lot of time. Coat the whole paddle, front back and sides, with linseed oil by putting oil on the cloth and rubbing it in. When the bat is stood upright you should not see oil running down the bat. Once this is done, leave the bat horizontal overnight and repeat the process the next day. This time leave it for 6 hours.
Now you are ready to begin knocking the bat in. It's a good idea to warn the people you live with about this process. You will probably want to be watching something entertaining while you knock the bat in. A good TV show or film, or even a cricket match would be perfect.
Put the old ball in the sock and swing it repeatedly onto all surfaces of the bat. it's tempting to skimp on time and to miss out the bottom or the sides of the bat but it really will pay you dividends if you do it properly. Don't strike the bat too hard, or you will break the willow fibers that this process is designed to bind together. The first knocking in session should last two hours or so.
Repeat the process after a day or so, knocking a little harder. Then, after another rest you could try taking the ball out of the sock and bouncing up a down on the bat. Only after these stages have been carefully executed should you think about facing any real bowling. Nets are the ideal starting place, preferably against slower bowlers using old balls. A new ball could still damage the bat.
Once the bat is properly broken in there is a certain amount of luck involved in how long your bat will last. Sometimes bats contain invisible weaknesses which not even the most scrupulous maker could have detected. Sometimes they last a lifetime. If you have broken the bat in properly you should not get cracks, but in case you do, it is perfectly legal to bind the bat with tape around the area affected to stop small cracks from developing into a serious problem. Keep your bat dry, use it regularly and you should get plenty of use out of it.

Learn more about this author, Matt Carmichael.
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