Welcome
 
The Cricket Zone

At The Cricket Zone we offer our customers an unrivaled range of Cricket Equipment & Cricket Bats at discounted prices from the all of the leading manufacturers in the world of cricket today such as Adidas, Readers, Kookaburra, Fearnley, Gunn & Moore, Gray Nicolls, Puma, Hunts County, Woodworm, Surridge, Slazenger, Woodworm & Reebok Cricket.

Our range of Cricket Equipment & Cricket Bats has been carefully selected to serve cricketers of all levels from junior cricketers to professionals.

Please feel free to browse our store.

We recommend that customers consult the bat advice and size guide pages before making a purchase, this is particularly important for purchases of junior cricket bats and junior cricket equipment.

If you cannot find what you are looking for try using our search box, as you are sure to find it!

We have done our best to create a website that anticipates our customers needs, however if you have any comments or questions about or website or any of the products in our store please contact us via email or by telephone using the contact details below.

We welcome all new customers and are dedicated to providing our customers with an easy and enjoyable shopping experience from the comfort of their own home.

If you cannot find what you are looking for on this site, why not try our other stores? MRF Cricket Bats or Storm Cricket.

Contact Us:

Storm Cricket Limited
Gemini Business Centre
136-140 Old Shoreham Road
Hove,
East Sussex,
BN3 7BD

Telephone: 0845 0946095

Cricket Bat Guide

Cricket Bat Weights

Selecting the correct weight is key to maximizing your batting performance. Whilst a heavier bat will provide more power to your shots, selecting a bat which is too heavy will impede stroke play.

As a general rule a Light or Medium weight bats will suit “Controlled Stroke Makers” whereas a heavy weight bat is more suitable for a “Big Hitter”.

Senior Cricket Bat Weight Guide

Junior Cricket Bat Weight Guide

Willow Guide

English Willow is a soft fibrous wood which provides excellent rebound performance when the ball strikes the middle of the bat, English willow bats are therefore recommended for top and middle order batsmen who are not beginners.

Kashmir Willow is a harder more dense wood and although it has similar to characteristics to English Willow, it is a little more brittle and therefore less responsive when the ball strikes the middle of the bat. Kashmir Willow bats do however offer excellent value for money and are ideal for lower order batsmen, beginners or club bags.

Willow Guides

English Willow or Kashmir Willow?

English Willow is a soft fibrous wood which provides excellent rebound performance when the ball strikes the middle of the bat, English willow bats are therefore recommended for top and middle order batsmen who are not beginners.

Kashmir Willow is a harder more dense wood and although it has similar to characteristics to English Willow, it is a little more brittle and therefore less responsive when the ball strikes the middle of the bat. Kashmir Willow bats do however offer excellent value for money and are ideal for lower order batsmen, beginners or club bags.

English Willow Grades

Test Grade willow is the very best of English Willow, and is normally reserved for manufacturers own pro-players or special edition bats found in exclusive specialist cricket stores. Test Grade willow will have between six and nine straight grains and is used by Professional Cricketers.

Grade I willow is the best willow used for producing “high end” retail cricket bats, Grade I willow bats will typically have six straight grains and a consistent clean face with only minor or no blemishes (there may be the odd blemish on the edge or back of the bat). These bats are used by Professional and First Team Club Cricketers.

Grade II willow is also a high quality willow, Grade II willow bats will typically have at least four straight grains however the blade will have some small blemishes or discolouration however the performance of the bat will be unaffected. These bats are typically used by First and Second Team Club Cricketers.

Grade III willow is used for manufacturing most non-covered retail cricket bats under £100. Grade III bats will have blemishes or imperfections on the blade of the bat and may have an irregular grain pattern which could make the bat less responsive than the higher grade willow bats. These bats will be used by the majority of Club Cricketers.

Grade IV willow is normally used for manufacturing budget cricket bats which typically have a covering on the face of the bat to hide imperfections, blemishes and an irregular grain pattern, again these bat are less responsive than the higher grade willow bats and will normally be used by beginners.

Bat Preparation & Maintenance

The first stage of the preparation process is to lightly oil your bat using Raw Linseed oil and an open weave cloth. Do not over oil your bat as this will adversely affect the performance of the bat, it is important never to oil the splice of the bat as this may soften the glue round that area. 

We recommend you spend between six and seven hours knocking your bat in using a purpose made mallet. Hit the bat firmly with the mallet, do not just tap it. It is also important to make sure the toe and edges of the bat are well knocked in.

After you have finished knocking in your bat, we recommend you play in the bat with a gentle net session using and old soft ball, batting defensively and attempting to hit the ball in the middle of your bat.

Once your bat is in full use keep an eye on any minor damage or cracking and attend to any minor damage using cricket bat tape or wood glue.

Surface cracking or “crazy cracking” is normal and will not affect the performance of your bat, however the application of anti-scuff sheet will help minimize any surface damage.

Finally, in the off season you should store your bat, flat and face up in a cool dry atmosphere making sure that it is well away from any heat or dampness.