Knocking of New Cricket Bats:
Knocking of New Cricket Bats is very Important part.Before use of every new bat, knocking process should be requires to prevent it from cracking and makes its long use. Knocking process should be done using a Hardwood bat mallet hit the face of the blade of the bat repeatedly for several hours. This process provides good performance than a ball mallet and also help in to increase the speed. Start by hitting the middle of the bat just hard enough to create a dent. During this process make sure that you are knocking every region of the blade and ensures that no stickers should be there while knocking and should be equally and concurrently knocked. Don’t knock-in the back of the cricket bat. The edges of blade should be rolls with the angle of 90 degrees. This process should be repeated, however each time it increases the pressure. When knocking in process has been completed, you have to check whether more oils should be requires or not. When you have finished he first 2-3 hours, you can progress to using the bat for out field practice and then in the nets against an old used high quality cricket ball. This should be practice in every three to four weeks.
Oiling of Cricket Bats:
Before knocking process, oiling process should be done. This is done to prevent the wood from drying out. Oiling process make the bat soften. Raw Linseed Oil should be used to become the bat brittle. It is requires the bat should be oiled with raw linseed oil which makes the bat brittle. I suggest that oil should be applied 3 to 4 times before the process of knocking begins. It Ensure that the edges are also oiled. Spread the oil over the face of the bat using a small rag or your fingers. A full coat of oil should be apply in front, back and toe with less than one teaspoon full. Avoid oiling the splice of the bat which is the very top section of the blade. During the drying time the bat should be laid horizontally, and out of direct sunlight. After leaving it at least overnight repeat the procedure again but this time use even less oil than the first time. In other words give it only a very light rub with the same open weave cloth from before. Leave lying horizontally for at least 6 hours. After this oiling you are then ready to begin the Knocking In procedure.
Both the knocking and oiling process is very important aspect to improve the life and quality of cricket bats , it is worth to invert time on this process with proper technique otherwise you can harm you bat.