Tennis ball cricket bat: what is different and what to buy

What a tennis ball cricket bat is

A tennis ball cricket bat is built for a ball that weighs about 57 grams. A leather ball weighs about 156 grams. That one gap shapes the whole bat.

A tennis ball is soft. It skids, it bounces high, and it comes off the bat fast with only a light swing. It does not need a heavy blade to travel.

So the bat is lighter, the edges are thinner and the face is usually flat. Most are made from Kashmir willow or poplar. Many come with a tape or plastic cover over the blade. There is no toe guard to fit and no knocking-in to do.

Buy a bat made for this ball. Do not try to make a leather-ball bat do the same job.

Weight: 1000 to 1150 grams for an adult

A full-size leather-ball bat usually weighs 1150 to 1300 grams. A tennis ball bat for an adult sits between 1000 and 1150 grams.

The lighter bat lets you swing late and swing hard. In tennis ball games the bowling is quick off a short run, and the ball rises to chest height. You need bat speed more than bat mass.

For most adult players, pick 1050 to 1100 grams. Go to the lower end if you play short-boundary games in a lane or a school ground. Go to the upper end only if you are tall and play on a full-size field.

Pick the bat up by the handle and hold it out level for ten seconds. If your wrist drops, it is too heavy for you.

The edge and the face

On a leather-ball bat the edges are often 35 to 45 mm thick. That wood sits behind the middle to give the heavy ball something to push against.

A tennis ball does not need it. On a good tennis ball bat the edges run from about 22 to 30 mm. The thick edge would only add weight with no gain in distance.

The face is flat or close to flat, and the blade is often a little wider. That gives a big hitting area for a ball that bounces at odd heights.

Choose an edge of 25 to 30 mm with a flat face. Thinner than that and the blade can crack when a taped ball hits the toe.

Willow, poplar or plastic

Three woods and one plastic are sold for this game.

Kashmir willow is firm and lasts more than one season of weekend games. Poplar is lighter and cheaper, but it is soft and dents quickly. Plastic bats suit children under eight and play in the street or on a terrace.

For a player who plays every week, pick Kashmir willow. You can see the Kashmir willow bats sorted by weight and grade, so it is easy to find one in the 1000 to 1150 gram band.

Why a leather-ball bat is the wrong buy

Many buyers already own a leather-ball bat and want to use it for tennis ball games too. Some buy an English willow bat for tennis ball cricket because it looks like the better bat. Both are mistakes.

The first reason is weight. A 1200 gram bat swings slower. Against a soft ball bowled quick and short, you will be late on the pull and the hook.

The second reason is cost. A good English willow bat costs three to ten times what a tennis ball bat costs. The extra money buys a soft, springy wood pressed for a hard ball. A tennis ball cannot use that spring.

The third reason is damage. Tennis ball games are often played with a taped ball, and the tape makes it hard and heavy. It can dent soft willow, and wet balls soak into bare wood. A leather-ball bat that has been oiled and knocked in for its own game gets marked up fast.

Keep the leather bat for leather. Buy a separate tennis ball bat for the other game.

Size by age

Tennis ball bats come in the same sizes as other bats. The right size lets the child stand straight with the toe of the bat by the outside of the back foot.

As a guide, size 3 suits ages 7 to 8 and size 4 suits ages 8 to 9. Size 5 suits ages 9 to 11 and size 6 suits ages 11 to 13. A Harrow bat suits ages 13 to 15, and a short handle full size fits most players after that.

For a junior bat, the weight should be about 750 to 950 grams, going up with the size. A child will hold a light bat with correct hands. A heavy one makes them grip low and swing across the line.

When a child sits between two sizes, buy the smaller one.

Care for taped and wet balls

If you play with a taped ball, put one layer of clear face tape on the blade. It costs little and stops the face from chipping.

After a game in damp grass, wipe the bat dry with a cloth before it goes in the bag. Leave it out of the sun to finish drying. Do not leave it in a car boot through a hot afternoon, as the heat can split the wood.

Check the toe after every few games. If the tape there has worn through, replace it before the wood starts to split.

What it costs at MRP

A plastic bat for a small child costs around ₹300 to ₹600 at MRP. A poplar tennis ball bat costs around ₹600 to ₹1,000. A Kashmir willow tennis ball bat runs from around ₹1,000 to ₹2,500, depending on grade and finish.

For a weekly adult player, spend ₹1,200 to ₹1,800 on Kashmir willow. Below that the wood tends to be soft. Above it you pay for looks more than play.

Pair the bat with the right ball. Heavy cricket tennis balls suit taped games and hard grounds, and lighter ones suit young players and lane cricket.

You can compare every tennis ball bat by weight, willow and size in the cricket bats section and order it with COD or prepaid.