WHAT TYPE OF BAT DO I NEED?

The type of bat you should buy is influenced by a few things, including:

• Your age
• Your height
• How you play.

When a player is young and still growing and learning to bat, most will play off the front foot and back foot. In this case the player will need a bat that is mid middle, which means the biggest part of the spine and the edge should be in the middle of the bat. This is genuinely 23cm - 25cm up from the toe of the bat. There is a range of sizes available for the growing player and generally the top of the handle should be about hip height.

It can be challenging when a player has a growth spurt at an early age. We have found that some kids will have a big growth spurt at 12 to 13 years of age so they fit into an adult bat, however, they haven't yet developed the strength for the weight of a full size bat. In this case you should try to find a lightweight bat. 

As a general rule of thumb, even into adulthood most players of standard height will play off the front and back foot and therefore fit into a mid middle bat. However, this will differ for taller or shorter players.

If you are tall (let's say 5' 7" to 6' 2") and can step forward and play off the front foot you are probably more likely to hit in the middle to low part of the bat, so you want a profile that is lower on the bat. The downside to this is that having the bulk of the wood at the bottom of the bat will make it will feel a bit heavier, so it is important to try a few to find one that is comfortable for you. 

Another thing to consider if you are tall is your bat size. You should still mostly fit into a standard size bat but if you are really tall you can get a longer handle and blade. 

If you are shorter than 5' 7" you will likely be a good hooker and puller of the ball so you will meet the ball higher on the bat, even when playing off the front foot. Therefore you will need to look at a bat that has a mid to high or high middle.

That is a very general guide only but if you have any questions, our friendly team at Cooper Cricket will be happy to help you out.