Best Cricket Bats: What to Look for and Top Brands

Buy the wrong bat and you’ll feel it every innings: a sluggish pick-up, mistimed drives, edges that don’t carry. Get the willow grade, weight, and profile right, and the bat almost disappears in your hands. Here’s what separates a bat that works for you from one that just looks the part on a shop shelf.

English Willow vs Kashmir Willow

The first decision when buying a bat is the willow grade:

Type	Best for	Key trait
English Willow	Club, amateur, professional players	Lighter, more responsive, better performance
Kashmir Willow	Beginners, junior players, practice	Heavier, more durable, lower cost

If you’re playing regular club cricket or above, English Willow is the standard. It comes from trees grown specifically for bat-making in England, and the lighter, more open grain gives you more power for less swing weight.

English Willow grades

English Willow bats are graded, typically from Grade 1 (top) down to Grade 4 or 5. Higher grades have:

• Straighter, tighter grains
• Fewer or no blemishes on the face
• Better pick-up and ping out of the middle

Grade 1+ or Grade 1 bats are what professionals use, and the price reflects that. Grade 2 and 3 bats are still excellent for serious club cricketers, and the difference is often cosmetic rather than performance-related.

Key bat specs to consider

Spec	What it means
Weight	2 lb 6 oz – 2 lb 12 oz is the common adult range
Profile	Low/mid/high swell changes where the sweet spot sits
Edge thickness	Thicker edges improve off-edge shots; more common in modern bats
Spine height	Affects pick-up feel; higher spine suits aggressive batters
Handle	Oval handles give more control; round handles suit personal preference

Weight on the label rarely tells the whole story. Two bats stamped 2 lb 8 oz can feel completely different depending on where the wood is concentrated, which is why pick-up matters more than the number itself. Pick up a few bats before buying if you can.

Top cricket bat brands

These names show up consistently at club and international level:

• Gray-Nicolls: one of the oldest bat manufacturers in the game, known for balanced pick-up and consistent quality control.
• Kookaburra: supplies the match ball for most international cricket, and its bats sell well across every skill level.
• SS Ton / Sunridges: used by a number of international players, strong value at multiple price points.
• Gunn & Moore (GM): built a reputation on craftsmanship, especially popular in England and county cricket.
• Dukes: better known for its match balls, but its bat range has a following at professional level too.
• New Balance: a newer entrant to cricket, gaining ground with modern bat profiles.
• MRF / Thrax: used by some of the world’s top batters, sits at the premium end of the market.

What professionals use

International batters often have sponsorship deals tying them to a brand, but the specifications they favour tend to be consistent: top-grade English Willow, pronounced edges, a high spine, and a weight they can swing freely through the ball. Many pick bats individually rather than by brand name alone, checking grain count and feel before deciding.

Maintenance tips

• Knock in your new bat gradually before match use
• Oil the face with raw linseed oil a few times a season (avoid the splice)
• Store in a cool, dry place, away from extreme heat or moisture
• Use a toe guard to prevent the base from cracking