Blad said:
The original bat is 60-80 years old. The nice thing about cricket and cricket bats is that as long as you get an adult size that shape hasn't really changed in the last 100 years, just decals and colours. You'll see details such as 'weight reduced shoulders' and 'short handle', but you'd be hard pressed to actually see a difference. Cheap Indian bats are fine as it's the weathering and decals that make the bat look right.
There isn't any point buying a vintage bat as early bats had the makers name and details embossed on the blade, sanding that off will ruin the finish. Modern cheap bats costing £15 or so have peel off decals are still made of willow and will give you a good starting point.
Edited to add: You should get a bat with a black rubber handle sheath. This is quite original, 60 year old bats (the ones I used at my Grammar School!) had rubber grips.
Reply with Quote