ABOUT BATS

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BATS AND ONLINE PURCHASING

Introduction

Cricket is a technical game and as we know is one of the most passionately followed games in the world. It can be perceived as a simple pastime but those who know it intimately know that it is a complex game woven in rich tradition. At Kingsgrove Sports we understand that Cricket is simply not just a sport, or an art or even a craft. It's a way of life and we are blessed to live it every day.

Of course for a cricketer the number one tool of the trade is a CRICKET BAT. From the time that wonderful willow tree is felled and cut into a cleft and so begins an amazing process of skill and preciseness. We like to think that this does not end at our end of the business.

Buying the correct bat is a very important aspect of being a cricketer and with such a wide range of modern day bats available can be a daunting prospect. Cricketers have been buying bats from Kingsgrove Sports Centre for over 36 years so for many this certainly lends a huge amount of confidence. It helps to be able to obtain the right advice from experienced staff and it also benefits you to be able to choose from our huge selection. This service is something that we work very hard to mirror with our online service. After all there are many things you need to consider for when making your selection.

So for those thinking of purchasing a bat online let me walk you through the process here at Kingsgrove Sports before committing to a decision on buying a bat.

Beyond this information on buying bats online we will provide more information on Cricket Bats in an effort to educate our patrons to the best of our ability.

Selection and Range

As you will see we have one of the best and most extensive ranges of cricket equipment in the world. This has been proven. We have had test cricketers sent to us by their own sponsors to pick from our range. Our sheer buying power alone demands that we secure the highest quality bats from the best manufacturers alone. We don't want to play our own card too much but common sence clearly states that buying from a lesser retailer means that they get the bats that we rejected, a bit like the famous "John West" fish commercials. This element of quality should be your number one reason, for choosing to buy with Kingsgrove Sports. It doesn't matter if you are buying a top of the range bat or a bat for a beginner. We will always stand behind our quality as well as that good old fashioned service and "Know How" that our business has been built around.

Options

There is much more to selecting the correct and most suitable bat than just simply buying a bat and we provide all these options for you when purchasing online. When you make your selection you will also be given the opportunity within this process to select the size and weight of the bat you require. This is very important when buying a senior size bat as there are many different weight options even within the same type of bat. Some bats will range in weight from 2 pound 9 ounces to 2 pounds 13 ounces. At our online store you can choose the weight you want and we even help guide you further after you have completed the ordering process, more on that later. However, this process does not apply so much to Junior bats as there is much less of a weight range issue due to the larger range of sizes available i.e. Size 1 up to Small Mens. Weights are more standard. You can ignore this option and it will automatically go with the 2.7 weight. This of course will not apply. We will pick the standard / average weight for the size you want but you can follow up with an email requesting that you would like your size 6 bat with a light, medium / average or heavy feel as an example.

N.B. While we always try to ensure that the blade we have selected for you has the best possible looking willow and grain structure please be aware that contrary to common belief the amount of grain does not necessarily enhance or detract from the performance of the willow. All our bats are hand picked by the manufacturers for Kingsgrove Sports. The bats are graded to provide the best possible rebound quality (ie Ping off the bat) and also on their pick up and balance to give our bats optimum performance. In the modern day a top grade English Willow bat will most likely contain between 6 to 10 grains. Some lower grade bats will have less grains and may also contain some minor knots and blemishes but again this does not detract from the performance of the willow. The main reason for the lack of availability of bats with over 10 grains and them becoming virtually non existant is due to the ever increasing demand for top quality willow not allowing trees to mature for as long as they were in the past. Please remember, we are supplied with the highest quality bats from every manufacturer.

We take great care with the bat buying process. We've always joked at Kingsgrove Sports Centre that choosing a bat is as important choosing a partner and that rings true in our online service.

So what happens now that you have made your choice?
Your order will now end up in the very capable hands of one of our experienced staff members both on the field and on the selling floor. We will now use the information that we have obtained from you via your order and make the best possible selection for you. Literally we take your information and try to become you for your selection. Now I wont say that we are always spot on (that would be almost too arrogant and we are nice folk) but our track record is very, very impressive. Our long standing online customers prefer and trust us picking their bats more than they do themselves. After all, where else do you find this kind of experience?

Once you have ordered your bat, we will use one of our special mallets to test the all important "Ping / rebound" of the bats to ensure we select the best possible bat for you according to your requirements. We can often find bats in the mid range that ping as good a some of the top grade bats because we know what to look for.
 

Now that your bat has been selected and your name has been attached to it, we lovingly begin our very own preparation process as outlined in the Knocking In document mentioned earlier. For natural bats this is a process that takes up to one week and includes oiling, however, sometimes we have these bats pre-knocked in. Some bats are already "Factory Prepared". This is a careful and skilled process by our staff worth up to $51.00 AUD but you get it done for FREE because you decided to buy it from us!

Hopefully by now you should be getting a fair idea of why you should buy bats from reputable sellers like Kingsgrove Sports rather than "Fly by the Nighters" all over the internet particularly in markets such as Ebay. Now don't get me wrong, I love Ebay and we use it a lot ourselves but never in a million years would I buy a bat from these unheard of sellers. For starters, would you even know that your bat wasn't a fake? More on bootlegging later!

The Bat is ready to send

When we have completed the preparation of your bat and added any of the extras such as Sleeves, Toes, Grips etc only then will we charge you. Your bat will be very carefully wrapped with protection and posted using the most reliable services. Charges within Australia are $15.00 and the overseas price depends on what zone you are in. For eg. New Zealanders and Asian nations can expect to pay approx. $35 - $50 whereas places such as the UK, US, Canada or South Africa would be looking more at $50.00 - $60. Keep in mind that our overseas customers will only ever get charged the cheaper export price showed on the listing. This makes up for the price of postage as does the rest of our serviced it is hoped. We will send you a final email to notify you that your order has been posted and provide any tracking details if required.

Cricket Bat Warranties

In short, if you buy, as we say in Australia, a "Fair Dinkum" cricket bat from a reputable brand and retailer your bat will come with a warranty provided by the manufacturer. Some manufacturers may come with slightly different policies but to put it simply, if you buy your bat from Kingsgrove Sports your bat will have a one season warranty in accordance with most of the name brands. Warranties do not cover misuse and sometimes will require a manufacturers inspection. For our overseas customers, this may be done by emailing pictures of the damaged areas. This aspect of buying bats is very important. After all bats are only made of wood. If you believe a bat should not break then perhaps you are in the wrong game. However, when you pay good money for a bat you want to make sure you are covered and that is why we have a solid warranty policy for all our valued customers. For a full warranty policy please visit our warranty page.

How else can I order a bat ?

If you need further help making a selection or need information, you can start the process off by simply emailing us at orders@kingsgrovesports.com.au. Due to the massive amounts of emails we receive this process may take a little longer but we do endeavour to read and reply all genuine requests. Email orders then receive priority over other emails. You can also order via the phone by calling 61 2(Country Code and State Code) 9502 4533 (Local number).

More on bootlegging / Counterfeit Cricket Bats 

This has become a serious problem and unfortunately many people have been getting ripped off.

Unless you are buying a bat from a reputable seller how do you know that your bat is not a fake ? At the moment the bootlegging of bats is an abundant trend amongst some unlawful sellers in the market. Bootlegging is simply when someone attaches the labels of expensive brands to shonky cheap bats usually of cheap Indian Willow quality as opposed to high grade English Willow. This is why some sellers appear to be selling some name brands at ridiculously cheap prices. You don't need to be Einstein to work out the legality of this pastime and at the end of the day it is the poor buyer that gets the raw deal (Ripped Off). Genuine bats will often bear the subtle mark of it's maker that a faked bat wont have.