Preparation and correct maintenance of a cricket bat is often overlooked. Which in many aspects is crazy. After all, your bat is the most expensive item in your kit bag.
At Millichamp and Hall, we believe that these two things are vital. That is why we still knock every bat in, by hand! That's right, every single M&H bat is oiled, and knocked in by hand!
Why do we do this? Simple, by it's very nature, the willow used to make cricket bats is actually extremely soft in comparison to other wood types. If it wasn't, there would be no rebound qualities and the bat would not 'ping'.
Correct knocking in hardens the fibers within the wood, and gets your bat match ready. This not only gives your bat the best chance of avoiding premature damage, it adds longevity and immediately improves the performance of your bat. In other words, your bat is ready to go the moment you get it in your hands. We do still recommend using an old softer red ball for the first few uses though!
It can be an arduous task, but we believe that it is vital. This is why we include it in our bat making process. Our commitment to producing the finest cricket bats in the world remains.
