The Best Cricket Bats for Juniors - How to select the right bat.
Cricket has always been a popular sport in the traditional cricket-playing nations. However, in recent times the sport has been fast spreading to other countries of the world, especially in the US. Children are taking up the sport with pronounced interest and enthusiasm. Many aspire to become professionals in their field and emulate the illustrious cricketers of this generation. However, to realize their dreams they need to have the right cricketing gears. For batters, it is paramount that they get the right bat to hone their skills and take their batting to the next level. To cater to the needs of these aspiring batters, most reputed bat manufacturers have a special collection of junior bats. This article here tries to highlight this aspect of the game and bring to the fore the best junior bats available on the market.
What to look for in a bat for juniors
As highlighted above, the right bat, in every sense of the phrase, is an absolute must. So what is a right bat? There are different parameters on which one needs to make their choice. As the kids use lighter balls, the bats should be soft with the right pickup and balance. The height and overall strength of an individual have to be considered while selecting a bat for juniors. Bats come in different shapes and sizes, but what is extremely important here is the weight of the bat. As such, the bat should neither be too heavy nor too light, just the optimum weight. The wrist and arm strength of an individual play an important role in selecting a bat that weighs just right. You should feel comfortable when you lift and swing the bat. Then, evaluate the size of the bat, which has to be compatible with the height of the individual. You shouldn’t feel any discomfiture when you take your stance.
The width and thickness of the blade, the thickness of the edges and the spine height, shape of the toe, shape and size of the handle, the shoulder, etc. are also important, but not at this stage. Click the below link to learn how to select a junior cricket bat. https://youtu.be/GJDaf1iitDY
Frequently Asked Questions
As a parent of a young child, it’s natural to have certain pertinent questions about the suitability of a bat. These questions generally revolve around:
- The right size of a bat for children of a certain age.
- Which are the best bats for youngsters?
- How to gauge a child for a cricket bat.
- Which company makes the best bats for juniors?
- Which is the lightest bat?
To answer these questions, let’s go to the previous paragraph. The right size of a bat would depend on the height of an individual. Age is immaterial as children of the same age have different heights. To gauge a child for a cricket bat you need to analyze the child’s height and physique, particularly the arm strength. It is difficult to say which are the best bats or which company makes the best bats for juniors. Many reputed companies make quality bats for juniors. There is a wide variety of kids’ bats made by all top bat manufacturers. The prices of the bats vary depending on the quality of the wood used. The better the grade of the Willow, the higher would be the price. It is up to you to decide what you want depending on your budget. As for the lightest bat, there is no clear answer to it. Companies make bats of different weights within a fixed range for a particular category. The lightest bat of one company would only be a few grams lighter or heavier than the lightest bat of another company. And a few grams heavier or lighter bat doesn’t make much of a difference.
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Some junior cricket bats made by the top manufacturers are listed below.
SG Junior Cricket Bats
SG makes some of the best cricket bats for juniors. A few junior bats from their collection are described below.
SG Sunny Legend JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
The bats are made from the finest grade 1 English Willow. Hard-pressed and traditionally shaped, it has a large sweet spot for superior stroke play. The handles are made of Singapore cane with specially formulated cork insertions for maximum shock absorption and comfort. It has thick edges and a thick toe. It is a premium quality bat suitable for youngsters with some degree of batting expertise.
SG Players Edition JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
Made from the finest English Willow, the bats have 7 to 9 straight grains. The handles are made from imported Singapore cane with specially formulated cork insertions for better shock absorption and flexibility. Suitable for players of height 171 cms and above, the bats weigh between 1160 and 1200 gms. The bats are available in sizes SH, H, 5, and 6.
SG King Cobra JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
Just like the players Edition bats, these bats are also made from the finest English Willow with 7-9 straight grains. The bats are hard-pressed and traditionally shaped for superior stroke play. The handles are made from imported cane inserted with specially formulated cork to boost flexibility and shock absorption. To ensure proper grip and control, the handles are round shaped and the bats weigh between 1160 and 1200gms. The bats come in the standard size of 85.7cms and are suitable for players 171cms or taller.
SG Savage Edition JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022 & SG Sunny Tonny JUNIOR Cricket Bat
These two bats are in the slightly lower range than the other SG junior bats mentioned above. However, they too are made from the finest English Willow of 6 to 8 straight grains. The traditional round handles are made from Singapore cane with specially formulated cork inserts for enhanced flexibility and shock absorption. The round handles ensure superior grip and bat control and facilitate fluent stroke play. The bats weigh between 1160 and 1200gms and are suitable for individuals 15 years plus, or above 171cms in height. The bats come in different sizes to suit individual requirements. The SG Savage Junior bats are available in Sizes SH, H, 6 & 5. The Sunny Tonny Junior bats are available in sizes – SH, H, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 &1.
All SG bats available at cricket store online are hand-picked from the SG factory in India and are tested for usage against the leather ball.
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SS Junior Cricket Bats
SS is another manufacturer that has an extensive range of quality cricket bats for juniors. Their bats are made from the best quality English and Kashmir Willow. The premium bats are made from the best grade English Willow whereas for the basic ones Kashmir Willow is used. Some of their bats in the junior collection include:
SS Gladiator Junior Cricket Bat 2022
Made from grade 1 English Willow, the bat is designed to international specifications. It has a traditional curved blade with thick edges and an extended sweet spot for powerful stroke play. Round handles made of Singapore cane ensure perfect grip and enhanced flexibility and shock absorption. The bats come in sizes H (youth), 5, and 4 (juniors).
SS Limited Edition Junior Cricket Bat 2022
Made from the best grade 1 air-dried English Willow, it is designed to international specifications. The bats have wide blades with a clean face and huge curves and thick edges. The round handles are made from imported cane inserted with specially formulated cork. The bats have perfect balance and pickup to ensure fluent stroke play. Weighing just optimum, it is perfect for youngsters aged 14 or 15 years and heights above 171cms.
SS Premium Junior Cricket Bat 2022
Made from grade 5 English Willow, the bats are designed to suit the requirements of kids aged 10-12 years. The blade is concave shaped and the bats have Sarawak cane made round handles with specially designed Aqua Grip. The bats weigh between 880 and 1020gms and are perfect for kids.
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Some other bats from the SS Junior range, the more basic ones, include:
SS Master 99 Junior Cricket Bat 2022
SS Retro Royal Junior Cricket Bat 2022
SS Custom Junior Cricket Bat 2022
SS TON Elite Junior Cricket Bat 2022
These are the more basic cricket bats meant for beginners. Made from grade 5 or 6 air-dried English willow, the bats have a traditional curved shape. The wide blades with a clean face and thick edges ensure optimum performance.
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GM Junior Cricket Bats
GM is a highly reputed and one of the oldest international bat manufacturers. Besides making bats for adults, it makes a wide variety of quality cricket bats for juniors. Some of the bats in its junior collection include:
GM Noir 808 JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
The GM Noir 808 is probably the best bat for juniors. Made from premium English Willow, it has large pronounced edges at the drive zone which is at mid to low level. It has a traditionally curved blade with a partially concaved back profile for perfect balance. It is specially engineered to produce maximum power at the drive zone to encourage front foot play. The blade length is a standard L555 and the handle length is 29.5cms. The handle has a Hex Grip for enhanced flexibility and comfort. With huge stealth-like power, It is a monster of a bat for the juniors. The bats come in sizes H and S with a choice of seven grades.
GM Diamond Original JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
The GM Diamond range has been made in association with England’s premier all-rounder Ben Stokes. Made from grade 2 premium English Willow, the bats have a traditional full-blade profile with a curved face. It has a contoured spine with a large sweet spot positioned at the middle for all-round stroke play. At 540mm the blade length is slightly shorter than the standard 555mm and provides better balance and swing. The handles have a Hex Grip specially engineered to ensure proper grip and control at all times. The bats are available in size H.
GM SPARQ 808 JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
Made from premium English Willow, the bats are available in a choice of seven grades. The bats have a power-arc face profile with a mid to high-level sweet spot to ensure controlled stroke play. It has a concaved back profile and a Pro-Lite handle grip for better pickup and swing.
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Other noticeable junior bats from the GM stable include:
GM Diamond 808 JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
GM Noir 606 Junior Cricket Bat 2022
GM Diamond 606 JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
GM PRIMA 606 JUNIOR Cricket Bat 2022
All these bats are made from top-quality English Willow with varying grades. The bats have a Power-Arc Bow face profile with a low to middle swell position. The back profile is slightly concaved and the handles have a pro-lite grip for enhanced pickup and swing. Other bat specifications conform to the standard GM practice.
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MRF Junior Cricket Bats
MRF is a renowned supplier of quality cricket bats. Besides selling premium bats for adults, it has a wide variety of bats for juniors. Some of its bestselling junior cricket bats are branded as MRF Genius Grand Edition JUNIOR Cricket Bats.
The range includes
MRF Genius Grand Edition 1.0 JUNIOR Cricket Bat
MRF Genius Grand Edition 2.0 JUNIOR Cricket Bat
Another popular junior bat is the
MRF Legend VK 18 1.0 JUNIOR Cricket Bat
The MRF grand Edition Junior Bats are made from high-quality English Willow and weigh between 2.5 to 2.8 lbs. Lighter bats are also available on demand. It comes with a toe guard with the sweet spot positioned in the middle. These bats are a rung below the MRF Genius Elite Junior cricket bat, the most premium MRF junior bat. The bats have an excellent balance and light pickup, perfect for junior cricketers.
A step below the Grand Edition is the MRF Legend VK18 1.0 Junior Cricket Bat.
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Hammer Junior Cricket Bats
Hammer also makes top-quality bats for juniors. Its most popular junior bats include:
Hammer Junior LE Cricket Bat
Hammer Junior Pro Cricket Bat
Hammer Junior Core Cricket Bat
Made from top-grade English Willow, these bats weigh between 1.10 and 2.07 lbs. The bats come with a Toe Guard and the sweet spot is positioned in the middle. With excellent pickup and balance, the bats are a perfect fit for juniors. These lightweight, perfectly shaped bats come in sizes SM, H, 5, and 6.
To conclude:
As you have seen above, there is a large variety of junior cricket bats available in the market. Besides the brands mentioned above, many other manufacturers, such as Kookaburra, DSC, New Balance, etc. make bats for juniors. However, those will be covered in subsequent blogs. This article has tried to explain what to look for in a junior cricket bat and how to choose the right bat. Make your choice based on the core strength of your child. Check the CSO website to explore more options.