Professional Cricket Bat Knocking-In Mallet | 1000g+ | Ciel Sports

Knocking in a new bat. A mallet compresses the surface fibres of the willow so the face can take a hard leather ball without the fibres lifting and cracking. Every new bat needs it, at every price, and skipping it is the single most common way players destroy a new bat inside a season.

Four to six hours for our Kashmir willow bats and six to eight for English willow, spread over two to three weeks rather than done in one sitting. Big-profile bats like the Inferno and Apex Limited need eight to ten hours, and the Reserve Edition ten to twelve. Our bats need less than most because every one passes through 8 hydraulic press stages before it ships, but they still need it.

Start with light taps on the edges and toe, rounding the edges gradually so they can absorb an off-centre hit. Then work the face, starting from the middle and moving outward, building force slowly over the sessions. Never strike the splice, the shoulders or the back of the blade. Finish with 30 to 60 minutes of throwdowns using an old leather ball before facing a new one.

Yes. One or two light coats of raw linseed oil on the face, edges and toe, 24 hours apart, before you start. Keep oil off the splice and the handle. Oiling keeps the willow from drying out; knocking in compresses the surface. They do different jobs and you need both.

Use a mallet. A hammer concentrates force into a small area and will dent the willow rather than compress it. An old ball in a sock is a common substitute and it works for the final stages, but it cannot round the edges properly, which is where most of the useful work happens.

Yes. Kashmir willow is denser than English willow and more forgiving, but the surface fibres still need compressing before the bat faces a hard ball. Four to six hours is the guide for our Kashmir willow range.

No. Hard tennis cricket bats are ready to play from day one, with no oiling and no mallet work. That is one of the real differences between hard tennis and leather ball cricket, and it is why a mallet is only relevant if you play with a leather ball.

Yes. Add our preparation service for Rs 500 at checkout on any Kashmir willow bat and we will oil, knock in and fit fibre tape before dispatch. We also offer knocking in as a standalone service - message us on WhatsApp at +91 95481 82993.

Press a thumbnail into the face. If it leaves a visible dent the willow is still soft and needs more work. Then take throwdowns with an old ball - if the ball leaves deep seam marks on the face, go back to the mallet. Properly knocked-in willow marks but does not indent.

Yes, to more than 50 countries. Shipping within India is free with Cash on Delivery available. A mallet is light enough to add to any bat order without much added freight.