Any local cricketers what are your thoughts?
Ive been retired a few years now, and I was lucky enough to be sponsored for a lot of my playing days so I was very fortunate I could get excellent kit for nothing.
Out of interest I just had a look on an equipment website and I was staggered to say the least..
£900 for a bat, £150 for some gloves, £250 for a helmet!! Even the mid to lower range stuff is still extortionate.
Id love to know the mark up on bats in particular, as I know full well there's only so much top quality willow available, and that goes to the professional players around the world, so you may well be paying premium prices for a very poor bat..

I haven't bought anything for 10 years or so but it was getting expensive then.

Time to go back to a team bag. 3 bats, 3 sets of gloves and pads and a team box.

Carrier bags to transport your whites.

It was recently I was talking to someone who told me the frightening price of cricket bats. I'd hate to think what I'd have to pay for a pair of wicket keeper's gloves now.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 9:34 am

It was recently I was talking to someone who told me the frightening price of cricket bats. I'd hate to think what I'd have to pay for a pair of wicket keeper's gloves now.

You dont have to pay anything, you'll find them in the team bag under the batting gloves.

You've got 9 year old playing with £250-300 bats now, and they can barely hit it off the square.
Unfortunately that's the modern world with parents, all thinking new expensive boots will help etc

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 9:27 am

I haven't bought anything for 10 years or so but it was getting expensive then.

Time to go back to a team bag. 3 bats, 3 sets of gloves and pads and a team box.

Carrier bags to transport your whites.

100% this.

Absolute mugs game for some these days...especially teenage kids with parents who have more money than sense.

Depends on the level that you play at obviously, but there's a company called Village cricket that are churning stuff out cheap.

Last pair of keeping gloves I bought circa 2014 was from a different firm, but also non-branded, and I played for 5 seasons and they were still very decent. Cost me about 40 quid.

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 9:53 am

You've got 9 year old playing with £250-300 bats now, and they can barely hit it off the square.
Unfortunately that's the modern world with parents, all thinking new expensive boots will help etc

Yeah, my lad plays under-9's. It's not even that they can't hit it off the square, some can't even lift a wooden bat. The best batter in our team, and one of the best in the league still uses a plastic bat.

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:12 am

Yeah, my lad plays under-9's. It's not even that they can't hit it off the square, some can't even lift a wooden bat. The best batter in our team, and one of the best in the league still uses a plastic bat.

One of the biggest problems in cricket when I played was people using far too heavy bats. It restricts players so much.

A friend bought his grandson a new bat in March.
Couldn't believe he forked out £350 quid!

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:34 am

A friend bought his grandson a new bat in March.
Couldn't believe he forked out £350 quid!

My first bat was a Stuart Surridge..size 5..bought from Winston Place in Rawtenstall..just under 2 quid...thought that was a bit steep back then.

Not long after that Slazenger brought out their new "polyarmour" coated brand...didnt need oiling..very lightweight too.....but £6...well out of my folks' price range.

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:38 am

My first bat was a Stuart Surridge..size 5..bought from Winston Place in Rawtenstall..just under 2 quid...thought that was a bit steep back then.

Not long after that Slazenger brought out their new "polyarmour" coated brand...didnt need oiling..very lightweight too.....but £6...well out of my folks' price range.

Was that at his Shop/Cabin ?
In the mid/late 60s my dad would always pop in to see him on our way back to Buxton.

lots of clubs have communal equipment for kids still

Is there an element here of players wanting "the best" when something less in quality (and a lot cheaper) would suit them fine?
If you're just a Sunday 2nd XI batsman, do you need a £500+ bat? (I was a bowler and number 10/11 so I certainly didnt buy anything like top end bats).

So long as clubs supply (available to all) basic kit out of club finds/subs to kids/those starting, that's the main thing. Adults/regulars can then progress up the quality/price slope as their skills merit.

Having said which, there's obviously been huge inflation in bat prices since I stopped playing (at 58 about 15 years ago).

LeadBelly wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 11:17 am

Is there an element here of players wanting "the best" when something less in quality (and a lot cheaper) would suit them fine?
If you're just a Sunday 2nd XI batsman, do you need a £500+ bat? (I was a bowler and number 10/11 so I certainly didnt buy anything like top end bats).

So long as clubs supply (available to all) basic kit out of club finds/subs to kids/those starting, that's the main thing. Adults/regulars can then progress up the quality/price slope as their skills merit.

Having said which, there's obviously been huge inflation in bat prices since I stopped playing (at 58 about 15 years ago).

Totally agree on buying stuff you don't need. I used to play for Romiley CC 3 and 4XI around 10 years ago, and the firsts had a spinner who was very much a number 11.

He paid 450 quid for a new bat at the start of the season. By the end of the season the only red marks on it were on the edges of the bat, and if he scored more than 10 in total all year I'd be surprised

You're right, it's no different to the kids turning up in £200 Nike football boots for a under 13s game

My two grandsons play for Lowerhouse U9 and U11 teams and the club supplies the majority of their gear from a community collection. Whatever we buy for them that they outgrow/ no longer use goes into that collection, as do other parents, and so the stock is constantly renewed/updated.

Works well and certainly allows children, who couldn't normally afford to play, to take part in a team sport.

No doubt other clubs do the same.

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:45 am

Was that at his Shop/Cabin ?
In the mid/late 60s my dad would always pop in to see him on our way back to Buxton.

Sure was Buxton...shop was called Place and Downes..stones throw from Rawtenstall staion...he was a bit of a local legend back then...

Agreed it expensive

Surely cricket boxes are not shared though?

Like leadbelly i packed in about 15 years ago and those prices are astonishing.

My last bat was a decent Kookaburra which now doubles up as an anti burglar device, fortunately i haven't yet had to demonstrate my cover drive on a local scrote's swede as yet.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 9:34 am

It was recently I was talking to someone who told me the frightening price of cricket bats. I'd hate to think what I'd have to pay for a pair of wicket keeper's gloves now.

You're looking at about £150 Tony!

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 4:47 pm

Sure was Buxton...shop was called Place and Downes..stones throw from Rawtenstall staion...he was a bit of a local legend back then...

Couldn't remember its name but recall the shop.
Nice man, Winston. He was a family friend. Popped in with my Grandma a couple of times on our way up Hall Carr to see my great uncle.

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 7:16 pm

Couldn't remember its name but recall the shop.
Nice man, Winston.

He really was....very well liked in the area...and no mug with a bat in his hands either.

Very slightly off topic but how much heavier are the bats the professionals use today compared with 30 years ago?

I ask because I'm told by friends the increase in scores these days is partly (mainly?) due to the weight of the bats.

ecc wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:13 pm

Very slightly off topic but how much heavier are the bats the professionals use today compared with 30 years ago?

I ask because I'm told by friends the increase in scores these days is partly (mainly?) due to the weight of the bats.

Not sure they're heavier, but they are bulkier and far better made with weight balance/ pick up.

I reckon the full use of helmets has had a far bigger affect. The shots they play these days in safety is crazy.

ecc wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:13 pm

Very slightly off topic but how much heavier are the bats the professionals use today compared with 30 years ago?

I ask because I'm told by friends the increase in scores these days is partly (mainly?) due to the weight of the bats.

A lot of the bats these days pick up perfectly and certainly don't feel weighty at all. I just think there's more sixes around these days, and bigger scores as the sweet spots in the bats are much larger now so even a miss hit can travel.

The players nowadays are gym hitting athletes who work tirelessly on strength and conditioning, as well as balance and bat speed so this is also a lot different from a few decades ago

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:29 pm

Not sure they're heavier, but they are bulkier and far better made with weight balance/ pick up.

I reckon the full use of helmets has had a far bigger affect. The shots they play these days in safety is crazy.

Thank you.

I was brought up on Thomson and Lillee bowling bouncer after bouncer. It's incredible nobody died back then.

There are videos on YT of Thommo bowling in 1974/75 and Rodney Marsh being unable to catch the ball it was so high up after bouncing on the track.

Andreshotboots wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:43 pm

A lot of the bats these days pick up perfectly and certainly don't feel weighty at all. I just think there's more sixes around these days, and bigger scores as the sweet spots in the bats are much larger now so even a miss hit can travel.

The players nowadays are gym hitting athletes who work tirelessly on strength and conditioning, as well as balance and bat speed so this is also a lot different from a few decades ago

I was playing at Pendle Forest a few years back and one of the lads had a very decent bat from the pro at Nelson at the time. He gave me a do with it, and I scored my highest knock with it (29 ).

Thing is that it was pinging off every bit of the bat. Even edges were flying for 4, which is probably partly down to my batting technique of throw it at hard as possible at everything

There was me thinking karting kit was expensive!

Still got a couple of Reebok bats the pro was selling at the end of a season a long time ago…

They certainly have a ping, and village cricketers look on in envy.

GM Maestro. 70 quid Standish Sports. Couldn’t believe my parents agreed to it.

I was a bowler so cheap as chips for me! I did have two bats though. The edges were well knocked in! I came out of retirement a couple of years ago (I’m 51)for one game and loved it. Took some wickets and hit some runs but the next day I was in absolute tatters!

Just had a quick on All Rounder based at Headingly and they seemed to decent prices.

It's important for local cricketers and parents of children getting into the game to know, the top grade stuff is designed to be able to handle the ball hitting it at over 100mph regularly.
Local cricket bowlers probably bowl between 50-60 and kids 30mph.

Have a chat with the people in the shop at places like Cockers, DJP cricket and All Rounder. They will give you great advice.
Sports direct will be more shop worker than cricket specialist unfortunately.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 19, 2024 8:25 am

Just had a quick on All Rounder based at Headingly and they seemed to decent prices.

It's important for local cricketers and parents of children getting into the game to know, the top grade stuff is designed to be able to handle the ball hitting it at over 100mph regularly.
Local cricket bowlers probably bowl between 50-60 and kids 30mph.

Have a chat with the people in the shop at places like Cockers, DJP cricket and All Rounder. They will give you great advice.
Sports direct will be more shop worker than cricket specialist unfortunately.

Aye I had a look on one site yesterday on the back of this thread. There was a bat offered saying "exact same size and grade as used by Jos Buttler' as though buying it will turn you into an international cricketer. It was around 900£

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 19, 2024 7:58 am

I was a bowler so cheap as chips for me! I did have two bats though. The edges were well knocked in! I came out of retirement a couple of years ago (I’m 51)for one game and loved it. Took some wickets and hit some runs but the next day I was in absolute tatters!

The ground behind the stumps gets a lot harder once you’re past the half century. Anything more than arm’s width away is definitely first slip’s now.