How to Oil and Break in a New Cricket Bat

Purchase some bat oil from a sports store or linseed oil from the hardware store. They are exactly the same, but the hardware store is probably cheaper.^[1]

Coat the face of the bat with the oil. You can use a rag or your fingers. Do not put any oil within 25mm of the splice (where the handle joins the blade of the bat). Cover the edges and heel of the bat and about 40 mm in from the edges on the back of the bat. You want the oil on the face of the bat drawn into the face. This will not happen to the same extent if you coat the entire back of the bat and seal the wood. If you cover the entire back, you will end up with a dead bat compared to a well seasoned match ready one.^[2]

Lay the bat down, face upwards. Put some packing underneath the bat so it doesn’t tip to one side and allow the oil to drain off. Repeat the same process for at least 3 days. Check the amount of oil left on the face each day. If it has all been absorbed, give it another coat. Leave for 2 days laying flat. Wipe off any remaining oil after this time.^[3]

Use a bat mallet (a cricket ball mounted on a handle). Spend about half an hour or more a day for a week tapping the face and edges of the bat with the mallet. This will compress the wood on the face of the bat. Begin hitting relatively softly and increase each day. Make sure you cover the entire face evenly. Pay particular attention to the edges and near the edges on the back of the bat where you have oiled. This will make sure that the edges are less likely to be damaged when you first begin using the bat.^[4]

Take it to practice and use it for short fielding practice (use an old ball) a couple of times, then longer fielding practice. Over the next couple of weeks use it in the nets (starting with an older ball and softer strokes).

At the end of the season use 220 grit sandpaper, lightly sand the face, edges and heel to remove dirt, marks and most importantly any dried linseed oil off the bat and then re-coat once as previously described. Leave flat overnight, wipe off any excess and store in a bat cover over the off season.