Amongst the good cricketer and good bat manufacturers, bat is a tool for trade. Its raw material is naturally grown and not manmade. A good bat is produced by craftsman and their aim is to provide excellent hitting power with durability. The combination should properly match because softer pressed bats tend to go better but are likely to crack. The harder pressed bat is likely to last longer but hitting power is compromised. The bat maker's aim is to strike balance between the two to make the best all round cricket bat.

There have been several theories regarding which bat is the best. But the trick is to find the right kind of weight and "pick up" of the bat. Before buying the bat you should see whether the weight of bat is balanced and distributed along the willow. As this helps and makes it easier for batsman to drive it elegantly.

Before buying a bat, confirm whether the bat is knocked in properly or not. Some more expensive bats come pre-knocked. Your bat should come with some instruction or a brochure that describe the condition of the bat and whether the bat is knocked or not. If you get the un-knocked bat you use special hammer tool or a mallet to knock the bat. In any situation do not use your brand new bat for the match. Always get knocking in done before going for any match.

As far as the wood of bat is concerned, traditional English willow is considered superior. There are several grades of cricket bat willows available. Don't get confused with the grades. Before buying a cricket bat, you should do some research on grades.

Before buying the bat, consider the shape of the bat. The bat should be shaped something like a paddle with padded handle usually in cylindrical shape. There should be wider wooden block on one side and with a V-shaped ridge on other side to provide greater air flow in the follow through and greater strength to over-all bat. The flat side is used to hit the ball.

As the selection of a wrong bat will lead to loss of match, consider the above mentioned features before buying.