Cricket is a popular sport, played and celebrated all around the world, particularly in Australia. Perhaps, you may be able to find at least one cricket pitch in every town in Australia, where cricket enthusiasts enjoy playing the game on the weekends.
One of the greatest things about the sport is that everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, religion and bank balance, can enjoy it. That’s probably what makes cricket so popular. Kids, especially, love to play cricket – they all dream to make it big one day. For that, they dedicate most of their time developing their cricket skills to be able to advance into a competitive playing field.
It’s during this period that a solid foundation is developed and batting as well as bowling techniques continue to evolve. Providing the right junior cricket equipment for your kid in this phase is essential so that he/she can learn and apply the techniques necessary. Let’s take a look at what does the junior cricket player really need.
Junior Cricket Helmet
With cricket balls travelling at high speeds at the top end of the game, the risk of head injury is simply too high. This makes a properly fitted cricket helmet an essential piece of equipment.
Each feature of the helmet serves a purpose. The shell is what offers protection and shock absorption to a batsman’s head. The grill offers the wear a large degree of protection whilst aiming to minimise the impact of the wearer’s visibility. The use of a grill rather than a full face cricket helmet is a necessary compromise for improved vision, reduced weight and better ventilation. The padding within the helmet not only help minimise the impact of a cricket ball impact but also ensure a tight yet comfortable fit, preventing the helmet from moving around due to an impact. A secure, well-fitting helmet plays an important role in its performance. This makes a chin strap a key feature in ensuring that the helmet stays securely in place and more importantly, that any impacts to the grill won’t push it into the face. So, when shopping for a junior cricket helmet, make sure it comes with all these features.
Another important factor to consider when choosing a junior cricket helmet is a good fit. If the pad of the helmet doesn’t fit your child’s head snuggly or the chin strap is too loose, a shock may not be absorbed effectively. To help ensure the best fit, many cricket helmets come with different adjustable features. As with many products, size and fitting of cricket helmets can vary from one brand to another and it’s highly unlikely that any guide will ever prove 100% satisfaction. If possible, visit a cricket specialist shop so that your child can try on a few helmets to find the best one for his/her needs. If you decide to buy online, don’t forget to check the vendor’s exchange and return policies.
Junior Cricket Bat
Ask any coach and they will all agree that selection of the correct size and weight of the bat is essential to the technical development of a player. It’s common to see players playing with bats that are too large and/or too heavy, which can inhibit stroke play and timing. Use the following guide to choose the right size of bat according to your child’s height.
| Height of Batsman | Bat Size |
| Up to 1.19m | 0 |
| 1.109m – 1.30m | 1 |
| 1.30m – 1.37m | 2 |
| 1.37m – 1.45m | 3 |
| 1.45m – 1.50m | 4 |
| 1.50m – 1.57m | 5 |
| 1.57m – 1.65 m | 6 |
| 165m – 1.75m | Harrow |
As important as the size, is the bat weight. For the same size of the bat, there can be noticeable variation in weight. For example, a typical weight range for a size 4 bat is 930 to 990 grams. So, ask your child to hold the bat to find out how comfortably he/she is with the bat.
Cricket Junior Pads
To find the right pad size, measure the lent of your child’s kneecap to the top of their foot, where the tongue of the shoe would be. If you get a measure between 30 to 32 cm, you will need SB pads. For measures between 32 and 35 cm, B pads and for measures between 36 and 38 cm, Y pads.
With the pad fitted comfortably and securely, your child’s knee should align with the centre of the knee-roll of the pad. Make sure the length of the straps is enough to allow the pad to ve firmly secured.
Cricket Junior Gloves
To find the right glove size, measure from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger. For measures up to 16.5 cm get SB gloves; for measures up to 17.5 cm get B gloves and for measures, up to 19 cm goes for Y gloves. Keep in mind that batting gloves come in different grades and price ranges. The more expensive ones will be made from better materials and will also provide greater flexibility.
Aussie Life Excellence 