Frequently asked questions
What is “Bat Punch?”
Bat punches are small plastic tools that can be used to mark a shallow but visible number such as “50” or “100” onto your cricket bat. They are used as a subtle and permanent way of marking your cricketing successes on your bat.
Will it damage my bat?
No. Cricket bats are made of willow which is a soft fibrous wood and can be easily pressed to make a mark without damaging your bat. It is best to mark your bat on a non-hitting surface such as the back. If you want to mark the front (hitting) surface, then it is best to do so near the top of the bat around where the handle is.
How do you use them?
Decide where you want to mark your bat. Hold the selected bat punch in your fingers and place the round side that has the embossed punch pattern against your cricket bat. The arrow on the square base indicates which way is “up” and so make sure the arrow is pointing up towards the bat handle.
Hit the square head of the punch smartly (but not too firmly) with a light hammer - a bat mallet that is used to knock-in your bat is ideal. Don’t hit too hard. It is a good idea to try first on an old bat or soft piece of wood first to get a feel for how firmly to hit.
How long will they last?
The punches are made of toughened biodegradable plastic and are designed for around 20 uses.
Tips for use
The back of many cricket bats have a curved surface. It is best to mark a region that doesn’t have too much curvature because this could make the punch mark uneven. It is best to choose an area where the curvature isn’t too great so that you are marking a flatter surface.
You may find that marking your bat between the grain lines where the wood is uniformly softer gives a more defined mark.
While you can mark the sides of your bat, you may find that it makes a deeper mark because of the way the wood grain runs. The simpler shapes such as the “line” or “dot” work well here.