best junior cricket bats

Cricket Bat Size For Children: The Complete Guide

Buying cricket equipment can be expensive, and even more expensive if you don’t buy the right size, and find that in a few months you need to purchase another size for your kid.

Naturally, the best cricket bat for 11 year old children is going to be different from the best cricket bat for 7 year old children. Kids do a lot of growing in that time.

Another consideration is the fact that children grow at very different rates, and of course, are naturally different shapes and sizes.

In this guide to cricket bat sizes for children, we’ve delved into what size cricket bat for 6 year old all the way up to an adult is appropriate.

How to Choose The Correct Bat Size For Children

It isn’t as simple as just googling “cricket bat size for 12 year old boy” and going with the first piece of advice that is given to you.

12 year old boys have varying heights, and what feels right to one might feel wrong to another.

The height is the most important factor in deciding the best bat size for children. Age doesn’t give too much of an indication of what kind of build a child is. Height is a much better guideline.

Cricket bats have standardised children’s sizes. Sizes 1-6, followed by Harrow, and then the SH and LH sizes which are suitable for adults, but can also be used by children who have grown tall at a young age.

The chart below shows the best cricket bat for children by height, and also includes an approximate age.

BAT SIZEAPPROX. AGEHEIGHT OF BATTERBAT LENGTHBAT WIDTH
14-6 Years OldUp to 4ft 3inches25 1/4 inches3 1/2 inches
26-8 Years Old4ft 3″ – 4ft 6″27 3/4 inches3 1/2 inches
38-9 Years Old4ft 6″ – 4ft 9″28 3/4 inches3 3/4 inches
49-10 Years Old4ft 9″ – 4ft 11″29 3/4 inches3 3/4 inches
510-11 Years Old4ft 11″ – 5ft 2″30 3/4 inches4 inches
611-13 Years Old5ft 2″ – 5ft 5″31 3/4 inches4 inches
HARROW12-14 Years Old5ft 5″ – 5ft 8″32 3/4 inches4 1/6 inches
FULL SIZE (Short Handle)15+ Years Old5ft 8″ – 6ft 3″33 1/2 inches4 1/4 inches
FULL SIZE (Long Handle/Blade)15+Years Old6ft 3″ and above34 3/8 inches4 1/4 inches

Of course, you might be trying to find the best cricket bat for 12 year old who is under 5 ft. Girls will often need smallers different sizes to boys of the same age, for instance. It’s more important that you match the height rather than the specific age of the child who is buying the bat.

Buying the very first bat is always a challenge, because you will not have any sort of frame of reference. If your child has been using a size 3 junior cricket bat and has outgrown it, you’ll know that a size 4 cricket bat will probably do the job.

The chart above is particularly useful for those making a decision on the first cricket bat for their child.

It’s about what your kid is comfortable with, more than anything. You don’t want them to have to use a cricket bat that feels too heavy or cumbersome. It also shouldn’t feel like they’re trying to hit the ball with a toothpick.

As a child reaches 14, 15, or even older, there is every chance that they will be able to play with an adult bat in the SH, or LH sizes. 

Cricket Bat Weight

There are some methods you can use to test what cricket bat weight your kid can handle. This will play a part in choosing your purchase, alongside the cricket bat size for children.

Your child should be able to hold the bat out in front of them, or to the side, at arm’s length, for an extended period of time. If it is uncomfortable, the bat is potentially too heavy for them.

The bat sizes and an approximate weight of each can be seen below.

Bat Size Approximate Weight

Junior Bat 3 – 1lb 13oz – 2lb 1oz

Junior Bat 4 – 2lb 1oz – 2lb 3oz

Junior Bat 5 – 2lb 2oz – 2lb 4oz

Junior Bat 6 – 2lb 3oz – 2lb 5oz

Harrow – lb 5oz – 2lb 7oz

Light SH – 2lb 6oz – 2lb 10oz

Medium SH – 2lb 10oz – 2lb 12oz

happy junior cricket bat

The Village Cricket Bat – A Size For Everyone

The Village Cricket Bat is designed to make it easier for anyone to get into cricket, with affordable yet reliable equipment. That’s why we stock a full range of cricket bat sizes so that you can find the appropriate size for children or adults.

The Village Cricket Bat is available in sizes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Harrow (a sort of in-between size before an adult bat) and the two mainstream adult sizes of SH and LH.

The bat comes ready to play, meaning it is already knocked in. This is true no matter what size you buy. Knocking in a bat adds a difficult and annoying task before you get started. Luckily, as soon as our bat arrives it is ready to take to the nets.

The Village Cricket Bat is made out of Kashmir Willow. This is the same tree as English Willow, but it has been grown in India. English bats have usually been exported to India to be made and then re-imported, but by using local willow we can save on costs and pass this saving to the consumer.

We also don’t chase professionals and pay for sponsorships, another way for us to make savings that some other bat companies can’t. All of these savings get passed straight on to our customers.

You don’t have to worry about the quality, either, and our bats come with a 180 day guarantee for your peace of mind.

When you’re buying a cricket bat, there are a lot of different considerations. When you are looking for a cricket bat for a 5 year old or a 10 year old, you also need to think even more carefully about the size. Kids growth can be incredibly variable.

The price is also a huge consideration, especially when you consider the fact that a child will go through multiple different sizes as they grow. That’s why we’re so proud to provide the Village Cricket Bat at a price that won’t make you run a mile.

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