If your child has shown an interest in cricket then one of the best ways to support their new hobby is to buy the best cricket set for children to put on a game together.
There is so much cricketing equipment on the market. If you are looking to buy some cricket gear for a youngster it can be really confusing. Do you need pads? Should they be using a hard ball? How can I avoid my windows getting smashed and the garden getting chewed up?
In this guide, we’re exploring the best cricket set for children and what makes a great cricket set (and yes, that also includes safety features).
What Makes a Good Children’s Cricket Set?
Search for a cricket set for kids and you will be met by quite a few different options. So how do you work out what is going to make a good set to buy?
Many of the criteria are quite simple:
- Stumps and a base. Most of us have used those kinds of stumps that need to be hammered into the ground, and this can chew up the grass on your lawn. No matter how much your kids love cricket, that can be very annoying. A stump base is a flat platform for the stumps to rest inside.
- A safe ball. If you’re buying a cricket set for 11 year olds, for example, you don’t want them to use a hard cricket ball. This introduces the need for more equipment like helmets and also puts your car windscreen or windows in serious danger!
- Portability. Kids will want to be able to take their set to friends’ houses or even to the beach. A convenient carry bag makes this possible.
- Quality. Even if the equipment is all made out of plastic, that doesn’t mean it can’t be high-quality and durable. The better your cricket set is made, the longer it is likely to last.
Plastic Cricket Set by Village Cricket Co.
If your kids have been watching some T20 on the TV and want to recreate it in the garden, the Village Cricket Co. Plastic Cricket Set can be perfect for them. It is a great way to quickly and easily create a setup that means they can set up their own wicket in a matter of seconds and get going.
There’s everything kids need to start playing their game in this set, with no need to draw wickets on the wall in chalk or use a ball that isn’t really suitable. This has stumps with a base, as well as a cricket “wind” ball that is great for replicating a bit of movement in the ball.
Parents will love the fact that it takes a lot of danger out of the cricket game taking part in their backyard. The ball doesn’t have the capacity to smash any sturdy windows, and the stumps have a bass so you won’t have to put up with annoying holes in the lawn.
There is also a single stump with base to mark out the non-striker’s end, and a convenient bag to allow you to carry the set around. This means you can take it to the park or to the beach for a game, too.
The cricket set is affordable and even comes with a one-year warranty so you can rest assured of the quality.
Gray-Nicolls Powerplay Kit
The Gray-Nicolls Powerplay kit comes with a double set of wickets and a second ball, as well as a carry bag to take these out and about with you.
It’s a little more expensive than some of the other models on the list, but it does come with an extra ball, and it also comes in multiple sizes, which is great if you want the best cricket set for 14 year olds as well as including younger players in the game. There is even a mixed set, providing you with bats of different sizes to match it up to your children and their size.
Gray-Nicolls is definitely a great brand for cricketers and aspiring cricketers, with a lot of products on the market for pros and amateur players alike. This is a little more expensive than the Village Cricket Co. set.
Summary
Have you got a budding cricket star in the family? A cricket set makes an awesome gift, and a summer activity for the whole family. It’s easy to get up and running and start playing a cricket game in your garden or at the park. A lot of cricketers can remember their first set and how they used to improvise to set up a mini ashes game in their own backyard. No more crates and old tennis balls required, with a convenient cricket set for children to enjoy.