If you go through bats in your local sports store you’ll see more “SH” or Short Handle models than any other size. Short Handle is not a specialist size, and though it sounds like it could be designed for the smaller built cricketer, most adult males can use an SH with comfort.
When you discover that cricket bats are categorized on the size of their handle, you might assume that this is just about the handle. Actually, this is the main way that cricket bats are categorised and whether they are SH or LH dictates the dimensions of the bat.
In this guide, we’re exploring a little more about the SH size as well as some of the very best short handle bats for both aspiring professionals and village cricketers.
Short Handle or Long Handle
So, which of these types of bat do you need? If you are an adult male player, the chances are that you are going to want one of the two. The vast majority of adult men use one of these two sizes.
Though there is a small matter of personal preference, your height will give you a pretty strong idea of which type of bat you should buy.
A Short Handle (33.5in x 4.25in) bat is generally recommended for batters between 5ft8” and 6ft3” Long Handles (34.375in x 4.25in) are designed for those who are 6ft3” or taller.
Other Bat Sizes
Once you delve into the junior sizes, you’ll find that there are even more bat sizes out there. Children grow quickly, so getting a bat to fit can be tricky.
These bat sizes go from size 1 up to size 6, and there is a sort of “inbetweener” size, the ‘Harrow’ (32.75in x 4.16in). Harrow bats are generally used by teenagers, but some smaller adults and female players get good use out of a harrow bat.
How Much Should I Spend on a Short Handle Bat?
If you’re buying your first bat, you will notice that there is a huge disparity in price. Anyone can go to a budget sports store and pick up a bat for £30, but the chances are it will break, even facing slow deliveries from your local village team bowlers.
The lower-budget products that can do a good job are found at around £80-150. If you are looking for something that has a more professional job, you may want to spend more than this. £300-400 is not an unusual amount of money to spend on your bat. This might make your eyes water, so it is good to know that there are good options such as the Village Cricket Bat that can do a great job on a budget. The Salix Alba Kashmir Willow means that the bat is more affordably made, but it still has a rugged, high-quality design.
Best SH Bats for Professionals
The best Short Handle cricket bat for you may come down to personal preference. It’s impossible to recommend one bat for everyone as different people have different needs from the bat. For instance, whether you want a bat with a low middle, or whether you prefer a heavier bat.
Recommended Model: New Balance TC 1260
This bat is a pricey model, but there is a lot to like, making it one of the best SH bats for those who don’t mind spending a bit more cash.
It has a large sweet spit and pretty sizeable edges too, so even if you don’t hit the ball as sweetly as you would like, it tends to absolutely fly.
The quality willow should last you years, and it comes with a guard installed on the toe as you would expect. It has a semi-oval handle shape, and it is comfortable to hold even if you’re lucky enough to stay out there for more than a few overs.
This is the bat used by Joe Root, so if it is suitable for the England test captain…
The Village Cricket Bat – Ideal For Beginners and Village Players
The Village Cricket Bat developed by the Village Cricket Co. is designed to provide the best of both worlds.
The willow used is sourced from India, which is slightly cheaper, but still offers a huge amount of quality. Some cricket bats are actually designed to break? There are manufacturers that use willow that plays well, but will break, so that players have to replace their bat more often. The Village Cricket Bat uses high-grade Salix Alba willow. Take good care of it, and it will last many years.
We also save money by staying away from endorsing pros. This means that we can pass on the savings to our customers.
There’s a lot to like about the bat, especially for use in English conditions.
It has a low middle, and this means that if you are playing on one of those English pitches with a low bounce and not very much zip, the bat will still make strong contact and smash the ball to the boundary, given the chance.
The bat is the standard weight of 2lb 9oz – this is seen as a middle ground for cricketers. It’s not too light to send a hard ball crashing to the boundary, but it is also not so heavy and clunky that those batters who don’t have loads of power can’t even hold the bat up.
There are some other benefits, too. Our bat comes already knocked in, which means that you don’t have to spend hours preparing it before you use it for the first time. It’s ready to go as soon as it arrives, so you can head for the nets. This short handle bat is the standard size, but you can buy junior sizes too, with even more savings.
The Village Cricket Bat is the ideal bat to keep in your village club kit bag, as a club/shared bat, or as your treasured six-hitting accomplice. All of this at a reasonable price.