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Bat care
Caring for your Mongoose Bat
Mongoose bats are made of finest grade English willow. Without proper care and attention the condition of the bat will deteriorate during its usage.
Irrespective of make or finish of a bat, superficial face and edge marks will almost certainly appear, together with indentations or bruising of the willow. This will even happen in a Mongoose bat.
Mongoose recommends the following principles for the preparation and maintenance of cricket bats. Following these age-old procedures will significantly reduce the possibility of damage occurring.
Oiling
All natural faced bats must be treated using raw linseed or a specialist cricket bat oil. The main purpose of oiling is to maintain moisture levels within the blade, and hence reduce the chances of cracking and splitting.
A light coat should be applied to the face, edge, toe and back of the blade, only. Generally a single coat should be enough. Do not, under any circumstances, over oil.
Anti-scuff covering
Many players like to fit a clear Anti-scuff or similar cover. This doesn’t negate the requirement to ‘knock in’ the bat. The cover may assist the durability of the bat, but under no circumstances will it totally prevent surface damage.
Knocking in
All bats are pressed, however ‘knocking in’ is vital. This is the process by which the fibres of the willow in the face and edges are compressed together to form a barrier, which protects the bat against the impact of the ball. Effective ‘knocking in’ will significantly improve the performance and increase the lifespan of the bat.
‘Knock-in’ using a special bat mallet or an old, quality cricket ball. The bat should be repeatedly struck (with gradually increasing force) in all areas where one would normally expect to hit the ball, this conditioning must be performed with patience. It should probably take in the region of six hours.
Next, graduate to the use of the bat to hit short catches with an old, quality cricket ball. However, if the seam marks the blade, it is necessary to return to the first stage for a further conditioning. This stage should be performed for at least another hour.
