How much should I spend on my child's junior cricket bat? We have been asked this question many times over the years in-store and have put together a response based on the answers we give.

There are no right or wrong answers, and the guide below should get you to the right answer more often than not.

Grades of Willow

Firstly, junior cricket bats come in 2 varieties, Kashmir and English willow. The bat you will need will depend on whether your child is playing hardball or softball cricket.

Kashmir Willow

Junior Kashmir willow bats are suited to softball games only and are not suitable for playing with a hard cricket ball. They typically range from £25 to £40 and are perfect for juniors just looking to get into the game.

English Willow

English willow cricket bats are suited to hardball cricket with prices starting at £45 and rising to £250. The more money you spend on a junior cricket bat, the higher the level of performance you can expect from it. English willow bats come in different grades with the lowest being grade 4 and the highest and best performing, grade 1.

Is your child new to cricket, or are they a regular?

If your child is new to cricket and playing with a softball, you should expect to pay somewhere between £25 to £40 for a Kashmir willow bat. If your child is playing hardball cricket, you should expect to pay between £50 to £75 for an English willow bat.

A decent-level District or County player will be looking at an English willow bat costing upwards of £75. A grade 4 junior cricket bat will cost around £75, and a grade 1 English willow junior cricket bat can cost £200+. The increase in costs relates to the increased performance level of the bats.

Hopefully, that helps you when thinking about how much to spend on a junior cricket bat.