At Pro Direct we know the importance of bat preparation and maintenance. Once you have received your bat from Pro Direct we hope that these few tips will help you look after your new piece of Willow. The following tips will enable you to enjoy dominating the bowers for many a hour.

Some bats we sell at Pro Direct come labelled as Pre-Prepared, this means that the manufacturer has part prepared the bat in the factory. This process would include oiling, pressing under a roller and some hand knocking in. Pro Direct would recommend further preparation including knocking in with a bat mallet around the edges and toe of the bat as well as some net practice with old, soft ball.

If you have chosen a naturally finished bat then please follow the simple steps below to ensure the durability of your bat.

• The first thing your new bat needs is a coat of linseed oil (natural face bats only), this can be applied with a soft cloth or your fingers. There is no need to oil the bat of the bat or over stickers. Care needs to be taken when oiling around the splice, it can cause the glue to become loose. The most important area to concentrate on is the toe are, this area can be oiled a couple of times. Oiling helps minimise water ingress into the bottom of your bat. It is important that you do not over oil your bat, a couple of coats is ample.
  
  
• Once your bat is dry from oiling it is time to start the knocking in process. This process should take between one and two hours. The reason you need to complete this process is knocking in compresses and knits together the willow fibres to prevent ball damage to the surface of the bat. It can be done using either an old ball or preferably a bat mallet. Focus needs to be aimed at the face edges, where a genuine edge might make contact with the bat. This needs to be done until the edges are rounded. Do not strike the side edges or toe of the bat. In order to prepare the face of the bat you can either bounce a ball on it or tap with a bat mallet, the force used can increase during the knocking in period.
  
  
• Before you use your bat in a match it is a good idea to use an old cricket ball to hit close catches and some throw down in the nets. Once you are using your new bat and scoring plenty of runs keep an eye out for minor damage. Any minor damage can be minimised with the use of fibre bat tape. Any surface damage e.g. facial cracks are quite normal and will not effect the performance of the bat, however they can be minimised with the use of a clear anti-scuff sheet.
  
  
• As well as the use of the clear anti-scuff sheet you can further protect your bat with the use of a toe guard. Many top range bats come with this included. The toe guard can protect against water damage, friction and general toe damage.
  
  
• The last tip is to enjoy scoring the runs that your new bat will enable you to do. Once the season is over and the dreaded winter starts it is a good idea to clean your bat up and oil. Please do not store your bat near any radiators or heat sources. And finally we at Pro Direct wish you all the luck in scoring heaps of runs.