New to Cricket ? Here are a few tips to help build up your knowledge

We have noticed over the last 12 months or so that there has been a huge increase in people coming in to cricket, both players, particularly young players but also parents who are also new to the game and its complexities. In past generations boys and girls have played cricket because Mum or Dad did so, or because their grandparents did and knowledge of the game was passed down, but that has changed dramatically.

Parents are being connected with the game for the first time by a new generation of young cricketers, often introduced through the All Stars program, T20 cricket and latterly The Hundred competition which proved to be a huge success in its inaugural season in 2021. This has led to an increase in questions about kit and its sizing and to help all new to the game better understand the terminology used in cricket kit we have pulled together this useful little Q&A based on the questions we are most regularly asked by our new to cricket customers.

Q. How do I know what size bat I need ?
A. This is based on the height of the player and is explained in table format on our size guide page here.

Q. How do I know if I need to buy equipment for a right hand or left hand player ?
A. Look at the player as though you were going to bowl a ball at them. If their left shoulder is facing you then they are classed as Right Handed (RH) and if it's the right shoulder then it's Left Handed (LH).

Q. Do I buy batting and wicket keeping pads and gloves singularly for each hand and leg or are they supplied in pairs?
A. For batting and wicket keeping pads and gloves they are always supplied in pairs, think of it like buying shoes, they always come in pairs.

Q. What does the description Ambi mean in relation to kit ?
A. A piece of equipment that is suitable for both RH and LH players, sometime classed as twin wing when referred to batting pads.

Q. Why is a thigh pad described as LH or RH when it is for protecting the leg and not the hands ?
A. RH and LH always pertains to whether a player bats Right Handed or Left Handed, it does not refer the leg it fits on.

Q. Can I buy cricket shoes to use indoor ?
A. Sometimes normal trainers will be fine, especially if not on indoor turf mats. For mats or Astro Turf like surfaces buy cricket shoes with a rubber sole rather than spikes, which are for used outdoors on natural grass only.