Cricket balls are small, hard, fast objects and will direly hurt you if it strikes you in just the wrong spot. Fortunately, cricket equipment companies make all kinds of cricket safety equipment, and with modern technology it has been getting better and better every year. Here’s a list of what every cricket player should not be without!

If you mostly bat, then you definitely want to consider spending the money on a some batting guard shorts. They do a great job at protecting the defenceless parts of the lower abdomen and groin from painful impact with the cricket ball. A lot of players wear them nowadays, which makes good sense.

Never be without your abdo guard! Drop this vital item of cricket equipment into your jock strap just to be on the safe side that you can continue to father future generations.

Fielder’s protection is becoming more important now that cricket rules allow them to play in closer than before. When a spinner heads in your direction, you’ll be glad to wear it!

A wicket keeper face mask is absolutely essential if you’re the keeper, to keep your pretty face un-scarred while standing up to the stumps. You can get some really cool designs, but do try to opt for one that gives excellent visibility and comfort.

Nobody wants to head onto the cricket field and have to leave with a nasty injury. By ensuring that your body is adequately protected, you can dramatically reduce the chance of being wounded while playing. You can purchase these items at a nearby sports store, or for even better prices you can buy cricket equipment online. Please consider all of the above equipment as essential items to have, and don’t play without them. Otherwise, you could get hurt!

Cricket lovers these days remember that the first cricket bat was first mentioned around 1624, which looked similar to hockey stick. There is a sad story. A fielder was severely injured in the head; when the batsman hit the ball and he tried to catch it.

Post that fatal incident, there were numerous deadly events, which involved bats. One such fatal event took place in December 2007.

During the early times of the game, there were no regulations guiding the dimensions of cricket bats and bowlers threw underhand. However, with passage of time, strict guidelines regarding the size and dimension of cricket bat has been stated. The width of the bat should be 108mm and its length should be 970mm.

Though the cricket bat will look like short oars or paddle to an unknown person, but its design involves great amount of engineering, science and craftsmanship.

During 1800, round-arm bowling became a rule. It was at that time that willow was recognized for making bats. The powder of the bark of this wood is used greatly to cure fever. However, these days, a particular hybrid called ‘cricket-bat willow is employed to manufacture bats.

Willow is well-known as a strong, lightweight wood that doesn’t rot or splinter easily, outstanding qualities for an instrument used to whack a hard leather ball travelling at more than 90 miles per hour for about 100 meters. Bat design continues to evolve, and recently manufacturers have created carbon.

In order to be used daily, a bat needs a little prior preparation. Once in a season, professional players use linseed oil on the cricket bat. They also ‘knock-in’ the bat at lower 6 inches at 45 degrees so as to make the wood of the bat stronger and compress its fibres, so that it can be faced by the bowlers on the cricket ground.