My cricket bat is damaged, what should I do?

In this section we will cover every consideration you need to make when deciding to get your cricket bat repaired. 

So you have seen dome damage to your cricket bat, what next? 

If you see damage on your cricket bat, the best thing to do is contact a professional  cricket bat maker or repairer. They will be able to assess the damage either in person or via email / WhatsApp. They will then offer you advice moving forward. 

There are generally 3 outcomes from this conversation: 

Don't worry: Some damage such as surface cracks do not always need immediate attention. Surface cracks are part and parcel of owning a cricket bat, and it is absolutely not the end of the world if your bat gains a couple of them. It is to be expected! No amount of preparation or knocking in is going to prevent your bat becoming damaged at some point, otherwise everyone would have one bat for their entire adult life! Surface cracks can be tackled in a typical end of season refurbishment, and can be protected by fibre edge tape in the meantime. This is why you often see cricketers on the TV wielding taped bats, even theirs break!

Bring it in for repair: When the damage is such that further damage will be caused by continued use, it is essential that you get it repaired. Some types of damage to the toe and edges of the bat are vital to get repaired ASAP to 'stop the rot' so to speak. Example of this type of damage are splits and chips. Letting damage continue to get worse with further use will only make any future repair much more difficult, potentially more costly for you, and have an impact on the life span of your bat. 

Put it in the bin: Although the vast majority of damage to cricket bats can be repaired with glue, occasionally it will be judged that the bat is beyond repair. Examples of such damage are lateral cracks that spread across the whole width of face, usually around the splice area, and vertical cracks that do not tail off the edge of the bat. The same applies to spine fractures. Damage like this is irreparable, and it's important that your bat maker / repairer is up front about this. 

What do we mean by irreparable? Most bats can be glued in some way, however whether it is worth the cost or not, should be honestly evaluated by a professional. Fractures like spine damage can be glued, but do not hold. Therefore, you should save the money on a repair, and put this towards a new bat. 

Warranty? If the damage that is deemed irreparable happens early in your bat's life, then it may be subject to warranty replacement by the brand / manufacturer. This is something that is always worth checking. This also applies to repairs, as some brands will repair bats under warranty, saving you the cost of paying repair it yourself. 

OX29 Bat Doctor's recommendation: If you are unsure about the damage to your cricket bat, contact a cricket bat maker or repairer for their professional and honest opinion.