Choosing a cricket bat: what Law 5 allows, and what makers claim.

What Law 5 allows (2026 edition)

The Laws in force are the MCC's 2017 Code 4th Edition (2026), from 1 October 2026. Law 5 sets the basic requirements and Appendix B the detail:

• Two parts. A handle, made principally of cane and/or wood, and a blade, which must be solely wood (Laws 5.1 to 5.3). The Laws do not name willow.
• Size. At most 38 in (96.52 cm) long overall; the blade at most 4.25 in (10.8 cm) wide and 2.64 in (6.7 cm) deep, with edges no thicker than 1.56 in (4.0 cm) (Law 5.7.1 and 5.7.2). The bat must also pass through the gauge in Appendix B.8, with or without permitted coverings.
• Handle share. Except for bats of size 6 and smaller, the handle may be at most 52% of the overall length (Law 5.7.3).
• The ball. No part of the bat, or material on it, may be hard or textured enough to damage the ball beyond the normal wear of an uncovered wooden blade (Law 5.5).
• Markings. Makers' identifications may be at most 0.02 cm thick, cover at most half of the back, and on the face sit within the top 9 in (22.86 cm) below the grip (Appendix B.6).

The edge and depth limits date from the 2017 Code, which took effect on 1 October 2017. cricket.com.au reported in 2017 that the ICC applied the limits to international cricket from 28 September 2017 and Cricket Australia to all its domestic formats from the 2017-18 season; the bat maker Gray-Nicolls (spelled Grey-Nicolls in that report) claimed at the time that some players had been using bats with edges up to 55 mm.

The four types of bat

Bats that fit none of the four types are not recognised by the Laws (Law 5.8.7).

The October 2026 change for laminated bats

Under the 3rd Edition (2022), Type D bats were for junior players in junior cricket only. The MCC says the 2026 edition allows them in open-age cricket, at levels each country's governing body sets, and adds the rule that a single piece must form the face. Reuters reported on 3 February 2026 that the MCC presented the change as a way to slow rising bat costs by letting lower-quality wood sit behind a high-quality face, that its testing found no significant performance advantage, and that it expects top-level bats to stay single-piece willow. The three pieces need not be willow: Appendix B.7.1 says only "wood".

That still does not admit bamboo. The MCC said on 10 May 2021 that bamboo bats would be illegal because the blade must be solely wood and bamboo is a grass.

International cricket: Type A only

Clause 5.8.2 of the ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions (effective October 2026) and of the Men's Test Match Playing Conditions (effective June 2025) allows only Type A bats, so the 2026 change does not reach ODIs or Tests. The ICC Clothing and Equipment Regulations (effective January 2024) also limit marks on an international player's bat, allowing two sets of the player's initials of at most 2 cm.

Willow: what botanists say, and what makers claim

Trees and Shrubs Online describes cricket bat willow as Salix alba var. caerulea, a female clone of white willow largely confined to England's eastern counties. A Forestry Commission paper of May 2014 says its wood recovers rather than fractures after repeated blows, which is why it suits bats, and calls it a hybrid of unknown origin; Trees and Shrubs Online says most authorities now treat it as a variant of white willow rather than a hybrid.

On English and Kashmir willow, bat makers quoted by Cosmos (republished by The Canberra Times, 28 January 2023) claim the two are the same species, differing because of where they grow, with English willow slightly less dense and whiter. Those are makers' claims. Willow grades, grain counts and similar retail descriptions were not researched for this site, so this guide makes no claim about them.

Care: named, not taught

Knocking-in and oiling are the bat preparation practices commonly named; this site gives no procedure for either, and the maker's instructions and a coach's advice come first. The Laws do limit what may go on a bat: a moisture-resisting surface treatment must not materially change the blade's colour or dry into a hard layer over 0.01 cm (Appendix B.4.1), protective covering is limited to 0.1 cm and toe protection to 0.3 cm (Law 5.7.4 and 5.7.5), and repairs to non-surface damage may use only wood with minimal adhesive (Law 5.4.2). The grip may run at most 2.75 in (6.99 cm) past the junction of the upper and lower handle (Appendix B.2.4). See bat care, named.

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