Cricket Bat Size Guide
Cricket Bat Size Guide
What Size Cricket Bat Do I Need?
Cricket bat sizing is easier than it looks. Start with the player's height, use the chart below to find the right area, then make sure the bat feels comfortable in their stance and through the swing.
Age is useful when buying a junior bat, but treat it as a rough guide. Two players in the same school year can be very different heights, so measure the player rather than guessing from their age.
Cricket Bat Size Guide
| Bat Size | Player Height | Player Height | Approx. Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size 0 | Below 122cm | Below 4'0" | 3-4 |
| Size 1 | Up to 130cm | Up to 4'3" | 4-5 |
| Size 2 | 130-137cm | 4'3"-4'6" | 6-7 |
| Size 3 | 137-145cm | 4'6"-4'9" | 8-9 |
| Size 4 | 145-152cm | 4'9"-5'0" | 9-10 |
| Size 5 | 152-160cm | 5'0"-5'3" | 10-11 |
| Size 6 | 160-165cm | 5'3"-5'5" | 11-12 |
| Harrow | 165-170cm | 5'5"-5'7" | 12-14 |
| Small Adult | 170-175cm | 5'7"-5'9" | Teen / Adult |
| Short Handle | 175-183cm | 5'9"-6'0" | Adult |
| Long Blade / Long Handle | 183cm+ | 6'0"+ | Adult |
Sizes can vary slightly between cricket brands, particularly around Small Adult, Academy, Long Blade and Long Handle bats. Use the chart as your starting point, then check the individual bat if you're between sizes.
How Should A Cricket Bat Fit?
Once you've found the likely size, get into a normal batting stance and move the bat around. You should be able to lift it cleanly, bring it down straight and play a few shadow shots without changing your posture to accommodate it.
If the bat feels like it is dragging your hands through the shot, don't be afraid to go smaller. Size gets you into the right area, but pickup still matters. Two correctly sized bats can feel very different once they're in your hands.
What Size Junior Cricket Bat Should I Buy?
For kids, buy for the player standing in front of you now rather than the player you expect them to be next summer.
Going a size up to "grow into" can leave a junior with extra length and weight to control every time they bat. A correctly sized bat makes it easier to move the blade, learn good technique and enjoy actually hitting the ball rather than wrestling with it.
Junior cricket bats usually move through the numbered sizes into Size 6 and Harrow before the step towards adult bats.
Harrow, Small Adult Or Short Handle?
This is the bit that catches plenty of teenagers out. Harrow is the final major junior size, while some brands offer Small Adult or Academy bats before moving into Short Handle.
There is no rush to get into an adult bat. If a Harrow or Small Adult feels quicker and easier to control, that's the better bat for now.
Short Handle is the standard adult cricket bat size and suits most senior players. Taller players can look at Long Blade or Long Handle options, but being six foot doesn't automatically mean you need the longest bat on the rack. If Short Handle gives you enough reach and feels better, stick with it.
Still Choosing Your Bat?
Size is only the first part of it. Once you've got that sorted, pickup, weight, profile and willow will narrow the choice further. The right bat should feel easy enough to move that you're thinking about the next ball rather than the piece of wood in your hands.
Browse our adult cricket bats and junior cricket bats to find the right size for your game.
