There is a clash between novelties and old traditions in the cricket world and an unspoken feud keeps making the rounds in the dressing rooms of many cricket teams. The ultimate question is whether to rely on tried and tested brand names like Gray Nicolls, or to ditch the old and go for something new and innovative like New Balance or Adidas. Some choose to distance themselves and stick to their primal instincts when choosing what bats, gloves, helmets or pads to use. Others, on the other hand face the issue head on and make their choices based on quantified studies, both present and old. Then of course you come across renowned players who have created their fame on the foundations of experimental designs and features.
The century old game of cricket has been evolving in the decades gone by. From timeless test matches that spanned well over the conventional 5 day format, to the riveting and fast paced allure of T20 cricket, the dynamics, rules and limits of cricket have been challenged and pushed to extents previously unimaginable.
So when today you walk into a specialist cricket store looking to buy a new bat, gloves or a set of fresh pads, the first thing on your mind is the bat, gloves or helmet that an outstanding player like Joe Root uses. However, what all the exceptional performers have in common is that they are different. However paradoxically this may seem, it is true. Alastair Cook uses Gray Nicolls. Ricky Ponting was a loyal to Kookaburra and Jacques Kallis had a trusted preference for Gunn&Moore to execute those trademark steely cover drives. It is literally a case of ‘different strokes for different folks’.
But stop right there!
Have you ever stopped to wonder how one deals with the ferocious intensity with which the game is now played these days. Test teams are now scoring at over 5 runs an over and amassing totals beyond 400 in a day’s play. Rewind 20 years ago and you have teams scoring at half the rate and scoring half of today’s daily totals. We cannot even begin to speak of T20 cricket when run rates in excessive of 10 runs per over are being achieved easy. Titanium bats with spines the shape of dinosaur necks can hit shots far with half the normal effort required with pure willow. So what would your reason be for sticking to tradition?
Well, it is all about the essential features of your cricket apparel. The helmet must be strong enough to withstand fatal knocks on the head but comfortable at the same time. The same applies with gloves and pads, as one can never compromise on quality and safety. So when making a choice be sure to do your research and to consider the relevance of your choices, the format of the game and also hints from the greats.
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