<div style="clear: both;text-align: center"><br /></div><div style="clear: both;text-align: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zsG1w2qcqglOfX-fL8ICafCkc62igP9QZiINH9LcD89S7jCdTAWRV9INk06_Kto9no6G6dgUyTFx0XT9PjmHFNvXR35DrB4vLNMBYJ5tMK6BLhG5i5Hse33O68iuq1EihHcY0-rZjEcQw9lvh4LCuvnQVJeehF3SmNKwcphiSwcGjDYGQDHt1pVu/s1024/Designer%20(23).png" style="margin-left: 1em;margin-right: 1em"><img alt="How The Cricket Bat Has Changed" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zsG1w2qcqglOfX-fL8ICafCkc62igP9QZiINH9LcD89S7jCdTAWRV9INk06_Kto9no6G6dgUyTFx0XT9PjmHFNvXR35DrB4vLNMBYJ5tMK6BLhG5i5Hse33O68iuq1EihHcY0-rZjEcQw9lvh4LCuvnQVJeehF3SmNKwcphiSwcGjDYGQDHt1pVu/w640-h640/Designer%20(23).png" title="How The Cricket Bat Has Changed" width="640" /></a></div><div style="clear: both;text-align: center"><br /></div><p><h2 style="clear: both;text-align: left"><div style="text-align: center">The Evolution of the Cricket Bat</div><div style="text-align: center">------------</div><div style="text-align: center">The Humble Beginnings</div></h2><div style="clear: both;text-align: center"><div style="clear: both">The cricket bat’s journey began in the 17th century, with shepherds in South East England using simple, curved sticks to hit balls. These early bats were more akin to hockey sticks, designed to hit a ball that was bowled underarm along the ground.</div><div style="clear: both"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both">The 18th Century &amp; the Straight Bat</h2><div style="clear: both">As the game evolved and bowlers began to pitch the ball, the bat underwent a significant transformation. The curved shape was replaced with a straight one, allowing batsmen to play a wider range of shots and defend their wickets more effectively. This change marked the first major evolution in bat design, setting the stage for future developments.</div><div style="clear: both"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both">The 19th Century becomes the Modern Bat</h2><div style="clear: both">The 19th century saw the introduction of the “modern” cricket bat. The bat was now roughly the same shape as today’s bats, but it was much heavier. The willow tree became the preferred wood for making cricket bats due to its toughness and lightness. The process of crafting a bat from willow involved several steps, including seasoning the wood to reduce moisture content, shaping the bat, and oiling the bat to increase durability.</div><div style="clear: both"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both">The 20th Century &amp; the Refinements and Innovations</h2><div style="clear: both">The 20th century brought about further refinements to the cricket bat. Bats became lighter and more balanced, making it easier for <a href="https://www.crickky.com/2024/01/a-journey-through-crickets-batting.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">batsmen to play shots</a> on both the front and back foot.