OUR BAT WARRANTY
There are certain things that you should be aware of when purchasing a cricket bat:
- Bats are made of a natural material & have an incredibly hard task of hitting a solid Cricket Ball repeatedly.
- A cricket bat is not going to look new forever & cracks will appear.
- Cracks can occur during the knocking-In process & do not necessarily resemble a fault/defect
- Cracking may be an indication of insufficient knocking-In, improper preparation/use, soft willow etc
- A small amount of cracking is normal & has no impact on the performance of the bat. These can usually be sanded down
- The lifespan of a bat depends on the amount of use & care taken.
- Added protection such as Protective/Anti-Scuff & Toe Protection is highly recommended for enhanced longevity
- Some bats may require more/less preparation than initially advised.
- Knocking-In time is a general guide & does not mean that once you have completed the hours that your bat is ready, for example, if your knocking-In has not been performed up to standards you could spend 20+ hours on your bat and it may still not be ready.
- The price of a bat does not reflect the potential longevity of the willow. In fact, the more expensive bats are made of softer willow & though they will outperform cheaper bats, they may not last as long.
- Modern Bats are made to perform, comparing bats from 20 years to modern day bat is not the same as bat making process has changed with modern game requirements (ie. big profile bats with light weight)
BAT WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER
- Yorker damage to the toe of the bat
- Damage that occurs due to lack of knocking-in/playing-in or inappropriate play.
- Damage that occurs due to poor preparation/maintenance (e.g. lack of toe guard, over/under oiling etc)
- Damage due to moisture (wet weather) or heat (do not leave in car boot/direct sunlight etc)
- Damage from non-leather or composite balls (including bowling machine balls)
- Improper use (including hitting things others than cricket balls – e.g. stumps, ground or other objects.
- Miss-timed Shots resulting in leading edges, shoulder hits or jamming down on Yorkers can cause these areas to crack, split or damage. Unfortunately a cricket bat is made from soft timber and these areas are the most vulnerable due to the design of the cricket bat with minimal wood contained in these areas. A cricket bat is designed to be hit in the playing area only.
- Moisture Damaged Bats usually happens on damp turf wickets or wet synthetic wickets when the toe of the bat is exposed to moisture conditions. Moisture damage will lead to further splitting and damage of the affected area.
- Excessive Bowling Machine Usage can readily damage bats and bat handles, so excessive usage should be avoided. We recommend you to use an old bat when facing a bowling machine. Signs of heavy usage will void the warranty.
Damage that may occur
Breakage
1. Handle breakage
Cause: General wear and tear.
Solution: The bat itself is not replaceable but the handle may be repaired at the manufacturer’s discretion. Within 3 months (free handle replacement)
2. Blade breakage
Cause: Weak or excessively dry willow.
Solution: Potentially replaceable by full or partial credit at the manufacturer’s discretion. ( covered for 3 ,months from date of purchase)
Blade damage
1. Surface cracking to the face of the blade
Cause: General wear and tear.
Solution: Not replaceable as the crack will not affect the performance of the bat. Repairable at the manufacturer’s discretion. minor repair needed on the bat.
2. Surface cracking to the edge of the blade
Cause: General wear and tear.
Solution: Not replaceable as the crack will not affect the performance of the bat. Repairable at the manufacturer’s discretion.
3. Surface cracking to the toe area of the blade
Cause: General wear and tear. This type of damage is often caused by the striking of a ‘yorker’ delivery and/or excessive tapping of the crease and is therefore not the fault of the bat.
Solution: Not replaceable as the crack will not affect the performance of the bat. Repairable at the manufacturer’s discretion.
4. Split through the toe area of the blade
Cause: This type of damage is caused by the striking of a ball at, or near the base of the blade, e.g. the striking of a ‘yorker’. Excessive bat tapping at an angle.
Solution: Yorker damage is not replaceable. Repairable at the manufacturer’s discretion.
5. Cracking to the shoulder area of the blade
Cause: General wear and tear.
Solution: Not replaceable as the crack will not affect the performance of the bat. Repairable at the manufacturer’s discretion.
6. Damage due to misuse of the bat or by accident
Cause: Generally caused by accidentally striking an object other than the ball, stumps for example.
Solution: Not replaceable, may be repairable at the customer’s expense.
7. Moisture damage
Cause: This type of damage occurs as a result of use in damp or wet conditions. It generally leads to swelling of the toe area of the blade, which after drying may well split.
Solution: Not replaceable as there is no fault from the manufacturing or the materials used. The damage may be repairable at the manufacturer’s discretion and the customer’s cost.
8. Damage due to poor quality cricket balls or excessive bowling machine usage.
Cause: Poor quality or excessively hard cricket balls can be the cause of many types of crack or split damage to the blade of the bat.
Solution: All cricket bat manufacturer’s recommend that only balls of reputable manufacture are used. Use of any other style or type of ball may cause damage to bats and will affect any claim made.
BAT WARRANTY PROCESS
- The Cricket Bat warranty is a goodwill agreement offered by all bat manufacturers to repair or replace a bat that has suffered damage deemed to be a manufacturing fault and no fault of the consumer. However, all warranty decisions are at the discretion of the manufacturer.
- Bats with broken handles, major cracks and other problems that occur within the time and scope of the manufacturer warranty will be sent back to the manufacturer for repair. It takes an average of 10-15 working days to assess and/or repair the problem in conjunction with manufacturer. If the bat is not deemed to be fixable to a reasonable standard, then it may be replaced at the manufacturer’s discretion. It is important to note that a replacement handle will not affect the performance of a bat.
- If any damage occurs, the bat must be returned promptly to the retailer for advice – minor repairs can easily be completed, leaving damage unattended until beyond repair may be construed as neglect. Non-warrantable items that need repairs will be sent to Champ Sports SA, at the cost of the client if instructed.
- All courier cost on any warranty claims are for customers account
PLAYING IN
- After knocking -in, the bat should be used to hit short catches and/or “throw -downs” with an old, good quality cricket ball. It is advisable to initially avoid use against a new ball in either nets or match.
- Impact damage on cricket bats are unavoidable and may even appear after a regular preparation. Some bats may need more preparation than others.
- e.g. of impact damage – Yorker damage (mistiming) , Shoulder cracks (mistiming) , edge cracks
- Even though bat knocking is done when purchased through Champ Sports SA , some bats may need more knocking in than others, We always advise to play the bat in and monitor with usage.
- Cricket is a high impact sport, small common cracks may appear as soon as the bat is in use. It will not affect the performance of the bat.
We at Champ Sports SA understand that cricket bats are expensive. We always provide the most professional advise with regards to picking a bat, and always reinforce that major and minor damage may happen to a bat as soon as its in play.
For more info please do not hesitate to contact us.
083 563 6225
078 209 7469
083 563 6225
078 209 7469
sales@champ-sports.co.za
@champsportssa