History

The Cricket Bats were not always this shape. Before the 18th century bats tended to be shaped similarly to how hockey sticks are currently shaped.

This may well have been a legacy of the game's reputed origins. Although the first forms of cricket are lost in the mists of time, it may be that the game was first played using shepherds' crooks Until the rules of cricket were formalised in the 19th century, the game usually had lower stumps, the ball was bowled underarm (Now a days always bowled overarm), and batsmen did not wear protective pads, as they do nowadays. As the game changed, so it was found that a differently shaped bat was better.

The Cricket bat which is generally recognised as the oldest Bat still in existence is dated 1729 and is on display in the Sandham Room at the Oval in London.