Kitting out a young player is a different exercise from buying for an adult — the priorities are correct sizing, safety gear, and not overspending on equipment a growing kid will be out of within a season or two.
Get the bat size right first
Bat sizing for kids runs from Size 0 up through Size 6, based on height rather than age alone — stand the bat next to your child; the handle should reach roughly hip height. A bat that’s too big is the single most common reason young players struggle with technique early on, since they physically can’t control the swing.
Safety gear is non-negotiable, even in soft-ball cricket
A properly fitted helmet and an abdominal guard (box) should be considered standard kit from the point a child starts facing a hard ball, not optional extras added later. Fit matters even more for kids than adults — a helmet with any wobble or a box that shifts under the trousers isn’t doing its job.
Buy lightweight pads and gloves
Look specifically for gear labelled Youth or Junior rather than a small Men’s size — junior pads and gloves are cut for a smaller frame and built lighter, so a child isn’t fighting the weight of the gear on top of learning the game.
Don’t overspend on the bat
A Kashmir willow bat is almost always the right call for a young, growing player — it’s tough enough to survive mishits and being knocked around in a bag, at a fraction of the cost of English willow they’ll outgrow in a year or two. Save the premium bat purchase for once their size has stabilised and their game is more serious.
A simple starter checklist
- Correctly sized bat (Kashmir willow to start)
- Helmet with junior-fit shell and grille
- Abdominal guard
- Junior batting gloves and pads
- A kit bag sized to what they’re actually carrying, not an adult full-size bag