About SportsTrolley.com

SportsTrolley is a new online shop that offers top quality cricket, rugby and hockey equipment at the most competitive prices. 

SportsTrolley specialises in importing the best brand names from around the world. We are the only official distributor in Ireland for well known brands such as AS Sports (Pakistan) and Ihsan Sports (Pakistan). These companies have supplied cricket equipment to world famous players such as Yousuf Youhana, Shahid Afridi,Azhar Mahmood, Chris Gayle and Kiaran Pollard to name a few.

SportsTrolley imports cricket and hockey equipment direct from the manufacturer, cutting out the "middle man". By doing this, we are able to save on costs. Savings which are then passed on to you.

SportsTrolley is based in Bangor (Northern Ireland) and run by Ricky McLarnon. Ricky has played representative cricket for Ulster Schools and Under 19s and Scottish Universites. This cricketing background, along with his contacts within the Irish and Scottish international camps, gives SportsTrolley a wealth of information and experience when it comes to selecting the best brands to import.

About Payments

You can be sure of top internet security when making an online purchase, as we share a secure connection with PayPal. We accept all major credit and switch cards.

About Bat Care

Please read the following recommendations before using your new bat.
All our cricket bats are made of English Willow by highly skilled craftsmen to exacting quality standards. It is to be expected that the condition of the bat will deteriorate during its usage. In normal usage willow will become bruised, scarred or dented simply due to the nature of the game. In these circumstances there is no need to worry or concern as the durability and performance of the bat will be unaffected.

General
Cricket bats are made of willow. English willow is by nature a soft fibrous reed, its performance and durability are enhanced by drying and pressing.
There are three essential ingredients to the manufacture of a top quality cricket bat:
1. The quality of the willow cleft from the supplier
2. The skill of the bat maker in combining this willow and the handle to produce a bat with excellent pick-up and balance.
3. The pressing of the willow.
Willow clefts are sold in five grades, principally on their look, number of grains and the straightness of those grains. Once graded, the willow is then mechanically pressed accordingly. Top grade willow receives the lightest pressing. A light pressing allows the fibrous willow to retain its spring or ‘ping’, heavier pressings compact the wood which makes it harder, and so more durable, but reduces the natural spring in the wood that makes it so good for striking a ball.
Some bat sellers offer a ‘knocking in and oiling service’. The oiling is obvious; the knocking in simply re-pressing the bat, which if you’ve purchased an expensive bat negates the whole point. Making the willow harder serves only to reduce performance from that willow - just buy a cheaper bat!
In order to get the best performance and life span from your cricket bat, you must be prepared to put some time and effort into looking after it and preparing it for use.

Preparation for Play
The CRICKET BAT MANUFACTURERS recommend the following principles for the preparation and maintenance of cricket bats. Following these procedures will significantly reduce the possibility of damage occurring.

Oiling
All natural faced bats MUST be treated using raw linseed or a specialist cricket bat oil. The main purpose of oiling is to maintain moisture levels within the blade, and hence reduce the chances of cracking and splitting.
Light coats should be applied to the face, edge, toe and the back of the blade - taking care to avoid the logos and the splice area. Generally two or three coats should be sufficient. Each coat should be allowed to dry into the blade in a horizontal position before the next is applied.
WARNING
• DO NOT STAND OVER OIL
• DO NOT STAND THE BAT IN OIL
• DO NOT STAND THE BAT IN A VERTICAL POSITION AFTER OILING
• BATS WITH FULL PROTECTIVE COATINGS SHOULD NOT HAVE OIL APPLIED. BUT THEY MUST BE CONDITIONED AS DETAILED.
ALTERNATIVELY - It is possible to fit a clear Anti-scuff or similar cover. This does not negate the requirement to 'knock in' the bat. The cover may assist the durability of the bat, but under no circumstances will it totally prevent surface damage.
Knocking in
All bats are pressed, however 'knocking in' is VITAL. This is the process by which the fibers of the willow in the face and edges are compressed together to form a barrier, which protects the bat against the impact of the ball. Effective 'knocking in' will significantly improve the performance and increase the lifespan of the bat.
Stage One
The 'knocking in' process should be undertaken carefully, using a special bat mallet or an old, quality cricket ball. The bat should be repeatedly struck (with gradually increasing force) in all areas where one would normally expect to hit the ball; this conditioning must be performed with patience. Particular attention should be given to the edges, although the edges or toe should not be struck directly at right-angles to the blade. This would be likely to cause damage.
This stage should take in the region of six hours, although it may vary as every bat is different.
Stage Two
The next step is to graduate to the use of the bat to hit short catches with an old quality cricket ball. However, if the seam marks the blade, it is necessary to return to 'Stage one' for a further conditioning. This stage should be performed for at least another hour.
Once these steps have been taken, the bat should be ready for use in matches. It is advisable to initially avoid use against the 'new ball'.
In addition to these steps, it is recommended that the purchaser follow closely the 'bat care' instructions issued by the manufacturer.
WARNING:
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A BAT BE USED IN MATCH CONDITIONS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS FOLLOWING THE DATE OF PURCHASE
The worst thing a player can do to his bat
• Over Oil an untreated, plain, non-synthetically covered blade, thus increasing the weight and making the willow dead with no drive, this eventually gives the wood 'oil rot.
• Endeavour to wash it clean with water.
• Constantly lap the bat in the crease on a wet wicket, thus saturating the base of the bat, causing the pressing to lift and the base of the bat to swell and generally crack horizontally.
• Use it without Knocking in' or treatment
• Continual 'edging' thus causing bruising and unnecessary indentations.
• Hit 'Yorkers' (blockholers) on the toe of the blade, thus bruising the willow causing it generally to split horizontally but completely through the bat. This is more likely to happen on indoor, hard or synthetic wickets or at the beginning of the season when the ground may be very hard.
• Using Cheap Cricket balls (especially those with hard centres) which bruise and dent the willow. Many bats are dented due to this reason.

Maintenance during Use
The blade of the bat should, periodically, be rubbed down with fine sandpaper and a light coat of bat oil reapplied in order to keep the surface supple and prevent the bat from drying out. It is equally important to ensure that the bat is not over-oiled as this will lead to a deadening of the bat and a reduction in performance (as a rough guide, apply no more than four light coats per year).
We strongly recommend applying bat protection sheet and a toe guard before use as this prolongs life of bat.
We are unable to accept responsibility for bats damaged by misuse. E.g. Over-Oiling, the failure to knock in properly, insufficient knocking in or play against cheap cricket balls.

ALL THE CRICKET BAT MANUFACTURERS GOT TOGETHER RECENTLY. THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES WERE ISSUED FOR CRICKET BAT DAMAGES, REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS. THESE ARE THE MINIMUM LEVELS OF SERVICE YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM YOUR BAT SUPPLIER.
CRICKET BATS ARE MADE OF WILLOW. IT IS TO BE EXPECTED THAT THE CONDITION OF THE BAT WILL DETERIORATE DURING ITS USAGE. THE MANUFACTURERS HAVE PUT TOGETHER THE FOLLOWING NOTES TO ASSIST THE EXPLANATION OF SITUATIONS WHICH MAY OCCUR WITHIN THE LIFESPAN OF ANY CRICKET BAT.

1. HANDLE BREAKS
CAUSE - General wear and tear or possible manufacturing fault.
SOLUTION - The bat itself is not replaceable, but the handle may be repaired at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.


2. BREAKAGE TO THE BLADE
CAUSE - Weak or excessively dry willow.
SOLUTION - Potentially replaceable by full or partial credit, at MANUFACTURER'S discretion


3. SURFACE CRACKING TO THE FACE OF THE BLADE
CAUSE - General wear and tear, use of hard cheap balls, inadequate knocking in or oiling.
SOLUTION - NOT REPLACEABLE, crack will not affect the performance of the bat. Repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.


4. SURFACE CRACKING TO THE EDGE OF THE BLADE
CAUSE - General wear and tear, mis-timed or mis-hit shots, inadequate knocking in.
SOLUTION - NOT REPLACEABLE, crack will not affect the performance of the BAT. Repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.
Please note: Many Asian style bats have thick square edges which are very susceptible to this sort of damage and MUST be thoroughly prepared and knocked in prior to use if damage is to be avoided and/or minimised.


5. SURFACE CRACKING TO THE TOE 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.
SOLUTION - NOT REPLACEABLE, crack will not affect the performance of the BAT. Repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.


6. 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 driving of a "yorker".
SOLUTION - Repairable and/or replaceable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion


7. CRACKING TO THE SHOULDER OF THE BLADE
CAUSE - General wear and tear, mis-hit shots.
SOLUTION - NOT REPLACEABLE, repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion.


8. 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, there is no fault in the manufacturing or the materials used. The damage may be repairable at the MANUFACTURER'S discretion and the CUSTOMER' S cost.

9. DAMAGE DUE TO MISUSE OF THE BAT OR BY ACCIDENT
CAUSE - Generally caused by accidentally striking an object other than the ball, for example the stumps, dressing room wall or being accidentally trodden on by your team mates in the dressing room.
SOLUTION - NOT REPLACEABLE, may be repairable at the CUSTOMER'S expense.

10. DAMAGE DUE TO THE USE OF POOR QUALITY CRICKET BALLS
Poor quality or excessively hard cricket balls can be a cause of many types of crack damage to the blade of the bat, as previously illustrated. ALL CRICKET BAT MANUFACTURERS 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.

About our terms and conditions

Failure to adhere to the advice stated above will result in the customer not being granted a refund/replacement. The importance of knocking in can not be overstated. To protect your purchase, take the time to prepare the bat.

Refunds/replacements on cricket bats are at the manufacturers disgression.

Refunds/replacements can only be granted in the 16 days following the receipt of the goods. Refunds/replacements will only be issued if the goods are returned unused, in the original packaging and with PROOF OF PURCHASE. Failure to apply these conditions will prevent any refunds/replacements.

Customers are fully entitled to change their minds on their purchases. Cricketimports.com must be notified within 16 days of receipt of the order, and return postage costs will be covered by the customer. Cricketimports.com will only pay return postage if the wrong product is mistakenly sent.

Orders are not final until goods are dispatched. We reserve the right to cancel orders up to this point. In the unlikely event of this happening, the customer will be contacted.

About our postage

Postage charges are based on royal mail prices per kilogram for standard parcels. Unlike other websites, we do not make a profit on our postage charges. We aim to dispatch all orders within 1 working day after receiving payment, and delivery should take within 3-5 working days. To arrange next day delivery, email sales@sportstrolley.com. Postage insurance is available, see terms and conditions. Postal insurance will always be offered, as any problems that occur after dispatch are between the customer and the delivery comapny.