Whether you are buying men’s loafers, high heels, sneakers or cricket shoes, choosing a quality, comfortable and well-fitted pair can make all the difference in the world. In fact, when it comes to playing cricket, a good pair of shoes will not only protect you from injuries, but they can also help your performance, by giving your feet the needed support and balance, as well as helping you maintain the correct posture.
So, it’s obvious that when you are buying your cricket equipment, it’s vital that you also invest in quality cricket footwear. Shoes for cricket aren’t all the same, and there are many options out there. And this can make it difficult for some players to choose which ones to buy. But if you make sure that they meet the following requirements, choosing will be a lot easier.
Shoes That Are Specifically Designed for Your Role in the Game
The first thing you have to consider is your role as a cricketer since this can help you narrow down your choices. For instance, if you are a batsman, you need to rely on your footwork. This means that you may benefit more from half-spiked shoes because your cricket spike shoes must allow for good footwork, and longer spikes can dig into a turf surface, limiting your movements. This can ultimately affect your performance negatively.
Bowlers, on the other hand, need the ultimate grip, so for a turf track, full-spiked shoes are a great choice. Furthermore, cricket spikes also offer additional support for the ankles. This makes them an especially great choice for high-impact fast bowlers.
If you play both, you should think about buying cricket shoes that allow for changing between half and full spikes when you need to. Furthermore, if you aren’t playing on turf pitches, then of course you won’t need spiked shoes, but rather a good pair of rubber cricket shoes. Nevertheless, don’t forget to take your game level into consideration as well. If your practices last longer, then you should get highly durable shoes.
Shoes That Provide Optimal Comfort
The way your feet feel is the most important thing about any type of shoes. Your feet withstand the impact from your entire body weight, as well as the pressure and the force of all the movements you’ll be making during the match or the practice. So, you’d want to wear shoes that will be supportive and take off some of that pressure from your feet.
One of the most important things when it comes to comfort is the size of the shoes. Cricket shoes should not be too tight nor too large. Tight shoes will not only cause discomfort or even pain, but they may also harm your game. Cricket shoes that are too large aren’t comfortable either, but more importantly, they may fly off and you might even get hurt because of them.
Aside from finding the right fit, when it comes to comfort it’s also important that you go for good quality materials. Your cricket footwear must be comfortable and breathable. They should have good cushioning in the midsole, to offer even more protection. Cricket shoes are usually made of artificial leather known as polyurethane. This very soft and flexible material allows for free movement.
The weight of the shoes is also an important factor, because cricket can is quite a physically demanding sport, and the players run constantly. Lightweight shoes will make it easier for you to move across the field.
Furthermore, comfort also depends on the quality – the better the quality the more comfortable the shoes. And although this will most likely mean that the shoes are also more expensive, quality materials and craftsmanship also almost always mean durability, reliability, etc. Of course, your budget is very important when you are buying any part of your cricket equipment, including footwear. When you are buying cricket shoes, as with everything else, your goal should be to find the best quality for your budget.
However, the good news for you if you are buying for a beginner, or you are a beginner yourself, is that you don’t have to buy expensive shoes right from the start. Just make sure that you aren’t going for the cheapest version if it means very poor quality. On the other hand, if you are an intermediate cricket player, the better-quality shoes you invest in, the more comfort.
Shoes That Suit the Pitch’s Surface
Another thing that can determine what type of cricket footwear you need, is the surface you will be playing on. As previously mentioned, for turf tracks, players need spike cricket shoes, whereas if you are playing on a synthetic pitch, then you should opt for rubber shoes because they will provide you with a better grip. While you can also wear normal sneakers, they won’t withstand for a long time.
