Cricket Bat Size Guide: What Size Bat Do You Need?
A practical cricket bat sizing guide for New Zealand players, with height ranges from junior sizes through Harrow and adult bats.
Use player height as the starting point. Around 152–160 cm usually points to Size 5, 160–165 cm to Size 6, 165–170 cm to Harrow, and 175–183 cm to a Short Handle adult bat. Brand charts vary, so control and pickup still matter.
Cricket bat size chart by height
There is no single industry standard for cricket bat sizing. Kookaburra explicitly notes that brands can differ, so a height chart should narrow the choice rather than replace trying the bat.
| Player height | Useful starting size |
|---|---|
| 109–122 cm | Size 0 |
| 122–130 cm | Size 1 |
| 130–137 cm | Size 2 |
| 137–145 cm | Size 3 |
| 145–152 cm | Size 4 |
| 152–160 cm | Size 5 |
| 160–165 cm | Size 6 |
| 165–170 cm | Harrow |
| 170–175 cm | Small Adult |
| 175–183 cm | Short Handle |
| 183 cm+ | Long Blade or brand-specific adult option |
These ranges follow Kookaburra’s current sizing guidance and should be treated as a starting point.
Why height matters more than age
Two children of the same age can be very different heights and strengths. Height is therefore more useful than an age-only chart.
For juniors especially, avoid buying a bat that is deliberately too large “to grow into”. An oversized bat can interfere with stance, backlift and swing control.
How to check the size in person
Ask the player to take their normal batting stance with gloves on. They should be able to make a controlled backlift and play a straight drive without the bat pulling them off balance.
A useful secondary check is the standing length of the bat. Kookaburra suggests that body proportions and wrist-to-ground measurements can help when a player sits near the edge of a height band.
What if the player is between two sizes?
Compare both. Prefer the bat the player can control cleanly.
Do not assume that the bigger bat is better. Profile, pickup and dead weight can make two bats with the same printed size feel very different.
What size bat for a 150 cm player?
A player around 150 cm is normally around the Size 4 to Size 5 boundary depending on the manufacturer. Compare both rather than buying from age alone.
What size bat for a 160 cm player?
At around 160 cm, Size 6 is a sensible starting point on Kookaburra’s chart, although some ranges may still overlap with Size 5.
What size bat for a 165 cm player?
Around 165 cm is the transition into Harrow on many common charts. A lighter Harrow can be a better development choice than jumping straight to a full adult bat.
Ready to compare bats?
If you are shopping in New Zealand, NZ Cricket Store’s cricket bat collection includes junior, youth and adult options. CricketWise has a disclosed relationship with NZ Cricket Store.
You can also use the CricketWise bat size calculator for a quick starting recommendation.