hoes for cricket are a must-have piece of gear for any player. Since there are many types of shoes available for different playing positions, as well as shoes designed exclusively for junior players, it’s critical to consider everything before making a purchase decision.
Important Features
Spikes
The addition of cricket spikes offers a better grip while enabling the player to run faster on the pitch, especially in wet or greasy situations! Therefore, almost all outdoor cricket shoes include the option of adding spikes.
However, the position, configuration, and type of cricket spikes vary greatly between brands and models. Bowling boots usually include four spikes on the heel to achieve optimum traction at the point of delivery, although the number of spikes on the forefoot ranges between six and eight.
Cricket shoes built for all-rounders have 2 to 4 heel spikes and 5 to 7 forefoot spikes. On the other hand, batsmen have long complained that having spikes on the heels of their cricket shoes while batting can be damaging to their footwork quickness.
With this in mind, several all-around cricket shoes are marketed as “multi-functional,” allowing the typical steel spikes, which provide the most traction, to be replaced with plastic stud-like alternatives for use in dry circumstances. Some cricket shoes targeted specifically toward batsmen eliminate the heel spikes to cut weight and improve comfort.
Heel
The heel is the bottom back part of the cricket shoe and is typically composed of stronger materials to provide maximum support to the heel of the foot. Most cricket shoes will have a heel counter, which is a firm plastic shield that protects the shoe’s heel and provides additional support to the heel of the foot.
The heel counter is normally integrated into the inside part of the cricket shoe, but some manufacturers are beginning to add an “External Heel Counter” to provide even more support and protection. A solid heel counter is a very useful feature for those who overpronate.
Lasting
The upper half of the cricket shoe can be bonded to the midsole using one of three different procedures known slip lasting, board lasting or partial lasting. The upper materials of the cricket shoe – the part that goes over the top of your foot, are drawn over the last and fastened or sewn directly to the midsole in slip lasting.
The upper is linked to the bottom of a flexible board atop the midsole in board lasting. The board method in the heel and the slip method in the forefoot are used in partial or combination lasting. To determine the structure of a shoe, remove the shoe liner. If there is stitching, the shoe is slip-lasted, if there is a board but no stitching the shoe is board-lasted.
For people who over or under pronate, or those who require orthotics, a board-lasted shoe provides a stiffer and sturdier cricket shoe. Slip-lasted shoes are ideal for those with inflexible feet who require more range of movement. They also make for a lighter cricket shoe. The final combination, of course, gives the best of both worlds by giving heel stability and forefoot flexibility.
The Right Materials
PU/TPE
Polyurethane or its close substitute-Thermoplastic Polyurethane is utilised in the production of cricket shoes in a variety of methods. PU is frequently blended with a cloth to generate breathable synthetic leather, and this material, along with some PVC-based synthetic leathers, is used to make the bulk of cricket shoe uppers.
Many cricket shoes use PU-based materials to give extra support or padding, such as heel counters and torsion systems. Although Adidas does not specify it, the protective AdiTuff substance could be PU-based.
EVA / Phylon
Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate often known as expanded rubber or foam rubber is frequently utilised as a shock absorber in the midsoles of cricket shoes. Aside from its shock absorption properties, EVA is chosen for a variety of reasons, including its lightweight and waterproof properties, ease of moulding, absence of odour, glossy surface, UV resistance, and low cost.
EVA is often moulded using an injection moulding technique, but it can also be moulded using a high-temperature compression moulding technique, which produces a slightly different material with many of the same properties but a higher density. This compression-moulded polymer, known as Phylon, is preferred by Nike for the manufacture of their performance midsoles.
Polyester/Nylon Mesh
The use of PU and Nylon-based mesh fabrics have frequently led to the hunt for strong yet lightweight and breathable materials for use in cricket shoes. Because of these mesh goods, many cricket shoes can be substantially lighter, yet they still give the same protection, and have much better ventilation and comfort.
Leather
Although leather was previously the primary material used in the manufacture of cricket shoes, its use has steadily declined as synthetic materials have gradually supplanted it. This long-term decrease is primarily due to the rising relative expense of real leather as synthetics have grown less expensive.
However, leather is rarely found in cricket shoes at this moment, except for a minor quantity in some high-end cricket shoes, notably bowling boots, where the emphasis is on strength and durability rather than ventilation and weight reduction.
Proper Sizing
Fortunately, cricket shoes follow regular international shoe sizing standards, so you should be able to choose your ideal pair depending on the size of your other shoes. Please keep in mind that many players like to wear two pairs of socks or one particularly thick pair of socks while playing cricket for increased comfort. In some situations, you will need to wear cricket shoes that are half a size larger than your ordinary shoes.
Though, have in mind that certain brands routinely depart from what is considered conventional sizing, based on both retailer and player experiences. Therefore, Adidas shoes are typically thinner and up to half a size smaller than regular sizes, whereas Nike is frequently wider and up to half a size larger.
