So yesterday my cricket team finally convinced me to upgrade my gear after I took that nasty knock on the knee last season. Still makes me wince thinking about it. Anyway, pulled the trigger on a full New Balance cricket kit after hearing some buzz. Let me walk you through the whole thing.
Opening the Box
Unboxed everything right on my living room floor. First impression? Heavy-duty stuff. The thigh guard felt solid in my hands – no cheap plasticky feel at all. Rubbed the padding between my fingers, dense but not stiff. Big plus. Then pulled out the chest guard. Held it up to the light and noticed the stitching immediately: tight, even, no loose threads dangling. Gave it a good twist to test flexibility – bent without creasing. Nice start.
Gearing Up for Testing
Grabbed my bat and dragged all the gear to the nets. Started strapping on the leg guards first. Velcro strips were wider than my old set, grabbed on strong. Cranked ’em tight around my calves – stayed put when I did a quick jog. Did some high knees too, straps didn’t slip. Thigh guard clipped in smooth against the pads, sat firm without digging in.
Next, strapped into the abdomen guard. Adjustable waistband felt decent, didn’t ride up when I bent over. Chest guard was a bit trickier – had to wrestle with the shoulder straps at first. Shortened the left side one notch, boom, sat flush across my ribs. Lifted my arms for a cover drive stance, no pinching under the armpits.
Batting Session
Started with some soft throwdowns. First thing I noticed? That satisfying thump sound when the ball hit the thigh pad. Felt like a firm cushion, no sting creeping through. Took a quick single, gear didn’t shift around. Good sign.
Then ramped it up. Teammate bowled a sharp one that jagged back hard into my knee roll. Braced myself… and just felt a solid pressure, zero pain. Massive difference from last time. Got ambitious, stepped out for a big hit – missed completely, took one right on the elbow. Arm guard absorbed it clean. Just a dull thud.
The Real Test: Fielding & Longevity
Wore everything through our full fielding drill afterwards, running slides in the outfield. The real deal:
- Knee areas on the pads are reinforced thick – scuffed on the turf but didn’t tear.
- Breathable mesh under the arms actually worked. Sweaty? Yeah, but not swimming in it.
- Elbow guard didn’t slip down my arm after diving stops.
- Even wiped out chasing a boundary. Gear took the slide like a champ, minimal scratches.
Back home, checked everything closely. Grass stains? Sure. Damage? Nothing serious. Shin pads only had minor scuffing on the plastic, and the helmet grille was unmarked. Stored it wet overnight and zero strap buckle rust.
Final Thoughts
This New Balance kit? Built properly. It’s heavier than some flashy brands, but you feel that toughness when the ball hits. Doesn’t fall apart moving around either. For the price, feels like it’ll handle years of net sessions and weekend matches. Solid kit. Would buy again.
