The reliability of a tapping test as an indicator of cricket bat performance

Within the sport of cricket it is common practice for players to tap the blade of a bat with a hard wood mallet or cricket ball to gauge its potential playing performance. This subjective assessment can produce contradictory opinions on the same bat. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of the ‘tapping’ test in rating the potential performance of cricket bats. This was done by comparing a measurable performance indicator (apparent coefficient of restitution, ACoR) to player assessment. Twenty experienced amateur and semi-pro cricketers completed a scaled-response questionnaire to describe the sound and feel of impact during the ‘tapping’ test, and rate the predicted performance. Correlations between player responses and ACoR were explored. Predicted bat performance by three out of twenty participants showed correlation with ACoR. It was concluded that the tapping test is not a reliable measure of bat performance across the study population. There are indications that individuals can correctly differentiate bats, but there is clear evidence that they also make errors. A further study with a larger number of participants and an exploration of the relative influence of sensory response will yield further insights to this pilot study.