Warranty and Returns
Your rights under Australian Consumer Law
Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.
Everything below is offered in addition to these rights, not instead of them.
If your bat fails
A bat broken through the blade
If a bat breaks in half, or cracks right through the blade, that points to a defect in the willow. We take it up with the manufacturer on your behalf and seek a credit.
Once that is approved, you choose what happens next. Take the same bat again, or pick any other bat from our range. Your call.
Everything else — handles, toe cracks, surface cracks
Most bat damage is not a manufacturing fault. Toe and edge cracks, surface cracking and broken handles usually come from play, moisture or the ball. Strictly speaking, none of that is a warranty claim.
We fix them anyway, wherever we reasonably can.
Handle replacements, toe repairs, crack binding and surface work are all done here, in house, by us. We would rather get your bat back in your hands than argue about whose fault it was. Bring it in or send a photo and we will tell you honestly what can be done.
This is goodwill rather than a warranty entitlement, and we assess each bat on its own merits — but in practice, very few bats leave here unrepaired.
Our cricket bat warranty
AKS Cricket warrants cricket bats against genuine manufacturing defects for 12 months from the date of purchase. Where a manufacturing defect is confirmed, we will at our option repair or replace the bat.
Conditions of a claim
- The bat was purchased in Australia from AKS Cricket, and the claim is made from within Australia
- You notify us within the warranty period, and within a reasonable time of noticing the fault
- We are given a reasonable opportunity to examine the bat
- Brand stickers, logos and labels are intact and untampered with
Proof of purchase is easy. Just give us your order number and we will find the rest in our system. No receipt needed. We make this as straightforward as we can.
What the warranty does not cover
The manufacturing warranty does not apply where:
- The bat has been modified or altered
- Our care instructions have not been followed, particularly oiling and knocking-in
- The bat has been altered or repaired by someone other than AKS Cricket or an approved bat maker
- The damage is wilful damage, negligence or abnormal use
- The bat has been used with cheap or poor-quality hard balls
- The bat has been stored in very hot or wet conditions
Note that several of these are still things we will often repair as goodwill — see above. Not covered by warranty does not mean we will not help.
Common bat damage — a quick guide
Cricket bats are made from natural willow and are consumable sporting equipment. This is how we generally assess the most common complaints.
| What you're seeing | Usual cause | What normally happens |
|---|---|---|
| Crack across the blade / bat broken in half | Wood defect | Manufacturer claim — replaced, and you choose the bat |
| Handle break | Weak handle, or a mis-hit | Handle replaced and the bat repaired, in house |
| Toe swelling, moisture damage | Use or storage in wet conditions | Not a warranty fault — usually repairable |
| Edge and toe cracks | Incorrect play, or striking the ball on the edge or toe | Not a warranty fault — usually repairable |
| Shoulder crack | Over-oiling, or poor-quality balls | Not a warranty fault — often repairable by binding |
| Surface cracks on the face | Normal use | Normal and expected — repairable |
Surface cracking is normal. Fine cracks on the face of a well-used bat are expected and are not in themselves a defect.
How to get a bat looked at
- Email admin@akscricket.com.au with your order number, clear photos of the damage, and a short note on how it happened
- We will tell you whether to send the bat in or bring it to us
- We assess it and come back to you with what can be done
How long assessment takes
- AKS bats — 2 to 3 business days. We make these ourselves, so we can assess and repair them quickly.
- Other brands — up to 15 working days. We assess the bat and liaise with the manufacturer on your behalf. Their warranty terms and periods may differ from ours.
Questions
Email, WhatsApp, Facebook, or call us during working hours (WA time). We would always rather look at a bat early than late. See our bat care guide for how to get the most life out of yours, or our bat repair services if it already needs attention.