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Original poster

Am I being precious over DS’ cricket kit?

107 replies

Justnocricket · 26/04/2023 21:28

DS (10) plays cricket at school and is crazy about it. For his birthday and Christmas, we and his extended family all contributed money and together we bought him bat, helmet, pads, gloves and whites. It came to approx £400. He was thrilled, all good.

But now he is playing in school matches. Everyone has the whites but only 70% have their own bat, helmet, gloves etc, so he is just expected to share his.

At a match today I watched as his helmet was taken off and tossed down into the mud by a classmate. His gloves taken off and left on the grass and someone promptly stood on them with spikes on. Another was throwing his bat in the air and trying (unsuccessfully) to catch it. DS was running round at the end trying to gather his kit back up.

Is this normal to share in cricket, or do schools normally supply their own kit for those who don’t have their own? Private school BTW.

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 26/04/2023 22:42

My kids (albeit not private school) never took their cricket kit to school matches they kept it for their club training/matches. If your DS didn't take his kit what kit would they use? Does the school not have any or is it just not as good so the kids all want to use DS's.

CurlewKate · 26/04/2023 22:58

Some people are being a bit dickish, but I do wonder what the purpose of specifying that it was a private school was?

blanketsforall · 26/04/2023 23:01

I'd not be happy - most places my son played had a communal bag with spares in and that was a state school that didn't particularly 'do' cricket and any proper clubs he has played at. Bats in particular can easily get split and would they pay for a new one even if you could find who broke it? I'd put his name in the gloves - hope they don't share the box!

CovetedAsFuck · 26/04/2023 23:02

CurlewKate · 26/04/2023 22:58

Some people are being a bit dickish, but I do wonder what the purpose of specifying that it was a private school was?

I took it to be relevant info for helping people make a judgement of what it would be reasonable to expect the school to supply.

steff13 · 26/04/2023 23:03

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Did you read the OP? It's clear the kids he's sharing with aren't being careful with his stuff. Besides, he shouldn't be obligated to share his equipment.

CurlewKate · 26/04/2023 23:10

@CovetedAsFuck "took it to be relevant info for helping people make a judgement of what it would be reasonable to expect the school to supply."
Really? I can't decide which sector should provide more. Private because the school is richer, or state because the kids are poorer!

FuchsAndMöhr · 26/04/2023 23:13

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🤣🤣

are you taking the piss?

lifeturnsonadime · 26/04/2023 23:14

Just wondering how a 10yr old's kit came to £400?

My DD plays for the county and I've never spent that amount.

She doesn't share. It's a bit grim to share helmets and some of the pads imo.

Blondeshavemorefun · 26/04/2023 23:16

School should def provide and if your so. Didn't have a bat or helmet what would have happened

No one played ?

FuchsAndMöhr · 26/04/2023 23:18

lifeturnsonadime · 26/04/2023 23:14

Just wondering how a 10yr old's kit came to £400?

My DD plays for the county and I've never spent that amount.

She doesn't share. It's a bit grim to share helmets and some of the pads imo.

I agree, I’ve just kitted my son out completely including whites, a bat and a ball. Cost £150

LynetteScavo · 26/04/2023 23:33

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In that case everyone should buy their own kit, and not think it's OK to use other peoples.

It's not just about the OP having g to replace gloves, it's about other people showing a lack of respect to other peoples things.

My DS, state school, never shared his cricket kit.

LynetteScavo · 26/04/2023 23:46

You can kit a child out reasonably cheaply for cricket - but certain brands are nicer and bloody expensive so if items were bought as gifts, why not get the DS the decent stuff.

£150 is probably the very cheapest you could get a kit brand new.

I've sold a lot of stuff cheaply on Facebook as think it's important people who really want to play are able to, even if they can't afford brand new.

I think it's fine for your DS to refuse you share, OP. I actually think it's very irresponsible of the school to organise a match without everyone having their own safety equipment- what if your DS was off ill? Are they going to let a child bat without a helmet?

lifeturnsonadime · 26/04/2023 23:52

You can kit a child out reasonably cheaply for cricket - but certain brands are nicer and bloody expensiveso if items were bought as gifts, why not get the DS the decent stuff.

I'm just not sure why a 10 year old need nice branded stuff for school cricket?

I agree with OP that others shouldn't share his kit but the price paid is on her wanting him to have unnecessarily branded/ nice kit.

lifeturnsonadime · 26/04/2023 23:54

And as I said upthread my daughter plays county u 15 s and I don't spend that amount on her kit/ bat in year.

Just pointing that out so people don't think that cricket needs that kind of outlay. It really doesn't.

Original poster
Justnocricket · 27/04/2023 00:04

I know most MNers can make a roast chicken last a week or kit out their county playing DC for a fraction of what we paid, but the kit was DS’s gift for birthday and Christmas (Boxing Day baby) and from all his family so we treated him to the kit he wanted.

For those interested, I think the break down was roughly:

Cricket jumper, shirts & trousers - £60
Helmet - £40
Gloves - £27
Pads - £47
Box - £7
Bag - £70
Cricket shoes - £30
Bat - £120

DS (who is normally entirely dressed from the school secondhand shop) is well aware it was a one off and a huge spend for us, and was not at all comfortable with lending his precious kit out.

OP posts:
lifeturnsonadime · 27/04/2023 00:10

I think where I am confused is that his friends are borrowing a £400 kit.

The only borrowable bits are the bat, gloves and helmet which come to much less than £400 by your costings!

lifeturnsonadime · 27/04/2023 00:10

sorry the pads too!

DarkDarkNight · 27/04/2023 00:13

You are not unreasonable. The school has none at all? I would email and say you’re not happy with the kit being shared, as you saw his helmet being thrown down (a safety issue). It is not up to you to kit out the team.

CovetedAsFuck · 27/04/2023 00:14

CurlewKate · 26/04/2023 23:10

@CovetedAsFuck "took it to be relevant info for helping people make a judgement of what it would be reasonable to expect the school to supply."
Really? I can't decide which sector should provide more. Private because the school is richer, or state because the kids are poorer!

good point, I don't know either!

But yeah, I assumed that's why it was mentioned at all: for context rather than as a way of showing off or whatever (as I thought the pp was suggesting)

lifeturnsonadime · 27/04/2023 00:18

oh and just asked DH and DDs county cricket bat was £150. When she was 10 her bat was approx £30 and that's the normal rate for a bat for a child of that age.

notquitesoyoung · 27/04/2023 01:07

I wouldn't worry about being 'that parent'. The school have no valid argument as to why it's reasonable for those with kit to share. Bats get moulded to an individual, helmets and gloves get soaked in sweat so it's unhygienic unless they are being sanitised between players and ultimately it all wears out. There's no reason a parent should be facilitating another child playing - that's the school or child's parents job. Either the school needs to provide kit for those without or it's a requirement for parents to provide. Cricket is given a reasonably high priority in most private schools I would be wondering what other equipment the school is lacking.

caringcarer · 27/04/2023 03:43

My son plays cricket and never shares his kit. All children have their own kits. Helmets should be sized to their heads so it might not be a good fit for other children. A box is a personal item and should never be shared. We did donate some outgrown kit, whites, pads, an arm guard and his old helmet but only when he had new ones. I'd be having a word with school and telling them it is not acceptable to or other children to use your son's personal kit. What happens if another child is using his bat and it gets cracked? It can and does happen.

caringcarer · 27/04/2023 03:48

FuchsAndMöhr · 26/04/2023 23:18

I agree, I’ve just kitted my son out completely including whites, a bat and a ball. Cost £150

Show quote history

It depends on the quality of equipment selected. My son is probably older at 16, and also plays at county level but his last bat cost £160 on its own. His helmet was also expensive. I don't remember how much it was now.

caringcarer · 27/04/2023 03:52

A new Dukes, county international cricket ball is £40. If you're a bowler you need a good ball.

Phoebo · 27/04/2023 04:02

You are being precious, but it's justified. I wouldn't be happy about sharing something that you saved up for, that cost so much and can get ruined. Maybe the kids need to pitch in for their own shared set of equipment