How to choose the right cricket shoes – Upper, Sockliner, Outsole, Midsole

The quality and fit of your cricket clothing can influence your game significantly. Cricket shoes are a very important part of your cricket attire as there is a lot of leg and foot movement in the game. Buying cricket shoes which fit well and provide comfort to the feet will help you play your game with better focus and efficiency. Here’s a guide to choosing the right cricket shoes based on their various features –

1. Upper – The upper covers the top part and the sides of the foot. The upper is designed to hold the foot to the shoe comfortably and offer maximum ventilation. Shoes designed for batsmen mostly are low-cut in style to offer flexibility. Shoes for bowlers either have a mid-cut or a high-cut to give adequate support to the ankle during delivery.
2. Sockliner – The sockliner, or the footbed, rests below the sole of the foot and is in direct contact with it. Sockliners serve various purposes in the shoe – they provide cushioning and comfort to it, absorb sweat and enhance the fitting of the shoe. Most good shoes come with replaceable sockliners, and therefore, players can customise them according to their level of comfort.
3. Outsole – The outsole is the bottommost layer of the cricket shoe which remains in direct contact with the ground. The outsole is made of a sturdy material such as Polyurethane and its surface may or may not have a spike plate to allow spikes to be attached to it. In case there is no spike plate, the outsole will have a rubber dimple and cleat design, which is ideal for playing indoors or on synthetic surfaces. It is preferable for bowlers’ boots to have flat outsoles to enable the impact to spread over a greater surface area while running.
4. Midsole – The midsole is placed between the footbed and outsole, and its main purpose is to absorb shock. The midsole may be made of more than one material. For instance, it may have hard material in certain areas to offer greater support, and soft materials in other areas to absorb shock. Many boots also have special shock absorption units in the heel of the shoe for greater support, comfort and protection.

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