By Dung Huynh 
The day I decided to buy new gloves
Okay so here’s how it went down. My old wicket-keeping gloves? Finished. Done. Thumb padding was basically non-existent. Felt every single hard delivery straight into my bones. Ouch. Enough was enough. Started looking online at SG gloves since everyone keeps talking about them. Saw a million different models and prices – my head spun. Needed a plan.
Grabbed my laptop, started digging. Didn’t just read SG’s pretty descriptions. Nah. Went straight to the reviews section on big sports sites. Scrolled for ages. Ignored the glowing 5-stars. Focused on the 2s and 3s. People telling it like it is – where the stitching popped, where the padding went flat too quick. Real stuff.
Getting hands-on (sort of)
Knew I needed to see them for real, touch them. Drove over to Max Sports in town. The cricket section guy recognized me from last time. Told him flat out: “Mate, my gloves are dead. Need new SG ones. Show me what’s actually good, not just expensive.” He nodded. Pulled out three pairs from behind the counter.
First pair felt like cardboard. Seriously stiff. Couldn’t imagine bending my fingers. Next pair felt softer but thin. Like paper towels wrapped around my hands? No thanks. Third pair felt different. Weirdly natural shape. Kinda hugged my fingers without feeling tight. Padding felt solid but not bulky. That one got my attention. Asked to try just that left glove. Made a fist. Smacked the palm hard with my other hand a few times. Thud felt deep, didn’t sting. Okay, okay.
What mattered most (to me)
Sitting on the store floor like a fool, I thought about my game:
- Playing mostly weekend turf. Harder balls.
- Sweaty hands. Always. Need grip even when it’s damp.
- Fingers? Had two jammed last season. Won’t risk that again.
The third glove? Had thicker protection right on the knuckles – felt like little armour plates. The webbing looked simpler, less fancy stuff to rip. Palm grip felt rough, almost sticky. Checked the price tag. Winced. Yeah, typical SG. But remembered my busted thumb and jammed fingers. Said “Stuff it.” Bought that pair.
First practice with the new gloves
Wore them around the house like an idiot for an hour. Still stiff, but not rock solid. Went to nets Tuesday. First few overs, felt awkward. Fumbled a couple. Then… took a decent edge. Solid smack into the palm. Loud thud. Noise was good. Felt… dull? Not sharp pain. Shook my hand. Fine. Later, a leg-side take standing up. Clean grab. Fingers bent fine. Grip held despite sweat starting. Didn’t have to constantly adjust straps either. Worth the cash.
So here’s my messy glove buying logic
Forget buying blind online. Here’s what I actually did:
- Stalked the bad reviews: Ignored the hype, hunted for real problems people yelled about.
- Made my fingers touch leather: Went to a store, manhandled the gloves, tested bend and thickness physically.
- Punched myself in the palm: Seriously. Gotta feel that impact absorption.
- Checked my own sore spots: Knuckle protection became non-negotiable after past jams.
- Ignored shiny extras: Focused on core protection, grip, and finger feel – the rest is fluff.
Expensive? Yep. But cheaper than broken fingers or dropping catches. That third pair I almost passed over? Saved my hands last weekend. Do the homework. Touch the gear. Pay for the bits that actually protect you. Simple as that.
