Wiktionary
straight bat
n. (context cricket English) the bat when held vertically, or when swung through a vertical arc
Usage examples of "straight bat".
I'll say that for Brown, he could play a deuced straight bat, and Brooke was a hitter.
He had a good seat on a horse, learnt to keep a straight bat and cast a salmon fly.
You can always depend on an Englishman to play the game ' 'And keep a straight bat,' said Bobby.
But when it came to the big stuff he always played a straight bat.