The cricket bat can kill any zombie in the game, and without hassle. You can swing the bat faster than zombies can attack. Hitting a zombie against a wall or into a corner can leave you free to keep an eye on your radar as you bludgeon him to death.

Early in the game, ping your radar between every swing of the bat. You have time to do a quick check and make sure you aren't being surrounded.

Crawl N' Bash. If you can get to an area you have to crawl under during a fight, do so. Zombies on the ground are one-hit kills. Forcing them to follow you can turn a horde of 10+ into child's play. This is key to saving ammo in tight situations, and minimizing risk (useful in initial safehouse defense! many people have problems with that big fight)