Cricket bats

[social]

Found this article interesting (apologies to those for whom access is denied)

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...-independent-cricket-bat-maker-closes-up-shop

I bought Social Jnr a GN Kaboom size 6 for Xmas and it cost about $100 whilst a full size, top of the range model costs roughly $1000

That is insane and particularly when you know that the bats in the local sports store are really 2nd rate

What's more, I used to go through at least 2 bats per season and I had the good stuff

Bat makers will be pricing some people out of the sport at this rate

 

[Midwinter]

If there is a demand for high priced bats a supply will be found.

It seems that enough people have the means to pay for them.

There is some bloke in NZ who apparently is doing alright making custom bats for the big name players and those who can afford to pay.

Regarding the article, no-one likes to see this happen but it is simple, how many people are willing to pay for a bat from this bloke. Like Holden and Ford cars, its a nice idea but not when it is coming from your own pocket, you have bills to pay and can get away with something of lesser quality. As you get older you learn quality pays for itself.

And plenty of lower price bats will be available as makers try to steal a share of the market by pricing their bats below that of the competitors, They may not be as good as the top of the line bats, but did you buy a rolls-royce when you landed your first job ?

It was ever thus !

(one of my children was good at their sport so we progressed through the standards of quality and cost of equipment, till when they were competing at the top level, it was only then the top quality equipment was brought.)

 

[Burgey]

Yep, Burgeinho's now using full sized bats and his GM Players Choice set me back virtually a grand. Crazy.

But I've used it and fmd it's a cannon.

 

[Meridio]

There is some bloke in NZ who apparently is doing alright making custom bats for the big name players and those who can afford to pay.

Yeah, that'd be Laver and Wood. They're cracking bats, but not outrageously expensive - unless you get one of their Signatures. Mine set me back NZ$650, which for a custom-made bat is pretty decent. Scored 1100 runs in my first season with it, have now used it for about two and a half seasons and I can't see any reason why it shouldn't get me through at least another one. Wouldn't ever buy one of the mass-produced ones from the big manufacturers now.

 

[Burgey]

1,100 run season is a huge year. Nice work mate.

 

[Burgey]

Oh yeah, as an aside, young bloke told me today he wants to get a cheaper bat purely to practice with. I told him he's a wanker.

 

[Meridio]

1,100 run season is a huge year. Nice work mate.

Cheers! Only managed half that in the second season though...

 

[Burgey]

550 isn't shabby though

 

[Blocky]

Oh yeah, as an aside, young bloke told me today he wants to get a cheaper bat purely to practice with. I told him he's a wanker.

I'd suggest this to be honest, especially with the price of bats today.

Laver and Wood actually do a package deal where you can buy two bats made to the exact same specifications, only difference being the willow grade and you use the secondary one as a practice bat. It's different when you're sponsored and just take your pick of the bats available in a warehouse each year, I used to give my bats away at the end of each season to the guys in the team who couldn't afford what was back then around $500 for a top of the line bat.

That's definitely an industry worth disrupting though, surely you can source and pod shave willow for the $300 price that seems more acceptable for non-first class cricketers.