Blog

Navigating the Cricket Bat Market: A Guide for Savvy Buyers

Michael Blatherwick | November 11, 2024

This article offers essential insights to help cricketers make informed choices when purchasing a cricket bat. Over the last 15 years, the internet has enabled numerous small brands to enter the cricket bat market. While some are genuine bat makers, many simply import bats from Asia and apply their own branding. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach, if companies are transparent with customers. Unfortunately, some brands mislead buyers by falsely claiming to manufacture their bats in-house.

This practice isn’t limited to smaller brands; some larger brands also source their bats from Asia, primarily due to lower labour costs. In certain cases, companies even send their own willow overseas for manufacturing, only to have the bats flown back to their home country -a practice that’s not particularly eco-friendly.

The high demand for English willow has created challenges for buyers. As bat makers compete for limited supplies of top-grade English willow, some turn to more affordable options like Kashmiri and European willow. This is perfectly acceptable as long as buyers are fully informed and pay a price that reflects the materials used.

Exposing the Cricket Bat Industry: Business Insider’s Eye-Opening Video

Last summer, Business Insider released a documentary highlighting the rising cost of cricket bats due to increased demand for premium English willow. The film included an interview with Sareen Sports Industries, an established Indian bat manufacturer, where the owner discussed a troubling trend: the rise of counterfeit bats. Some manufacturers use lower-quality willow, labelling it as premium English willow to deceive buyers.

If you haven’t seen it, here’s the link: Business Insider Video

B3 Guarantees ‘The Real Thing’!

It’s great to see a respected media outlet like Business Insider exposing these issues. It’s a reminder to our customers that B3 Cricket is committed to authenticity and quality. In response to the documentary, B3’s Managing Director, Michael Blatherwick, shared his thoughts on these industry issues in this short video: B3 React to Business Insider Video

At B3, we manufacture all our bats at our Nottingham factory, sourcing our clefts exclusively from Wrights—the world’s largest and most established willow merchant. This partnership ensures that every customer receives exactly what they’re paying for: genuine, high-performance English willow.

For a closer look at our partnership with Wrights, check out this video featuring Jeremy Ruggles, Managing Director of Wrights, and Michael Blatherwick discussing the unparalleled quality of English willow:

You can rely on us for honest, transparent advice and the highest quality products. We hope you found this article informative, and we look forward to helping you find your perfect cricket bat next time you’re in the market.