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ISSUE ONE
Publisher Pro:Direct Sport Ltd Publication Managing Editor Adam Parker Content Editor Andy Pitt Art Director Richard Harries Photography Rob Passmore, Chris Quick, Alex Thornton Copy writing James Gingell, Jack Vittles, Jim Parker, Ben Brown, Nick Burt, Dan Jones, Phil Boyd Cover Illustration Bram Vanhaeren Thanks to Liam Burns, Anurag Sondhi, Suresh D Rishi, Archie Abrol, Jatin Sareen, Chris Millard, Paul Burnham, Ian Connell, Julian Stansfield, Nick Wilton, Clements and Church, Michael Spiers, MercedesBenz South West, CrossFit Pi, Winston Agogo, Gareth Sanger, Stuart Walker, Phil Tebbutt, Delhi Daredevils, King's School Taunton, ECB, Alex Hohenkerk, New Balance, Gray-Nicolls, Gunn & Moore, Kookaburra, PUMA, adidas, and Chase Printed by Four Way Print Ltd. Unit 27A, Pennygillam Way, Pennygillam Indust. Estate, Launceston, Cornwall. PL15 7ED Follow us on www.instagram.com/leatherandwillow www.instagram.com/prodirectcricket Contact Us leatherandwillow@prodirectsport.net COPYRIGHT: Leather and Willow is published by Pro:Direct Sport Ltd. Copyright @ Pro:Direct Sport Ltd all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system or integrated into any other publication, database or commercial programs without the express written permission of the publisher.Under no circumstances should this publication and its contents be resold, loaned out or used in any form by the way of trade without the publisher’s written permission. DISCLAIMER: While we pride ourselves on the quality of the information we provide, Pr:Direct Sport Ltd reserves the right not to be held responsible for any mistakes or inaccuracies found within the text of this publication. All editorial opinion herein is that of the writer as an individual, and is not representative of the publisher or any of its affiliates. Therefore the publisher holds no responsibility in regard to editorial opinion and content. Please be aware that on occasion throughout the publication there will be language deemed unsuitable for children. Pro:Direct Sport Ltd reserves the right not to be held responsible for any mistakes or inaccuracies found within the text of this publication. Therefore the publisher, editor and their respective employees or affiliates will not accept responsibility for loss, damage or injury occasioned to any persons acting or refraining from action as a result of the content with this publication whether or not any such action is due to any error, negligent omission or act on the part of the publisher, editor and their respective employees or affiliates.
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FOREWORD Batsmen score runs, bowlers take wickets and fielders take catches. There aren’t many more obvious statements when explaining what cricket actually is but, as we all know, there is far more complexity to this funny game we play. Scratch under the surface and you will find stories, anecdotes and tales of the people that make this great game what it is today. Leather and Willow is a celebration of cricket culture beyond the norm, bringing to life untold stories of the heroes and characters behind the products, the grounds, and the classic matches of the game we all love so much. The aim is simply to make cricket the hero to the next generation, engaging with old fans and inspiring new ones. In this first issue you’ll find a plethora of insightful articles including the first one which focuses on England’s new captain (me!) and the exciting year ahead for English cricket. There are then in-depth pieces on the Barmy Army, Sareen Sports, Fc Sondhi and many more top brands. The Leather and Willow team were also able to speak to some of England’s best and brightest, including Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tymal Mills, Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Winfield. The team have travelled far and wide to obtain some amazing stories from around the world, and you’ll find this magazine crammed with new, exciting and relevant content that even the biggest cricket lovers will find interesting and unique. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill offering. This issue is about the people and stories behind the brands, teams and competitions that help to drive the cricket industry. I hope that you enjoy reading the magazine as much as I have, it’s definitely the start of something good.
Joe Root
CONTENTS 6 JOE ROOT
14 NB X ECB ENGLAND KIT
24 FC SONDHI
36 GRAYNICOLLS
50 DREAMS OF YOUTH
56 TURNING HEADS
66 MADE IN INDIA
76 A PERFECT UNION
84 THE MAKING OF GM
98 BUILT BETTER
102 SAM BILLINGS
106 BELIEVE THE HYPE
112 FOOTBALL MONEY
120 THEY'VE COME A LONG WAY
132 RED INKER
140 KING JOS
150 JUST A (MAN'S) GAME
160 COVER ARTWORK
Joe Root: Joker / England Capt. “It’s all lies! There’s no evidence to suggest that was me.” Only a few days into his reign as England captain, Joe Root is facing some very serious allegations: was he, or was he not, the mischievous individual who cut holes in his teammates socks ahead of the recent ODI against the West Indies? His defence is typically deft, deflecting attention away like a fine cut shot down to third man, though the playful chuckle that accompanies it is something of a giveaway as to its veracity. Room for improvement on the poker face, Joe.
Words: Ben Brown Photography: Rob Passmore
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JOE ROOT: JOKER/ ENGL AND CAP T.
Throughout our interview, what comes across most about England’s new commander-in-chief is how much he enjoys engaging with others. He’s a warm, friendly Yorkshire lad who happens to be an exceptional cricketer. Time will tell on his ability to lead the group on the field of play, but, judging by his interactions with all different kinds of people at New Balance’s launch of the new England kit, he’ll have no trouble creating team spirit and fostering camaraderie within the team. His character is a stark contrast to the previous incumbent: if Cook was a sword of a captain, all chiselled steel, sharp and serious, Root is an open-faced hammer – direct, dominant, but cheery with it. It’s the new man’s natural inclination to find the fun in life – though he accepts that, at times, that trademark impish
into his role as an innings-building opener and seeks out the huge scores that first established him in the England side over a decade ago. Not the worst mentor for a fledgling captain. “He’s done such great things as captain of this country and achieved some remarkable feats. There’s no one better to learn from than him. His experience, his knowledge of the game – his runs as well. [It’s] not just things to do with captaincy, but what he brings with the bat. Hopefully now we’ll see him just go out and play and make ridiculous amounts of runs.” Historically, becoming captain has often had a detrimental effect on a player’s contribution with the bat. Cook, though, managed to maintain his average, and the likes of Steve Smith and Virat Kohli are showing now that the opposite can be true – that the captaincy can be a boon to a batsman’s stats, rather than a burden. Theirs is an example Root is keen to follow. “I’d snatch your hand off for their stats as captain with the bat. A big part of being captain is leading from the front and scoring runs, and making sure you’re doing everything you can as a player to help the side. You know, as much as I’m relishing the opportunities to have a different side to things and take on that role as captain, [I really want] to make sure that my batting’s in good order and I’m going to be scoring some runs.”
“I think there will be times when I have to be slightly more serious, and take my attention away from larking around.” grin may have to be replaced by a more captainly demeanour. “I think there will be times when I have to be slightly more serious, and take my attention away from larking around,” he concedes. “But I think it’s very important that as a side we enjoy our cricket and we enjoy each other’s company, because we spend so much time under pressure out on the field. When you get opportunities to have fun and really enjoy cricket for sport – the reason you started playing it in the first place – you have to. Being part of a good, fun dressing room is a massive part of that.” Cook, of course, is one of the players whose company Root will be enjoying, as he steps back
It’s truly new ground for the 26-year-old: Root’s previous first-class experience as captain amounts to a single match for England Lions in 2013 and three games for Yorkshire the following year. To him, if no one else, the England appointment came as a surprise. “Not at any stage over the last four years since I’ve been involved with
Relaxed, at ease and happy are three ways you'd describe Joe as we talk to him amidst all the other media and people wanting photos and autographs. He still finds time for a few laughs and jokes, which are fast becoming his trademarks.
JOE ROOT: JOKER/ ENGL AND CAP T.
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“I think it’s very important that as a side we enjoy our cricket ... Being part of a good, fun dressing room is a massive part of that.”
England have I really thought too much about being captain,” he says. “To get the opportunity, obviously it’s a huge honour. Without meaning to be extremely cliché, it’s everything you aspire to be as a young kid.” Despite his youthful looks, Root is a kid no more. In cricketing terms he’s a veteran, having been on the professional scene for almost a decade, and throughout those thousands of hours in the field he’s had ample time to construct ideas and opinions about how the game should be played. It’s not tit-for-tat backscratching when long-time teammate and new Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance describes Root as a deep thinker with “such a good cricketing brain”. Indeed, what most impressed Andrew Strauss during Root’s interview with the ECB panel was “how clear he was in his mind about how the England team should operate”. Compliments like this hint at the mettle beneath Root’s cheerful exterior. He has a vision for Joe’s England – he wants to play aggressive, entertaining cricket, crushing the opposition and having fun doing it. He won’t be intimidated, and sometimes his breezy confidence rubs his adversaries up the wrong way, but if you’re with him, as the England dressing room will surely be, he’s a gem of a man.
Get used to seeing this: Joe Root, Test captain, in the new Test attire. Standing on stage at the launch event proved no bother for this lad from "God's own county", Yorkshire. New skip. New kit.
As our chat comes to an end, we ask where he was when he took the momentous call from Strauss and agreed to be England’s 80th Test captain. He was at home, he says, having a birthday lunch in his father’s honour. We tell him we’ve heard Chris Millard was there, one of the Barmy Army lieutenants. “Yeah that’s right, he gets everywhere doesn’t he?! Like a bad smell that man,” he jokes. “He’s a good friend of mine. It was a special time.” Friends. Fun. Winning cricket. England are in for a treat.
“Yeah that’s right, he gets everywhere doesn’t he?! Like a bad smell that man,” he jokes.
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JOE ROOT: JOKER/ ENGL AND CAP T.
In a rare moment between media calls at Lord's, Joe eyes up the grass practice nets from the balcony, no doubt wishing he was down there doing what he does best.
Words: Nick Burt Photography: Rob Passmore
N E K L
B x ECB NGL AND IT AUNCH
ENGLAND CAPTAIN JOE ROOT IS ONE PL AYER WHO KNOWS NEW BALANCE ISN’T JUST ANOTHER ATHLETIC BRAND THROWING MONEY AT A SPORT TO SEE IF IT STICKS. For one thing, he’s one of New Balance’s most highprofile ambassadors and sees first-hand their value to the game. For another, he knows that any brand that gets the England team back in cream colours and cable knit sweaters is the real deal. 14
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"I love the cable knit sweater, it's awesome. Traditional creams look really smar t." Speaking from the England kit launch event at New Balance’s Oxford Street store in London, Root was amongst captains from all of England’s senior representative XIs. “I love the cable knit sweater, it’s awesome. Traditional creams look really smart and I’m looking forward to getting out there and wearing it for real.”
New Balance made a huge effort to ensure the players took an active part in the design and development of the new kit, a process that took nearly two and a half years. It’s been a successful progression and one that is hoped will marry with England’s success on the pitch. “The reintroduction of the traditional knitted jumper will no doubt be a player and fan favourite as well as it harping back to the more traditional cream-coloured Test kits”,
NB X ECB
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New Balance’s ECB partnership manager Liam Burns emphasised. In contrast, the One Day and T20 shirts have a modern twist which will be catching the eyes of supporters throughout a busy summer of cricket. The event began with an open letter from the England team addressed to “number 677” – otherwise known as the next person in line to be selected to play for the Test team – calling for them to strive for greatness and earn their spot in the team. Timing is everything; this July New Balance will literally take over Lord’s as England play another New Balance-sponsored international team, South Africa, in a fiveday Test match. For England, naturally, it’s a significant test, but certainly for New Balance it will represent the culmination of a long-term strategic model put in place five years previous. New Balance’s Vice President, Darren Tucker, explains: “The model was based on our launch into the baseball market in the USA where New Balance has made significant inroads, including successful launches in Korea and Japan. The goal for cricket was to build an authentic positioning and to ensure our position could be sustainable. Launch countries were chosen as Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa with
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a goal to blend New Balance’s traditional investments into grass roots, along with building strong partnerships with key players who are seen as key influencers in the game. It was also important that our players embraced the New Balance culture and are seen as strong role models for the younger generations whilst also having a strong culture of giving back through charitable causes. “Our list of players, including Dale Steyn, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Steve Smith, Patrick Cummins, Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade, David Miller, Temba Bavuma and Trent Boult plus numerous others, have supported our vision and been great ambassadors for our brand. “Along with this, our partnerships with South Africa and now England, have helped New Balance show up on some of the most famous grounds in the world and we look forward to watching the two teams through the northern summer where they compete in the Champions Trophy and then go head-tohead over a Test series in July. Added to this is a very exciting Ashes series where New Balance will have both captains supporting our brand.” They must be doing something right: cricket fans are becoming increasingly aware of the presence of the New Balance brand, and with a guy like Darren Tucker at the helm – a proud Australian, ex-NSW cricketer and brother of Elite Test Umpire, Rod – it won’t be long until New Balance becomes a leading powerhouse and an unmoveable force within the game.
Eoin Morgan and Heather Knight model the new T20 and ODI kit respectively. It's a big year for these two leading their country in major tournaments, here facing questions and introducing the new kits. New Balance has put a lot of emphasis on player feedback to get the fit and tech spot on. A new title sponsor sees the return of a familiar logo to the cricket foray, welcome back Natwest.
NB X ECB
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DY N A M I C CRICKET KNOCKING IT OUT THE PARK. NEW BALANCE DC RANGE.
Words: Andy Pitt Photography: Rob Passmore
FC SONDHI
It was obvious as we turned the corner and drove through the gates that we had entered a bat-making paradise. FC Sondhi – based in the Punjabi city of Jalandhar – had all of the hallmarks of an Indian cricket manufacturer. The Sondhi family’s history in the sports manufacturing industry is deep-rooted. Anurag Sondhi, who is the company’s current Managing Director and the grandson of FC Sondhi founded the renowned and respected football brand Sondico while importing goods from India and Pakistan to the UK. Sondico soon became the UK’s number one choice in goalkeeping gloves and the company was sold at its peak while it was manufacturing a staggering 120,000 pairs a year.
showroom in London, importing goods from Sialkot in Pakistan, until it was bombed during the blitz. Undiscouraged, he stayed and continued to import various goods from India, but his real passion was sport, so in 1950 he travelled to India with his son, PC Sondhi, to find a factory from which they could export sports goods to the UK. Manufacturing of their own product began here in Jalandhar in 1967 and it’s still where they make products for some of the biggest brands in the world, including New Balance. It was the Sondhi family’s liberal, forwardthinking vision to ensure that all staff were looked after properly upon its opening; green space is visible from every window of its 20acre site – a legacy that continues to this day, and a philosophy of which any global company would be proud.
Prior to this success, though, FC Sondhi was about to open a 24
FC SONDHI
The stunning gardens that flow in between the factory buildings are
FC Sondhi is far from your standard factory setting and not necessarily what you’d expect from the second largest bat manufacturer in the world. Green open spaces, large windows and open-plan shop floors mean quiet and calm working conditions throughout the complex.
We watched for some time as this lady screen-printed thighpad covers. The simple and effective laying up and her deft touch as she moved the blade over the screen belayed the ease, skill and accuracy with which she performed the task.
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managed by a team of 40 groundskeepers and maintenance staff. Suresh Rishi – the factory’s Senior General Manager and a veteran with thirty-three plus years of service at Sondhi – gave us a tour of the place he knows all too well, having fulfilled many a role during his time here. As we were chatting and walking, an ear-piercing siren interrupted another Suresh anecdote. “Don’t worry, there are no planes here! That’s the tea break, not an air raid,” he joked, even though we were only 40 kilometres from the Pakistan border. The siren is used to signal tea break for the factory staff, where tea is provided free of charge. Dhal, a staple dish of curried lentils, is also provided onthe-house for lunch in the on-site canteen. Sondhi currently employ over 400 highly skilled men and women, many of whom, unsurprisingly, enjoying long periods of service spanning well over 20 years. One such staff member started at the company in 1969 and went on to play a key role in developing the split finger glove design that has become a standard in the modern game. Talking us through the production process, and showing us the methodical checks that are followed to ensure that every product that leaves the factory is of the best possible quality, Suresh proudly exclaimed “You can make a mistake once, but you cannot repeat it as you lose the customer’s trust.” With stringent in-house testing of the quality of raw materials, they can be completely satisfied that their products are as good as they can be. It was hard to imagine without seeing it first-hand the amount of skill and time and effort and raw materials that go into making batting gloves and pads. But to give it some context, an employee will only complete one pair per day, which is unsurprising as there are over 240 separate components for a top-end glove and over 270 for a top-end pad. Our tour eventually took us to an unmistakable area of the factory, marked by a road sign identifying Willow Way. It is here that their cricket bats are meticulously crafted. Sondhi have a tradition of naming their factory buildings – or
“halls” – after the many international cricketers that have used their equipment. Those names include both past and present players, the likes of Sir Viv, David Gower, Paul Collingwood and Steve Smith. The Paul Collingwood hall is where the bats are roughly cut and shaped by machine, a process very much the same the world over; Sondhi acquired the majority of their machines from UK-based Surridge. During the next stage, bats are shaped by trained eyes belonging to highly skilled bat makers, following set profile sample shapes, and pressed to compact the wood. As we walked around this part of the process, we noticed some of the bats in mid-production were being made for Joe Root and Steve Smith. Their head bat maker has worked for Sondhi for 20-plus years, overseeing production of the professional-player-grade bats. “I feel very proud to make bats for some of the best batsman in the world, just as long as they don’t score any runs against India!” It’s no wonder he loves his job – he and his colleagues also spend up to three hours knocking in the bats with throw downs in a net just around the back of the building to ensure they are in perfect condition for the players when they receive them. We spent the whole day exploring the factory grounds, constantly being reminded to keep hydrated in the 44-degree heat. Perhaps we should have told our video camera, which shut down and refused to play ball, even after we tried cooling it beneath the solar panels that cover most of the surface area of the factory’s roofs. Suresh proudly stated that they provide 30 percent of the factory’s electricity and send power back to the national grid during the weekends. To Suresh, judging by his matter-of-fact delivery of the information, this was nothing special. To us, it was another example of how socially and environmentally conscious Sondhi are. If only every company around the world operated in the same way, we thought. The company even has a free round-trip bus service from Jalandhar that enables its female employees to safely get to and from work.
A master at work. Fateh Chand is the top batting glove man at FC Sondhi. Having been there since 1969, he has sampled multiple pairs of gloves over his tenure, most notably laying claim to inventing the ‘broken finger’ style glove with the now Snr. General Manager, Suresh Rishi. This was a major advancement from the classic sausage-finger gloves of the day that allowed for much better dexterity and grip feel. Interestingly, he uses an older machine as he is quicker on it than the modern machines to the left and right of him. Like all craftsmen, he knows his tools intimately and, judging by their visible wear, we couldn’t imagine how many pairs have passed under that needle.
Alongside the factory, Sondhi have a full-size cricket ground with six lanes of nets, used locally by the Harbhajan Singh Institute of Cricket. The children train and play here six days a week, and it hosts cricket tournaments between the office and factory staff. “The factory staff generally win because they are fitter than us,” Suresh offers with a laugh. “It gets very competitive!” Suresh has been the perfect host. He has a sunny disposition and openly,
if perhaps inadvertently, displays an immense pride in his workplace. It’s what we get from his workforce, too. From every encounter with staff, to the first-class quality of their cricket gear, it’s what we noticed most at Sondhi – immense pride. It is testament to the working conditions, the methods and the philosophies that FC Sondhi himself laid in place 50 years ago. And all in a country that lives and breathes the game.
FC SONDHI
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Every process of bat production is completed onsite and checked at every stage. The attention to detail here is staggering. Seeing them make handles was a real treat. With most British manufacturers buying them in, it was something we hadn’t seen before. The cutting of the cane, inserting of the cork and the gluing up before being bound was such a simple process, unchanged from when it was introduced.
That’s one of Joe’s new bats having the handle shaped to his specifications. Coincidence? Maybe. But with Steve Smith’s bats just out of polishing and waiting for new decals, maybe not. It was good to see them side by side. The difference? Slightly higher swell on Steve’s and a shorter blade on Joe’s. Both were heavy on the grains and blemish-free pieces of willow.
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The bat shop, a well-organised and tidy setup. Not noisy, but with a reassuring hum of planes, sanding machines and the smell of fresh wood.
Words: Ben Brown Photography: Rob Passmore
GRAYNICOLLS WORLDWIDE LORD’S HAS THE LONG ROOM, STEEPED IN THE HISTORY OF CRICKET AND THE TRADITIONS OF THE MCC. Eden Gardens hosts row upon row of screaming Indian fans, each equally desperate to catch a glimpse of their heroes – the glitterati of the IPL and the undoubted stars of the modern game. The huge stands of the MCG – the world’s largest cricket ground – have provided the backdrop for some of the most memorable matches ever played.
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While it’s Lord’s that pronounces itself “The Home of Cricket”, an increasingly persuasive case could be made for each of these storied sporting arenas to hold that mantle. Wherever you acknowledge as the spiritual soul of the game, the global popularity of cricket, and with it the demand for top-class bats, cannot be ignored. Gray-Nicolls, one of the oldest and most respected British bat makers, sponsor Australian and Indian players alongside their English contingent. Big-hitting Aussie David Warner is honoured with his own bat, the Kaboom, while up-and-comers Karun Nair and Vijay Shankar are leading the Gray-Nicolls charge in India. These partnerships are in themselves notable – it’s nearly 40 years since the brand’s last bigname sponsorship of an Indian player, when Sunil Gavaskar was wielding a Gray-Nicolls – but the renewed commitment to worldwide cricket goes further than endorsement deals. Gray-Nicolls now also produce some of their bats in India, at their exclusive factory in the renowned bat making district of Jalandhar. There are several reasons behind the move. For one, the talent pool of bat experts in India is absolutely huge. In a country of over 1.3 billion, where most people pick up a cricket bat before they can even walk to the crease, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of passionate, skilled individuals ready to dedicate their lives to bat making. And who better to craft bats for the Indian market than the Indians themselves – the men and women who have grown up playing in the uniquely challenging conditions of the subcontinent. There’s another Gray-Nicolls factory in Melbourne, Australia – indeed there has been since 1972, when it was opened to service the burgeoning Oceanic
Gray-Nicolls has its own team of dedicated lumberjacks charged with the felling and cutting of prized English willow. Bat maker Alex explains to us how they look for 49-to-52-inch diameter rounds which they'll get approximately eight clefts from. Football has jumpers for goal posts, Gray-Nicolls has bats for door handles. Alex in his workshop working on Joe Clarke’s latest. And above his head, various pros’ old bats are held as templates with notes to preferences, keeping them ready for the next willow wand to come out of the home of arguably the most famous cricket brand in the world.
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Worldwide Sports, Jalandhar – the exclusive Gray-Nicolls production house. Cane from Singapore, willow from England. These raw materials are graded and stacked neatly, ready for the next par t of the process.
market. The simple fact is this: England is a long, long way from both India and Australia, and to get bats from the drying rooms of Robertsbridge, the company’s UK base, to the hands of cricketers on the subcontinent and Down Under takes more than a fair amount of time and money, so any localisation of the operation makes logistical sense. For willow, however, there is only one option, from only one place. If you want the best wood, the best willow, then you have to go for the full English – English willow grown in England. There’s simply no substitute for the English climate when it comes to nurturing fibres destined for battle with a red or white ball. Gray-Nicolls, therefore, grow all their willow on these shores, at their own exclusive plantations dotted around Hampshire. Quality control is strict – no tree is felled without first being examined by a bat maker. Those same bat makers then shape the willow into clefts before sending it off to Jalandhar and Melbourne for the final part of the process, so every premium Gray-Nicolls bat made in India or Australia is crafted from the same high-quality willow as those made in England. Add that fact to the expert skill level of the bat makers in all three factories, and you can rest assured that any bat that bears the famous red-and-white moniker will live up to its name. So much so, that should a pro player ever find themselves without a bat while on tour, the nearest Gray-Nicolls factory will produce an exact replica of their unique profile on demand. That’s bats, and for Robertsbridge Melbourne, that’s the end of the story.
and
The factory is supremely well organised and uncluttered, each area divided out to avoid “clean” and “dirty” manufacturing processes affecting one another. This attention to detail is what sets Worldwide Sports apart, from the cantilever bat racks to weighing the cane handles. The six-bat gripping machine has a rhythm all of its own. The straw-suck sound of the vacuum pump and the snap of the grips being flicked over – if any machine on the floor could be converted into a musical instrument, it’s this one. Nearby, the foil press adds the authentic Gray-Nicolls touch.
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In Jalandhar, however, bat making is just a single part of what is without doubt one of the largest aggregations of cricket manufacturing in the world. Here, you see, is where every pad, guard or glove you ever wore was likely put together. State-of-the-art laser-cutting apparatus stands impressively on one side of the factory floor; top-of-the-range sewing machines line the other. And this is just one factory – there are countless similar facilities in the area. Any scepticism about the modernity of an Indian factory is shattered within seconds of a visit to Jalandhar.
Though most of the machines are operated by a single individual, there’s a noticeable team ethic here. People help each other; they talk. Every part of the process, and the skill it entails, is treated with respect. It’s this sense of togetherness that defines the region, working as one to fulfil its role as chief supplier of an increasingly demanding industry, giving players around the world the tools to express themselves. The home of cricket? Maybe not, but we wouldn’t have much of a game without it.
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Top technolog y and experienced machinist s put Gray-Nicolls softs right at the top of the pile.
Technology is embraced. In the Softs department we find a laser plotter, clearly a big investment, cutting patterns for all kinds of soft goods. The pinpoint accuracy of machines like this allows more efficient use of raw materials, keeping wastage to a minimum.
Just as with bats, softs production is organised and tidy. The whirr of the sewing machines in the background is constant, while stacks of gloves fill the shelves of the packing room. Every item is given one last check for quality before being bagged up ready for distribution.
O U T S TA N D I N G H E R I TA G E OVER 150 YEARS OF EXPERTISE IN E VERY BAT. PL AYING WI TH A GRAY-NICOLL S ISN’T JUS T A PLEASURE, IT’S A PRIVILEGE.
Words: Rich Harries Photography: Rob Passmore
THE DREAMS OF YOUTH
WE HEAR TALES OF CRICKET AT EVERY TURN – ON EVERY STREET CORNER AND EVERY UNUSED PIECE OF L AND BIG ENOUGH TO SWING A BAT. AND OF A G A M E T H A T C O N T I N U E S T O H A V E I N D I A I N I T S G R I P. THE DREAMS OF YOUTH
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Comparable only to the love of football in Europe or South America, we were keen to see it for ourselves. In Raipur-Rasulpar, a village on the edge of Jalandhar in the heart of the agricultural region, you’ll find a small government-run school with approximately 150 students that offers a free education to its young attendees. It’s not an affluent area by any means, but education is taken seriously and seen as education should be – a way to better yourself. We also heard that its students enjoyed the odd playground game. Never ones to turn up empty handed to a party, we brought with us everything they’d need to get a proper game going, so faced with plenty of eager participants, we dish out the gear and make the courtyard our Oval, albeit it an odd-shaped one. A couple of overs in, we were reminded that this is real grass roots cricket at its best – we’d brought genuine joy via a couple of bats, some stumps and a quick pick-up game. Despite not having the same stature as Harbhajan Singh, we were doing our bit. The day before we’d been to the Harbhajan Singh Institute of Cricket, an academy set up by India’s most successful off-spin bowler to allow members the access and opportunity to play cricket.
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Grass roots cricket at its best – we’d brought genuine joy via a couple of bats, some stumps and a quick pick-up game.
It's a loaded on side field for this teacher as the kids join in on an impromptue game in the school's court yard. Not to be outdone by the turning brick wicket he slots a six to the roof. Not sure they play six 'n' out over here but the crowd enjoyed it!
Next to a line of trees casting much-needed shade in the sweltering, early afternoon sun, a group of teenagers were practising their batting and bowling in the six-net setup. Two synthetic, two grass and two dirt, they were being watched by their coach, Ankur, who explained to us that they train for several hours, six days a week. He also noted that they were a bit light on numbers because they’d already played a game that morning. It was clear to see that these lads were good, with sharp pace bowling and a spinner who was tossing up some obscene deliveries. The batsmen, not to be outdone, were playing some great strokes, with solid defensive play and the odd wayward delivery being “dealt with”. These members of the academy have one thing on their mind – making it as pros, and even representing India. Some will make it, some won’t. But that’s sport.
Head Coach SP Krishnan, with over forty years in cricket and 25+ national and international cricketers accredited to him, sets up a game for the younger members of HSIC, it's all about participation at this age range, creating the opportunity for the youngsters to play and learn the foundations.
Cries of “Shabash, Shabash” could be heard from the much younger players competing in an adjacent game. Under the watchful eye of the squad members from the mornings game, players hit the nets with gusto in the afternoon heat. These guys are chasing careers as professional cricketers and their commitment is notable, practicing six days a week. No names but one of these faces may be gracing a TV screen in the not so distant future.
Cries of “Shabash, Shabash” could be heard from the much younger players competing in an adjacent game. It’s all about participation at this age and giving youth the opportunity to play the game in a well organised and inclusive environment. There’s a real range of ages, from a young lad nearly as big as his equipment bag, to older members possessing the maturity and physical attributes to lead the way. The whole scene was really positive and encouraging; the smiling faces couldn’t hide that there was nowhere else they’d rather be, and the playing numbers that would leave many a club back home envious reinforced it.
Ankur Sondhi keeps a watchful eye on the older members of the academy, offering up advice on technique and actions. Ankur speaks english to us wiith a thick Barnsley accent: a legacy of his 12 years playing cricket in the Lancashire leagues.
We arrived knowing only half of what to expect from the state of cricket in India. The rest we had to decipher for ourselves. But we didn’t have to look far – the reality, it seems, is that the game is universally loved with indisputable passion at the game’s every level. From the youngsters hoping to realise their dreams, to the unwavering support for teams at the top tier, which is undoubtedly helped by the draw of the IPL and the dynamic, exciting cricket it produces. What is clear is that, like most kids the world over who dream of being the next Ronaldo or Messi, in India it’s Kohli, Dhoni or maybe even Stokes. So they must be doing something right.
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Words: Andy Pitt Photography: Rob Passmore
Turning Heads Ian Connell and Julian ‘Stan’ Stansfield were the main drivers that shaped Puma cricket to be what it is today. Puma, if you weren’t aware, is one of the longeststanding sports brands in the game, having helped to create and develop new technologies and ideas that are now widely used in the cricket industry. But how is it that a sportswear brand ended up being a market leader within such a traditional manufacturing market where so many others have failed?
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We met with Ian and Julian at Puma’s head office on the South Bank in London to find out how their drive to create the best cricket product possible led to turning the heads of the old guard and opening up the market to other sportswear brands. The first major point in Puma Cricket’s evolution took place in Australia, when renowned bat maker Julian Millichamp, he of Millichamp and Hall fame, agreed to produce a line of bats in collaboration
Puma used their expertise as a sports brand, rather than a cricket company, to maximise their assets. “We made his gloves bright orange so they were highly visible, and obviously that made him stand out.” With the fashion arm of the business significantly outperforming the sport side, Puma were especially eager to make their mark on the game. “It gave us an opportunity to go back into team sports properly and make the product all about performance rather than fashion.”
"We spent an hour in a pub with Julian talking about what makes the perfect bat and that was my cricket education, I learnt more in that hour than I have in 15 years of working within the industry." with the Big Cat. From then on the relationship flourished as Aussie trio Adam Gilchrist, Mark Taylor, and Michael Bevan brandished the bats. Not long later, it was the lone name of Puma Cricket on the stickers, with Adam Gilchrist being the first player to use a solely Puma-branded bat. Ian discussed their first UK-based range that stemmed from working with Julian Millichamp. “It was the classic range, the traditional M&H shape. We spent an hour in a pub with Julian talking about what makes the perfect bat. That was my cricket education – I learnt more in that hour than I have in 15 years of working within the industry.” Gilchrist became key for Puma, his all-action style as a keeper-batsman drawing attention to the gear he used. Every big hit, every big catch – it was all good exposure. Ian explained that this was where
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Puma took their opportunity, mimicking the football market by providing something different to their customers rather than the same products being churned out year on year by other manufacturers. “We tried to cater for young, exciting cricketers that just were not getting the service from the guys that had been doing it for over a hundred years.”
Ian was Head of Team Sport product but, prior to starting the cricket side of the business, hadn’t designed for almost five years. “From a design point of view, cricket was great to get your teeth into. It’s gloves, it’s pads, it’s bats – it’s very sexy.” Nonetheless, as Stan goes on to explain, it was Ian’s design expertise that created Puma’s innovative approach. “Ian would look at a pad and say: ‘That’s the same pad as 10 other brands, just with a different logo on’. We pushed the boundaries of how the traditional cricket glove or pad would look. We were trying to make cricket cool – but Puma cricket even cooler.” Eager to be taken seriously, Stan and Ian thought that by doing something new, people would take notice. It was all about credibility. “We had to be clear that there was performance under the surface. We had great assets, but when you put
"We tried to cater for young exciting cricketers that were just not getting the service from the guys that had been doing it for over a hundred years."
the product on, it moved as you moved. We paid massive attention to that.” Puma manufacture some of the best soft goods in the market, which they do by sticking to their guns and ignoring what others are doing. Ian got his inspiration in a slightly different way than you might imagine. “My background was cars. I would spend months driving up and down the motorway, looking at car headlights, as I think they are an astonishing piece of design. I also thought that cricket was an asymmetric game – everything is done one-handed, it’s not symmetrical like football. This made us stand out and look different but in an unobvious way.”
surgeon while working on goalkeeping, which allowed me to think differently and implement the same thought process into cricket product.” Functionality of the product is the most important part to gain credibility with pros and customers.
Puma manufacture some of the best soft goods in the market and they did this by sticking to their guns and ignoring the rest of the market.
The free movement of the hand in the glove is something that Ian and Stan paid huge attention to. “The human hand moves in so many ways dynamically that there is a huge amount of design required for a glove. I spent time with a hand
Puma used the brand to smash their way into the cricket market, but it was Ian’s design expertise combined with Stan’s cricket knowledge that helped them to ensure they were in it for the long run. Adding a carbon fibre handle to their first bat exemplifies what sets them apart, even now: having the courage to innovate in a pastoral game that has always been traditional.
Ian and Stan, both from different backgrounds in Puma came together and revolutionised cricket and how it was perceived by big established sports brands and the next generation of cricket.
Looking beyond cricket for inspiration and taking a much fresher approach and a product designers eye to the task of creating a range and styling it. Form follows function, yes, but it can look good too. Brighter colourschemes, these guys. Asymetric designs, these guys. Multitextured and patterned grips, these guys and yes those pink and yellow tricks spikes all the youth team seem to want, these guys.
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P O W E R P L AY TAKE CHARGE OF EVERY OVER WITH THE 2017 EVOPOWER 1 SE FROM PUMA.
Words: Andy Pitt Photography: Rob Passmore
PROUDLY MADE IN INDIA INDIAN ST YLE CRICKE T BATS HAVE INFLUENCED MANY PL AYERS AND BAT MAKERS AROUND THE WORLD IN RECENT YEARS.
The style has become all the rage, with cricketers wanting to look down at their bat and see large bows, big edges and full profiles, which they know will help them clear the rope with ease. And at the forefront of this style is a company that have helped shape it, both literally and figuratively: Sareen Sports Industries.
bow to western methods of bat manufacturing, instead sticking to what they know: skilled bat makers with many years of experience and expertise, crafting some of the very best bats in the world by hand. As for evidence that they’re the best? Well, you need look no further than some of the pros that choose to use them. We’re talking about the likes of MS Dhoni, Kumar Championing tradition over Sangakkara, Kieron Pollard and convention, Sareen do not Moeen Ali, to name but a few.
Jatin's office has bats on display from many pros around the world, signed with messages of thanks. It's like a who's who of well known players, past and present. A quick game of guess whose bat that was ended with us giving up at around twenty! Not a bad customer list to have. Just when we thought there couldn't be anymore, Jatin opens one more cupboard, which was also rammed, to show us one more bat. Is this the best bat collection in the world? Could be.
"My father started collecting the cricket bats on his travels and I have carried on the tradition, people are always fascinated by all of the different types and brands that we have collected over time." So being invited to Sareen Sports Industries in Meerut, India, to see the expert production line first-hand was an opportunity that we just couldn’t pass up. And our guide for the day? None other than the owner of the company himself, Jatin Sareen. If we had any questions about where the passion and drive behind the company came from, they were soon answered. This is a man who has cricket in his blood, who, along with his father, has a cricket bat collection to rival any in the world: “My father started collecting the cricket bats on his travels and I have carried on the tradition,” he explained while showing us some of the vast collection that adorned the whole wall of the Sareen boardroom. “People are
always fascinated by all of the different types and brands that we have collected over time.” Count us in that number too, Jatin. We could have spent the majority of the day picking up every single one of those bats whilst listening to him talk about the ins and outs of his special signed bat collection. But there was so much more to see. Once we had peeled ourselves away from the Slazengers, Hunts County and Duncan Fearnleys of years gone by, Jatin lead us out through the manufacturing space and into the huge warehouse. Here they separated their English and Kashmir willow cricket bats, ready for delivery. The Kashmir Willow bats are generally for the
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Tools of their trade, this Adze is the tradional tool used for shaping the blades of the bats, the equivelant in the UK is the draw knife. The final shaping is done with a wooden plane, made by the bat maker, whilst they clamp the blade against a choc with their body weight. A notably simple yet effective way of holding it steady with little need for metal vices or work benches. Traditional tiffin boxes hold the workers lunch, cleverly shelved on a stack of clefts waiting to be shaped, with clean clothing hung in a similar way. The factory floor was full of simple solutions and life hacks passed on from worker to worker.
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Indian market and we were told that they can produce up to 200,000 per year, where as they produce around half that number in English willow cricket bats. All of Sareen’s English willow, like many manufacturers around the world, is sourced directly from the legendary willow supplier JS Wrights, who are based near Chelmsford in the UK. Just the sheer quantity of material on site was astonishing, with huge stacks of willow from floor to ceiling as far as the eye could see in some rooms. It also became abundantly clear why Sareen are one of the largest cricket bat manufacturers in the world, with a staggering number of employees working on the cricket bat production lines. As we strolled around the work floors with Jatin, we mentioned the difference in their production methods compared to other bat manufacturers that we had visited. “It is entirely different,” he responded, keenly. “We have kept it very traditional. We do not want to change. Other people talk about machines, but I believe that completely handmade is the best way to do it.”
"We have kept it very traditional we do not want to change."
The bat makers we witness mostly worked from the floor, using traditional tools and production methods. It was a much simpler and less mechanic process than we were used to seeing. However, it was incredible to see first-hand the skill and artistry that was involved in completely shaping a bat by hand. We also witnessed the impressive process of handle making for the first time, where the cane is glued and bound together and then expertly shaped using lathes to get a perfectly rounded shape. As such a popular brand with the pros, we asked Jatin if it was hard to please all of the players that he provides bats for, to which he laughed: “No, I love working with the players, I don’t have any difficulty trying to keep them happy. The only fussy players are the West Indian guys as they want to look cool and flashy with the stickers that they use.” Upon seeing the process in full flow and the gorgeous bats that were created as a result, it became instantly obvious to us why so many other brands source their cricket bats from Sareen. The quality and skill of their bat makers was exceptional and we were told that it takes years of practice before they get it right. Jatin explained that there are four grades of training before a bat maker can produce the top end bats, and it takes over five years before he is happy that they are fully trained and capable of producing bats that are considered the best of the best. To our western eyes, the methods used within the Sareen factory may have appeared rudimentary and even – dare we say it – a bit unsophisticated, but there is no denying that they are incredibly effective and the bats they produce are truly among the finest in the world.
TON UP POWER YOUR WAY IN TO TRIPLE DIGITS WITH TON BATS, FOR PL AYERS WHO SEE MAKING A HUNDRED AS ONLY THE S TART OF AN INNINGS.
A Perfect Union Man and machine.
Words: James Gingell Photography: Chris Quick
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"The cricket bat, like no other piece of sporting equipment, is a union of man and nature."
Previous Page: Man and machine. Phil holds a degree in sports material science so knows his raw willow, and as an engineer he also knows how to utilise the “brain” in that little black machine. Together they are responsible for the bat you pick up at the weekend and hopefully score runs with.
The use of CAD in the production of the bats means that total accuracy can be achieved. By being able to 3D model and run machining programs it’s possible to check every last detail down to the millimetre. Incidentally, that's Quinton de Kock's new Neon bat being measured up there.
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Pick up a new blade, sniff its toe, peer down its edges. Every grain is a line of the ancient song of the earth, a chorus of elemental power. Every angle, every curve a triumph of perfect engineering. The cricket bat, like no other piece of sporting equipment, is a union of man and nature. For some batmakers, that partnership has remained sacrosanct; they use hand-tools and toil, and not much more. Others, meanwhile, have embraced advances in technology and welcomed computers into the workshop. Nine years ago, Gunn & Moore were the first to invest in computer aided design and manufacture for cricket bats. “It allows us to be more efficient, and more consistent,” explains Phil Tebbutt, Production Manager at GM. This is evident from the very first step of the process, where computer controlled kilns are used to extract water from the raw clefts of wood. “We’re looking for a certain moisture content. Anything lower than this makes the blades less durable.” Tebbutt knows what he’s talking about – he has a degree in sports material science. “Anything more it increases the weight.” After the kiln, the clefts are cut to length, graded and pressed. Then, after the handles are added, the computers come back into play. Here, Tebbutt shows off his pride and joy, a robot the size of a small wardrobe. As it whirrs and spins and flails its arms, a whiff of shaved wood comes pouring off. This is the new master craftsman, a machine that uses a programmed set of instructions to shape new blades with absolute precision. This is where the gorgeous wands we long to grip are made. “A hand-crafter could make any shape the machine makes. But for them to do it consistently 100 times is next to impossible. With this bit of kit the first one we do with a particular programme will be exactly the same as the last one. The only thing that varies is the weight, which depends on density of the willow itself.” The speed is remarkable. Two chunks of wood are loaded on to the machine at once, and four minutes later, twin bats emerge, with identical slim shoulders, steepling swells and burly edges. “It’s a five-axis machine,” says Tebbutt, with a fatherly hand on its top. “Which means that in addition to up, down, left and right, you’ve got the table moving as well. It reduces the manufacturing time by about 80 percent compared to a three-axis
machine.” The jargon is slightly bewildering, but the gist is clear: he wasn’t joking about greater efficiency and consistency. There is still room for hand-working, even at GM. Rounding the edges, binding the handle, and smoothing out imperfections all require manual attention. In addition, pro players often come into the factory with ideas for improvements, and will work with a hand-crafter to achieve their desired shape through painstaking iteration. Once the player is happy, though, the dimensions of the new bat are measured, a new programme is written, and the power of the machine means that the bespoke design can be faithfully replicated again and again. Tebbutt loves the feeling of bringing together man and machine to develop a natural product from rough-hewn chunk of wood, to a marvel of modern sports science. He says it’s a little like playing god, before cursing his own pretension and settling on something a little more modest. “It’s so satisfying to tinker with the instruments that players go out and use on weekends. It’s nice to feel part of their story.”
“It’s so satisfying to tinker with the instruments that players go out and use on weekends. It’s nice to feel part of their story.”
This CAM machine means that GM can in theory make a bat from start to finish in 35 minutes (if you take out drying times), and what’s more, it’ll be absolutely identical to the one before and after in shape. If you want a bat from three years ago they can do that too – just call up the old script for that model and away you go.
In the back of Phil's office sits a row of bats leaning up against the wall. Never afraid to look ahead and embrace technology, there's an old Dennis Lillee aluminium bat. And that black bat? That was made several years ago for white ball cricket, but it was too far ahead of its time and never made it to production. In light of the Big Bash League ruling, maybe it's time to try again Phil?
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MADE IN NOTTINGHAM PURE CLASS FROM GUNN & MOORE
Photography: Chris Quick
THE MAKING OF GUNN & MOORE Where the magic happens. The five-axis SOAM CNC machine that takes a willow cleft in and passes out a bat. This customengineered machine with multiple plane heads and drill cutters, made to the specifications of Gunn & Moore, is the heart and soul of the GM factory. It ensures that every bat is exactly the same shape as the next one in the range. This ability to manufacture blades to exacting measurements and shapes means GM can utilise technology and science to create the best bats possible, maximising performance, minimising waste and reducing production time. As they say "the devil is in the detail".
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AS MANY AS 3,500 CLEFTS ARE LOADED INTO THE WOOD KILN FOR 4-6 WEEKS TO GET THE WILLOW TO THE DESIRED MOIS TURE CON TEN T. THIS AUTOMATED PROCESS HELPS TO DETERMINE THE WEIGHT OF A BAT AND ALSO HOW BRIT TLE IT IS. THE KEY IS TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN LIGHTNESS AND ROBUSTNESS OF THE FINISHED BLADE. GOING TOO LOW MIGHT MAKE THE BAT LIGHTER AND PING A LITTLE MORE BUT MEANS THE LONGEVITY OF THE BLADE IS COMPROMISED.
The grading room is an unassuming but vital part of the bat production. This operation is still reliant on man power to grade the clefts before they head into the factory. Adrian uses his 30 years of experience to visually grade the level of willow by eye, looking at grain structure, pin knots and amount of heart wood. Roughly 2 out of 100 clefts sawn make grade 1 of which only 1 of these will be an LE grade and fewer again make the grade for professional players’ bats depending on their preferences.
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The handles are added prior to the machining of the blades, a feature specific to GM's process of manufacture. Glued, tapped home and clamped in the jig for 24 hours to cure, they are then ready for the CAM machine. The handles are kept at the same moisture content as the blades to avoid the shrinkage and expansion that occurs with a natural material and reduce the chance of handle release in use. The handles are made using a process of laminating sarawak cane and cork to provide the desired level of flex and shock absorption.
EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, STACKS OF WOOD AND BATS FILL EVERY CORNER.
Nestled in the corner, a bright pink radio blasts out 6 Music laying down the soundtrack for the grading room. The radio sits atop a stack of clefts deemed to be at the top end of the pecking order, kept separately ready to be allocated to various players around the world. There's something about a lovely piece of willow that every cricketer will appreciate whether UK, subcontinent, Australasia or South Africa-based.
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British manufacturing is important to GM. Keeping bat manufacturing in the UK by embracing technology means they can preserve an industry and maintain a workforce with the desired skillset for the future. Consistency is key: ensuring the clefts can be shaped quickly and accurately means less waste and more efficient working practices.
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A cleft with a handle goes in and a cricket bat comes out. To all intents and purposes, it really is that simple. Bats are checked and finished by hand, maintaining the reputation for quality that GM is famed for. It takes about four minutes to shape a pair of bats, and with such a huge amount of willow passing through these finals stages, the workers are certainly kept busy.
Every detail is taken care of and proudly executed, from the final sanding and polishing to the boning of the edges. All done by hand and checked by eye. Despite the obvious use of modern technology on the factory floor, there is still that human touch that takes your willow blade from the well-engineered piece of sports equipment that it is, to the beautifully smooth piece of art you long for.
The finished article in all its glory. The distinctive GM markings that grace every bat are a symbol of quality and a strong history of bat making. To bear this mark is to be coveted the world over. Gunn & Moore, Nottingham, England – a vital pillar in British and world cricket.
For a company that produces this many bats, half a dozen repairs and refurbs in the corner is good going. Traditional methods of gluing and binding with cord along with the odd well-placed wedge and clamp ensure these bats come out ready to grace the crease all over again.
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Words: Rich Harries Photography: Rob Passmore
Built Better Chase is a story about how opportunity met an engineer with a passion for cricket. How a drink in a bar led to creating bespoke machines and beautifully simple solutions. And how Chase went from being sold out of the boot of a car to winning awards. Dan Swaine and his wife Julie Swaine took over the ownership and the running of Chase in 2007 from ex-England superstar Robin Smith, having worked for the company since 2005. They promptly invested their life savings in new machinery and secured a willow contract with JS Wright, effectively safeguarding British bat manufacture in what is unfortunately a declining industry. Sounds like a predictable parable – couple takes over company. Invests in it. Makes it a success. But this is only half of a somewhat unlikely story. Chase’s biggest asset is Dan himself, who comes from an extraordinary engineering background; he is the product of a seven-year MOD apprenticeship working on the Trident missile project. It’s little wonder, then, having worked with nuclear warheads, that Dan’s approach to
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bat making is mathematical and scientific and practical. “It’s in need of a service, the bearings are a little rattly,” Dan admits, referring to a bat knocking-in machine he invented 10 years ago, which he describes as the lifeblood of the factory. To us it’s just a combination of air rams, worm screws and some wizardry in a box we don’t understand. It runs
solidly from dawn till dusk in its soundproofed box dishing out 6,000 hits in a 45-minute session – the equivalent of about five hours of knocking-in by hand – and its muted thumping provides the soundtrack to the factory floor. Knowing what we now know about Dan’s background, we feel conflicted. We’re fascinated that he either invents or modifies all of his own machines, but would we be disappointed if he didn’t? Either way, we’re impressed. It’s Dan’s expertise in designing custom solutions that distinguishes him from other bat makers. We head over to another machine that rough-shapes clefts of willow into blades. It has a double-head spindle motor and spring-loaded heads and is by all intents and purposes a giant router, “but a bit more dangerous,” Dan grins. “I don’t know whether I’m nervous exposing this machine too much,” he muses. “I’m worried about people copying it.” We can’t blame him for being precious – at its most basic level it’s intellectual property, which deserves to be protected. His knowledge of engineering – being able to look at a tool that does one thing and customise it to do another – is an almost irreplaceable attribute in this business. Personal touches to machines are all over the factory. A sander made from scratch; retro-fitted hydraulic clamps; custom-moulded carbon fibre plates for the pressing machine that was originally bought from Salix but tweaked to suit Dan’s requirements. As Dan discusses how he carries out the servicing on all of his machines to keep running costs down, the conversation strays onto economics and his advocacy of English bat making. “Despite costs, I’m adamant we should be making more bats in this country, [it’s] very disappointing. I was gutted to see some manufacturers going abroad.” It’s a complicated subject and despite it being a rather sad but inevitable consequence of
Dan explains the machine that he's modified to do the rough shaping of the Chase bats, using a finback shape. It's brilliantly simple, using two spring-loaded cutting heads that follow a predetermined template - a giant router by all intents. Just don't get your hands caught, he jokes!
globalisation, he and Chase are proof that with some clever thinking manufacturing in the UK is still a viable option. Before our visit is over, we ask Dan what made him make the jump from servicing warheads to making bats. “A beer in Basingstoke” came his unflinching response, fully prepared as we were for it to be a complicated one. While obviously confident in his convictions, it represented perfectly Dan’s humble and self-effacing character and therefore that of Chase’s. As he says on the company website, Chase may not be able to guarantee your wicket but they can guarantee your willow. This knocking-in device in its soundproof box is in constant use. Designed by Dan, this bespoke machine provides the equivalent of five hours of knocking-in by hand in a fraction of the time. This unique bit of kit is a real feather in the cap for Chase with every bat made getting strapped in for preparation.
Invented ten years ago, this machine could be described as the lifeblood of the factory. Running solidly from dawn till dusk in its soundproofed box, it provides the soundtrack to the factory floor. On the press is another clue to Dan's engineering past; rather than using old bits of carpet to rest the blade level, as witnessed in many bat factories, we find a carbon fibre mould to hold the blade in place. Each model in the range has its own custom mould to fit its specific shape.
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Words: Ben Brown Photography: Rob Passmore
One on One: Sam Billings Delhi Daredevils’ trailblazing opening bat talks life on the subcontinent, heat survival skills, and the smoking cauldron that is the Indian Premier League. You had some good individual performances in the IPL this year, even though it wasn’t the best tournament for Delhi Daredevils. What was your experience being over there again, being more of an overseas player and being the main focus of the team? It was a different role. Obviously losing Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy is two massive players and two world class performers [out of the side], so it gave me a bit more responsibility at the top of the order, a role that I’ve kind of been thrust into the last year or so. I’m still adapting to that, especially in Twenty20 cricket in different conditions. It was a great experience – playing in that kind of intensity is the closest thing to international cricket. Performance-
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wise I did quite well, I got a lot of starts and one 50, but didn’t go on to get the really big score that everyone wants in Twenty20, which was a bit frustrating. Still, it’s been another brilliant winter, I’ve had great opportunities around the world and done pretty well when I have had the opportunity. I’ve definitely improved as a cricketer. You’ve just played six months of international cricket, and then the IPL. That’s a lot of games against top opposition – it must be satisfying knowing that you can compete with the best players in the world. Of course. And knowing your game can stand up in different conditions. The challenges you face in Australia are very different to India, and India
is very different to England. Every place you go there are different challenges, and knowing that you’re a good enough player to adapt quickly and perform whatever the competition and whatever’s put in front of you is definitely pleasing. It gives you the confidence to just go out and play. The fans are notoriously passionate in the IPL – it’s a level up from anywhere else. How do you cope with that? To be honest I much prefer the packed houses and the noise, because you just soak it up. I think you have to soak it up. It’s a great atmosphere to be a part of – it’s as good as anywhere in the world, playing cricket in India. So, for me, it’s not really a coping mechanism, you just feed off that energy from the crowd. At certain times you do need to turn yourself down a little bit and relax a bit more, as opposed to getting too revved up. That’s the only challenge. But as I said, it is amazing to feed off it and try to use it to your advantage. When the star players walk out the noise seems to go up another notch again. The reception some of these guys get is enough to make your ears bleed. Yeah, it is pretty loud [laughs]. When Dhoni walks to the crease, when Kohli walks to the crease, the noise around the ground is just unbelievable – it’s deafening. It’s a bit different to Canterbury with 5,000 people! I’m very lucky to have this opportunity, to play in front of 30,000 people, minimum, in the IPL. In county cricket you pencil in the diary Lord’s or the Oval for the group stages of the Twenty20 every year, that’s 22 or 23,000, and that atmosphere is as good as any. But the IPL is fantastic. Every single game is loud, it’s busy, it’s hectic, and it’s great to be a part of.
How do you deal with the heat? You have to be fitter nowadays. The intensity, the amount you play, the travelling. It does take it out of you, and the fitter you are, there’s no doubt about it, it gives you more chance to perform under pressure. The two areas where the game’s changed dramatically over the last 10 years are the fielding and the fitness levels. And you see the athleticism everyone possesses now. Catches like Ben Stokes [against Delhi], Guptill [against Mumbai]. That’s just two that come to mind, but there are several examples you could point to that really are special efforts. It keeps evolving the game – Virat Kohli is single-handedly changing the face of cricket, not only in India but in the world, really pushing that fitness aspect and the importance of training.
"I'm probably the palest guy in the IPL - apart from Stokesy!" You’re in the England squad for the South Africa series. What are your ambitions for the summer? I’ve just got to be ready whenever the opportunity arises, whether it’s the first match or a couple of games down the line. Maybe a crunch game in the Champions Trophy. You never know when you might have to be ready. I’ve put the hard work in, and I’m going to continue working hard on my keeping, my batting, and my fielding. I thought I kept really well in the Ireland games, I was really pleased with how that went, it was just a shame I didn’t get as many runs as I would have liked. You look at the players we’ve got, it’s an excellent squad, and I think it’s great for the ODI team and the white-ball stuff to really take centre stage in a home summer. We’re raring to go, ready for it to all kick off.
Full of expression, Sam is at ease in the IPL and in front of the camera. Good job too – having just been named in the England ICC Trophy squad he's going to be getting a lot more attention on home soil.
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Photography: Rob Passmore, Alex Thornton, Andy Pitt, Rich Harries
BELIEVE THE HYPE IT'S SHOWTIME ON THE 1 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y O F T H E INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE. We take a raw, on-the-fly look at the IPL, now in its tenth season. It has undeniably changed the face of cricket for ever. A candid view of Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkota Knight Riders - a 4pm game in the searing heat of the day.
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PUT A LID ON IT PROTECT WHAT MAT TERS WITH SHREY
Words: Jack Vittles Photography: Rob Passmore
Football Money England’s tearaway paceman Tymal Mills doesn’t see himself as a global cricket star, but the evidence suggests otherwise.
The 24-year-old was snapped up for £1.4m by Royal Challengers Bangalore in February’s auction for this year's 10th edition of the Indian Premier League, making him one of the most valuable players in the world. In a sport less touched by commercialism than others, Mills’s headline grabbing deal led some to believe cricket could see football level sums of money being exchanged in the future. “My phone didn’t stop ringing the whole two days after the auction,” admits Mills. In a previous era Mills would now be a retired cricketer left to contemplate his options away from the game he came to love. Struck down with a debilitating spinal condition in 2014, Mills feared he would never again bowl a ball in anger let alone be capable of bowling at 94mph. Still only 24, and with his best years ahead of him, Mills was a late bloomer and didn’t discover cricket until a decade ago when he filled in for his friend’s team aged 14. “I was quick when I was younger, but the ball would go everywhere – beamers, wides, no balls. But I got better and played for Essex and went through their academies into the first team,” recalls Mills.
Before his injury limited him to only playing T20 cricket, Mills had a modest first class record and it was the suckerpunch of being told he should retire which galvanised the fast bowler. “I was offered to retire at 22, that was obviously not nice to hear. It took a bit of time to get back playing and get over the apprehension that I might get injured. But I haven’t and now I’m fully focused on T20s, it gives me plenty of opportunities.” It certainly does, with Mills plying his trade in both the Big Bash League in Australia and the Pakistan Super League this winter. So does Mills think the ECB should also embrace franchise T20 cricket? “The current T20 is good, we get great crowds at Sussex. But from a selfish point of view I want to play
The former Essex man now calls Brighton his home, playing his cricket for Sussex Sharks at Hove's County Ground. The oldest first class county club embraces the modern era with the T20 specialist.
in the biggest tournaments, if that’s in England then great. If there is change it won’t please everyone.” For Mills, whose earliest cricketing memory is the 2005 Ashes series, it has been surreal to train alongside some of the superstars of the modern game. “I’ve not quite got my head around it yet. The guys you always associate with being big names have played
80 or 100 Tests – AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli. “I’m just a 24-year-old punter who’s played a few times for England, I don’t see myself as this big signing.” Mills may well be the richest cricketing punter going after his historic IPL contract and as he continues to progress it’s hard to bet against him becoming one of the leading T20 global superstars.
Previous page: Looking out from the main pavilion at Eaton Road. Right in the heart of the community, just over a stone’s throw from the sea, overlooked by houses and flats, there's nowhere to hide come game day. Tymal watches on as he waits his turn for a spell during a typical sunny but crisp early season training session. Only able to bowl for limited periods, he makes every ball count. Training is a focused blend of exercises and drills designed specifically for him.
Attack the ball, crouch, pick up and throw – the principles are the same whether you're worth £1.4 million or gunning for a run out down on the beach. Tymal throws with his right, but bowls with his left. Unorthodox, but clearly effective!
Words: Phil Boyd Photography: The Barmy Army
THEY'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY THE BARMY ARMY HAVE COME A LONG WAY FROM PERCEIVED DRUNKARDS, RENEGADES AND NE'ER-DO-WELLS IN ADELAIDE DURING THE FOURTH TEST IN JANUARY 1995 TO WHERE THEY ARE NOW.
The Barmy Army, as the name suggests, and as given by the Australain Media, is full of charactors. Now with its own signature beer, it will surely recruit a few more. Paul Burnham (in the purple paper hat) is sure to have his hands full.
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Andrew Strauss in full flow as England captain, leading the charge in front of the flag-laden stands. Now Director of Cricket for the ECB, he still has a key role in the success of the national team and the happiness of the Barmy Army.
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Save for a few traditionalists who think that a trumpet has no place in the game, they are now an accepted part of the cricket establishment. Through charity work and its active discouragement of anti-social behaviour, Barmy has built a commendable reputation among cricket administrators and opposing fans, becoming the respected face of the England fan over land and sea, home and away. Whether they attend in their thousands at the MCG on a scorching hot Boxing Day or number 50-or-so battle-hardened souls at a muggy and damp Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Barmy are always there. In the darkest depths of an English winter’s night, as the wind and the sleet rattle in protest against the frozen windows, there’s something wonderfully warming and reassuring about turning under the duvet with TMS closeby on the radio to hear somewhere far, far away the call of Billy Cooper’s trumpet bringing the red-faced faithful together for one last glorious chorus of that Mitchell Johnson song.
to drink and have fun. People have come and gone for whatever reason, but Barmy is still led from the top by the same faces, bolstered by new recruits keen to drink from its fun-filled fountain. Names to those faces include now-legendary names that trip off the tongues of those in the know, such as Paul "Leafy" Burnham, Dave "The General" Peacock, Mark "Chopper" Randell and the once-seen-but-never-forgotten Vic "Jimmy Saville" Flowers. Proud, steadfast and audacious, they lead over 3000 members from the front. Become an international cricketer and chances are, sooner or later, you’ll be the subject of another catchy, indiscriminate Barmy song; it doesn’t matter who you are, nobody is safe. They’re all affectionate of course, clever, yes, often hilarious and always sung in good spirit.
"It's clear the players appreciate it. Everybody seems to enjoy what the Barmy Army does, it's all part of the process."
It’s the Barmy Army. It's what they do. They sing songs, they drink to happy excess, they know exactly how to have a good time, and by god they're going to have a good time.
Whether their team of working class heroes win the Test or not, they raise the spirits of the players out in the middle. But it’s not the only thing they raise. England’s unofficial 12th man supports numerous charities, raising considerable amounts of money for good causes both at home and abroad. It almost goes without saying that many lifelong friendships have been made over the years on tour – relationships born from a shared fiendish love for the game, and maybe a shared voracity
Our moustachioed Antipodean friend, Allan Lamb, is the subject of probably the most wellknown and best-loved tune in the Barmy’s songbook, which some say helped us regain the Ashes on that very happy tour of 2011.
In contrast "The Aussies don't get any better, they still have the same songs they had seven tours ago. Our guys are fine-tuned, we could say artistes. We have a lot of fun continuing to win the song contest, and at least now we're competing in the cricket." Others single out opposing players for extra special Barmy scrutiny; Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Shaun Pollock and of course Australia's finest spinner of all time, Shane Warne, who could easily have a whole album of songs all to himself. Shane Warne's Villa (he's got his diet pills under the pilla). Genius. Warney, to his credit, always took whatever was thrown at him in great spirit and humour. And to be honest, we quite like Shane really, don't we? There's
a
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A series of snapshots in to the world of the Barmy Army, from cricketing royalty to real royalty. Either in full song or the party in full swing just remember for your own safety, please watch the ball.
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hundreds of fine songs that cover nearly every continent and tour, including a raft of Ashes Christmas Carols. We Wish You A Merry Test Match, You've Had A Bad Year is one particular favourite. Nothing gets by the Barmy Army. Always up on the latest cricketing trends, they were quick to knock out a song about the infamous Allen Stanford at the explosion of the T20 format, sung to the tune of the Pet Shop Boys’ Opportunities – (I've got the ground, you've got the players, let’s make lots of money). Many a year and tour has passed since the Barmy's inception – 22 years in fact – and the bond between the England team itself and its loyal band of brothers has matured. Sure, the group may have swelled in foot soldiers during a certain pretty cushy Ashes tour, but for some of its hardened "Special Forces", that’s too easy. Those on the front lines are always ready to tour Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. After all, it’s not always just about a jolly full of high jinks and drinking, is it? Mind you, a trip to the West Indies is an entirely different matter.
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"HE BOWL S TO THE LEF T, HE BOWL S TO THE RIGHT, THAT MI TCHELL JOHNSON, HIS BOWLING IS SHITE."
That sweet, sweet sound of victory. The Barmy Army contingent show their appreciation as the players celebrate an Ashes victory against the old enemy.
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! y m r a e h t e r We a Y!
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LUCKY 7 PETE TREGO'S SIGNATURE STYLE
Words: Ben Brown Photography: Rob Passmore
Red Inker It’s 11.30am on a blisteringly hot Monday morning, and Somerset allrounder Peter Trego is pacing back and forth, scoping out the facilities at a CrossFit gym in the middle of the east Devon countryside. Outside sits a top-of-the-range Mercedes GT, and a fully equipped tailor’s workshop has been erected in the car park. It’s far from the run-of-the-mill scenario for a cricket photo shoot, but then Peter Trego is no ordinary cricketer.
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The outfit he’s wearing is worth upwards of £50,000. Not his everyday attire, of course, but representative of an approach to fashion that stems from a pursuit of individualism over and above anything else. “I take pride in my appearance, and I have my own style. It’s not to everyone’s tastes, but when I go somewhere and I’m dressed up, I think people notice, and I do kind of get a buzz off that. It’s nice to walk into a room and you’ve got an amazing suit on – or certainly what I would perceive as an amazing suit,” he grins. For Trego though, looking good is never enough. He takes just as much pride in his performance as he does in his appearance, something that becomes abundantly clear as he swaps the suit for some shorts and immediately starts adding weight to the nearest barbell. Now in his 18th year as a professional, the 35-year-old is one of the fittest cricketers in the country, and watching his exertions in the gym – pushing himself to the limit, even in this semi-contrived environment – it’s easy to see why. “I’d like to say, over the last five years in particular, I’ve led the way [at Somerset]. A couple of years ago I can remember doing a bleep test, which is every sportsman’s worst nightmare in the winter, and I tied with Tom Abell. He was 19 or 20 at the time, and I was 34. That actually was a very proud moment for me, and I think the youngsters looked and thought ‘Geez, if one of our oldest players is that fit, I’ve got to pull my finger out’.”
“I take pride in my appearance, and I have my own style. It’s not to everyone’s tastes."
As our willing model undergoes another – less drastic this time – change of apparel, we suggest it might be time for a break. He’s having none of it; a quick swig of water later and we’re back under the bar amongst half-tonne tyres and a jungle of gymnastic rings. While some athletes dread the gym, Trego seems to genuinely enjoy it. “My love for lifting weights started when I was at school. I remember lifting weights in break time with my Geography teacher. He used to play rugby for Bristol I think, and was an amazing athlete. That was, well, 21 years ago now, so a bit of a long time.” It must get harder as you get older, we offer. “You do have to be a bit more mindful of looking after yourself if you want to continue playing professional sport. Since I turned 30, I made a real conscious effort to get myself into nick, played with different types of training, CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting, as well as the usual running and stuff that I would normally do. I’d [been playing] a lot of overseas cricket, 134
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Pete cites Clements and Church tailors as offering "amazing suits" that match his flamboyant side, whether that’s accenting a more traditional suit with a bright orange tie and leather holdall, or a grape windowpane check three-piece. One thing’s for sure, it's all in the details. A custom lining, a proper working cuff or the correct cut – these are the things that matter according to master tailor Jason Bevan.
It may seem strange bringing a bespoke tailors, a jewellers, and a top-end Mercedes-Benz to CrossFit Pi in east Devon, but somehow it all seems to fit together nicely with Pete, a guy that plays for Somerset and grew up in the South West. A local lad that's come good, wears his heart on his sleeve, says it like it is, and is a true crowd favourite.
“My love for lifting weights started when I was at school. I remember lifting weights in break time with my Geography teacher."
Never one to shy away from a challenge, it was obvious from the outset that Pete wasn't going to go through the motions of "looking like he was having a workout" – he wanted to get a full sweat on whilst the members of CrossFit Pi looked on. Deadlifts stayed on the lighter side due to a game the following day, with the addition of over-bar burpees upping the intensity.
Pete was like a kid in a sweet shop eyeing the facilities with endless options of kit and workout stations. Decked out in Bjorn Borg training garb he got right down to business doing sled runs and gymnastic work on the rig. Pete is clearly in good shape and likes to keep it that way, saying it's the key to longevity as a professional sportsman and staying injury free.
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T20 competitions, and when you go away, you’re away from your family, eating food that probably isn’t the greatest option, a few too many beers and ciders and God knows what else. I certainly felt that there was a trend happening. I started putting on a little bit of weight – I really had to sort it. But it’s not in my nature to just cut out a few things, it was ‘Right, let’s get properly fit’. And I feel great for it.” One thing that hasn’t changed with age is his love of tattoos. Again, it’s the expression of individuality that he appreciates, and that extends to the bat that took its inspiration from his own body art – the Gray-Nicolls Lucky 7. “You go into shops – and I’m a cricketer, so I love picking up other people’s cricket bats – and every other brand does a geometric square or whatever it may be, some sort of pattern, every now and then they might do it in fluorescent orange or something, and it’s like, you know what, that’s a really easy, pretty standard thing, it’s been done a thousand times before. I thought ‘Let’s try and mix it up’. Gray-Nicolls loved the idea, so I teamed up with some people who helped me along the way with the designs, and I’m very proud of both the bats, particularly the second one.” More than anything though, it’s Trego’s cricket that stands him out from the crowd. Last season he had the best strike rate – 70.74 – of any batsman to score over 1,000 runs in the County Championship’s top division. And while England’s latest crop are lauded for their refreshing tactical change and the adoption of aggressive early overs play, the Somerset man is simply doing what he’s always done. “It’s amazing really, because all the media are buzzing off the fact that they’re going in early and taking the attack to the bowlers, something that I’ve been doing for 15 years.” Does it hurt to be overlooked by the international setup? “It’s very frustrating. [In] my last game for the England Lions I got 73 off 50-odd balls and 5 for 40, and was never phoned again. I’ve broken records, I’ve won Most Valuable Players, I’ve batted all the way through innings in Champions Leagues against IPLwinning franchises, Man of the Matches and all that kind of stuff. Even if the selectors said ‘Tregs, we don’t think you’re good enough’, that would be better than just being disrespected by being ignored.” There’s no trace of arrogance here. This is simply an elite sportsman, a shining example of commitment and hard work for young players, searching for recognition in a game that’s too often guilty of underappreciating its star performers. Set aside the fancy suits, the expensive watches and the sleeve tattoos for a moment – as a cricketer, Peter Trego is one of a kind. And that, surely, is something worth celebrating.
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Words: Jim Parker Photography: Rob Passmore
King Jos They sit in the grandeur of the dining hall of King’s College. Both have fond memories of the Taunton campus. They both have the same roots in so many ways - but across vastly different generations. Jos Buttler remembers his King’s school days with fondness. Dennis Breakwell likewise. Jos has gone on to find fame and fortune as one of England’s finest and most exciting one-day cricketers. As head coach and head groundsman at King’s for many years, Dennis probably prepared some of the wickets from which Jos whacked hundreds of boundaries. The similarities do not stop there. Somerset County Cricket Club is where it all really began for both of them. Dennis, now 68, made his debut for Northamptonshire in 1969 but he moved to the County Ground four years later and was a key part of the famous Somerset team for the next decade, playing in two Lord’s finals. The slow left-arm bowler, who ended up making more than 400 first class appearances, can remember playing for Staffordshire under 11s and 12s teams and having trials with Warwickshire, Worcester and Northants. It was Northants who gave him his breakthrough into the professional game.
“At 16 I was offered a contract by Northants. I was on £7 10 shillings a week and paid £3 a week for digs. I was rich!” he said. “People now earn more in a season than we did in a career.” In the winter it was back to the real world and making TV aerials and then becoming a painter and decorator. For Jos playing for Somerset – after coming through the school, youth teams, Academy and second team ranks – was always a dream. “I was desperate to become a professional cricketer,” he says. A hard-hitting batsman and wicket-
Standing on the veranda of the classic pavilion at King’s College, Taunton, Jos surveys what lies before him, just as he did during his time at the school. The wooden boards tell the story of games won and lost, rain-affected days spent waiting, with a lot of them probably involving him.
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keeper, Jos made his first-class debut in 2009 when he replaced the injured Justin Langer. Named Young Wisden School Cricketer of the Year in 2010, he was in the England T20 squad a year later and then made his one-day international debut in 2012. He also played a crucial role in England's Champions Trophy campaign in 2013 and was also part of England's World T20 campaign in Bangladesh. His entertaining and shot-varying and creative batting won him a massive contract with the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, earning him a fair few bob more than Dennis and those TV aerials. Jos talks of his time in the same dressing room as Aussie icon Langer. “His mindset and professionalism was inspiring and intimidating. He was amazing,” said Jos. Somerset and England legend Marcus Trescothick also gets a special mention as Jos says: “He is so relaxed and a West Country boy. He is one of the kids of the dressing room.” Jos is honoured and privileged to be able to rub shoulders with some of the world’s greatest cricketing names. In the IPL the Indians have Ricky Ponting as coach and Jonty Rhodes as their fielding coach. Two of Jos’s "heroes". But he emphasises the likes of Langer and Ponting are regular guys. “Ponting is a normal bloke. He likes a beer and a laugh. They are both superstars but they are both down-to-earth.” Dennis has also been in the playing company of some of the world’s finest cricketers – Ian Botham and West Indian superstars Viv Richards and Joel Garner to name just a few. He says: “Viv and Beefy were very special. Beefy was a good all-rounder and Viv was a good batter. They made us better. Joel won us things.” He has vivid memories of clashes with Australian quick bowling legend Jeff Thomson and West Indian speedster Wayne Daniel. Times and formats have changed over the years. In Dennis’s day Sunday one-day games were squeezed in the middle of championship games and international players played more games for their home counties – and bowlers would never dive for a ball in the field! “We didn’t train. We went back
The respect between Jos and Dennis is evident, master and pupil now friends with time to listen to each other. Jos credits much of his success to Dennis – those Friday lunchtime nets and hours of coaching have helped him reach the top of the sport. Dennis says Jos was the most talented teenager he'd ever seen.
“At 16 I was offered a contract by Northants. I was on £7 10 shillings a week and paid £3 a week for digs. I was rich!”
Holding court in the very net that helped form the player he is today, passing on his knowledge to an eager next generation.
in April. It was press ups and sore legs and nets for two weeks,” said Dennis. For Jos it’s a case of cricket pretty full on all year round. He has made his name in the limited overs arena but doesn’t rule out Test cricket and competing for the batting/ keeper slot currently held by Jonny Bairstow. He says: “I have had a taste of Test cricket. You understand why it is held in such high regard. Test cricket was always going to have those moments of elation.” For him it’s a case of "performing well and keep knocking on the door". And he reckons the decision to leave Somerset and head north to Lancashire was a right one. He says: “It was a tough decision. It was a lot more of a challenge and made me grow up.” Meanwhile he is more than happy to keep racking up those world-record -breaking knocks in the one-day
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games and the IPL. He says: “That is one of the best cricket experiences I have ever had – although the team owners don’t understand you can get out first ball.” He talks of the huge crowds and team meetings with Sachin Tendulkar. Hundreds of people in hotel lobbies and thousands lining the streets to the ground. “It is very surreal,” he says. He adds: “It is great that more guys [from England] are involved. It shows where English cricket is going with the white ball.” He reckons that the IPL can only help England’s chances in the ICC Champions Trophy this summer. The side has been together for a couple of years so the championship hopes are high. “It is coming at a good time and especially being in England. We have a very good chance and we will go into it with confidence.” No doubt Dennis Breakwell will be in the crowd watching…
Sitting in front of his cricket honours shield in the school refectory, Jos recollects tales of dinner and good times at these three plank oak tables, straight out of Hogwarts, but his tale is not of fiction. Here is a guy that has combined natural talent and hard graft to get to where he is today. As a professional sportsman conditioning is important, and it’s paying off for Jos with good knocks in the IPL for Mumbai Indians this season.
HOT PROPERTY BRING THE HEAT THIS SEASON WITH KOOKABURRA’S NEW BL AZE RANGE, AS ENDORSED BY LANCASHIRE AND ENGLAND STAR JOS BUT TLER.
Words: James Gingell Photography: Chris Quick
Just a (Man's) Game? Most innovations in cricket – from coloured clothing to reverse sweeps – seem to be met with suspicion by a powerful contingent of reactionary fogeys. In the women’s game, however, they have long embraced modernity. In 2013, the women’s Ashes became a multi-format competition, with points up for grabs across all genres; it was a triumph, lending context to every fixture. When England’s men adopted a similar idea in last year’s home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the decision drew a mixture of criticism and blank indifference. This summer, while the ECB suits continue to argue over the introduction of a citybased Twenty20 competition, the women will compete in the second edition of the Kia Super League, a template for a high quality, well-attended franchise tournament. And, in November, many of the same players will compete in the first day/night Ashes Test. England’s opening batsmen, Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont, beam with pride: “It feels like we do everything first!” says
Winfield. “We had the first World Cup, before the men,” Beaumont adds, “Some people even think we invented overarm bowling.” The pace of change over the last twenty years has been extraordinary. When Charlotte Edwards first started playing for England in 1996 she had to pay for her own blazer. In 2014, with Edwards as captain, the England team became professional. “We always trained as if we were professionals”, says Heather
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Opening Page: Lauren Winfield, Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight, key cogs in England’s batting attack, talk cricket, being role models and leading the charge in the modern game.
The ECB Performance centre based at Loughborough University allows access to top class training facilities and coaching staff. Being so immersed in cricket is clearly paying dividends for this England trio and the rest of the team.
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“We always trained as if we were professionals."
Knight, Edwards’s successor. “But we also had to worry about jobs on the side. It’s great that we can tell kids they can be a professional cricketer when they grow up.”
needed boys-size gloves,” she says. “And often they didn’t have the right amount of protection.” These days, Salix make bespoke equipment to suit her needs.
Being able to concentrate solely on cricket has raised the bar, particularly in strength and conditioning. “Last week I found a bat I was using two years ago,” says Beaumont. “It felt like a toothpick in comparison to the one I use now.”
Winfield agrees that the situation is much better now: kit is made to fit all body shapes. “I’m really lucky at Gray-Nicolls,” she says. “There’s no distinction between the men’s range and the women’s range: they do the same things for Sam Billings as they do for me. But they’ll tailor anything to what I want. For me it’s a comfort thing: if you feel good and your bat picks up well you just feel a lot better going out there.”
One area that had lagged behind, though, was kit. Beaumont says that until the last few years, finding appropriate footwear had been difficult, and it was the same story with gloves: “I actually
“There’s no distinction between the men’s range and the women’s range."
Heather, Tammy and Lauren are happy to share their time at the end of a day’s training. There’s a constant hum of chat; they’re clearly happy with each other’s company and at ease in front of the camera. It’s just another day in the office for these true professionals and ambassadors of English cricket as they prepare for their assault on the coming season. The three will go off and play against each other for their respective teams before banding together to face the old enemy, Australia, for the Ashes and the first day/night test match.
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Heather Knight, tasked with taking the lead role in women’s cricket in England, listens intently during the conversation. She grasps the importance of her position – a role model, a captain, a representative of modern cricket and above all a damn good cricketer.
Behind the screens at Loughborough, looking out from the scorer’s position next to where the England players plan their approach to major tournaments. And in the distance, the field of play itself – not a bad view from the office, even on a damp early summer’s day.
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TIMELESS ELEGANCE
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COVER ART WORK
CREATED BY BRAM VANHAEREN Residing in Antwerp, Belgium, Bram Vanhaeren is 26 and a designer and maker. Besides creating colourful and energetic portraits, he’s on a mission to make positivity louder and help others stop waiting for permission to do the same. Joe and Bram are both incredibly passionate about what they do. Bram’s aim with this cover was to capture Joe’s contagious energy and portray a very confident player, someone you can rely on. The sparkle in his eyes speaks volumes. bramvanhaeren.com