Just like the numerous changes that cricket has witnessed over the years, the equipment used in the game has evolved too. From six-day Test matches to five, from 60 overs, one-day matches to 50 overs, and now T20s. In the same way, cricket bats have transformed drastically to meet the current requirements of fast-paced cricket.
Over the years, the number of bat manufacturing companies has increased immensely. With the amount of cricket being played today all over, almost every brand is well known.
Moreover, the advent of T20 cricket has increased the importance of bats, with a range of sizes and weights to play more unorthodox shots. Even the mongoose bat, a smaller version of the standard-sized cricket bat, was introduced during the third edition of IPL.
Let us take a look at some of the best cricket bat manufacturers in the world.
1. Sareen Sports Industries (SS)
Sareen Sports Industries was started in 1969 by N.K. Sareen but entered the Indian cricket market in 1976 with the launch of their SS Sunridges bat. The company exports its bats to UK, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
English willow includes different products like the SS Gladiators, SS Ton Matrix, SS Professional, and many more. There are also some special editions under the English willow named Yuvi 20/20, SIR-RICHARDS.
SS Gusty, SS Extreme, SS R-7 are some of the bats with Kashmir Willow.
SS bats have an excellent power to hit big shots and can maintain balance as well. These are handmade bats that provide good absorption capability and have thick edges. These edges are designed rounded, especially for aggressive and hard-hitting batters.
The handle is made of 12 pieces of Sarawak cane which, in a way, helps to handle powerful shots and shock absorption. A noteworthy feature of this bat is its special scale grip for better control and comfort, which makes it the first choice of many players.
Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lankan legend, used these bats almost throughout his career. Sangakkara served Sri Lanka cricket for over 15 years and has witnessed memorable wins, including a victory over India in the ICC World T20 final in 2014. Furthermore, he became the first player to score 4 consecutive centuries in the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015.
Many international cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shikhar Dhawan, etc., use different types of bats manufactured by SS. Sareen Sports Industries is indeed one of the top brands today in the market.
2. Gunn & Moore (GM)
Gunn & Moore, commonly known as GM, is a sports equipment and Apparel Company founded in 1885 by the England Test batsman ‘William Gunn’ and a local businessman ‘Thomas Moore.’ This England-based company is most recognized for manufacturing cricket bats. GM bats are exclusively made in England, and most of the county cricket players use these bats.
This company produces different bats like Mana, Paragon, Six6, Maxi, Octane, etc. The manufacturers of GM make all their 125 years of experience count while crafting their cricket bats.GM bats are made of the latest materials and come with innovative and extraordinary designs. The face of GM bats is flat, and their edges are massive up to 38mm. Also, the pick-up of GM bats is surprisingly light with concentrated power.
Sarah Taylor, the wicketkeeper batswoman who is known for her serene batting, prefers using GM bats. Debuting at the early age of 21 in all the game formats, Sarah scored an emphatic century in her very first ODI and showed the world that she was here to stay. Now for the last decade or so, Sarah remains a vital member of her side despite taking a break from international cricket earlier this year.
International Players like Corey Anderson, Quinton De Kock, James Vince, Ross Taylor, Jenny Gun, Amy Jones, etc., prefer using GM bats. Gun & Moore certainly make it to the top 5 when it comes to crafting the bats.
3. Kookaburra Sport
Kookaburra is an Australian sports equipment company named after the company founder AG Thompson’s pet Kookaburra, a member of the Australian Kingfisher family. The company, established in 1890, is famous for producing cricket balls for the One Day Internationals and Test matches, but it is also known for its bats.
A notable feature of Kookaburra bats is they are handmade and not machine manufactured. Kookaburra includes different types, namely, Kahuna, Dynasty, Storm, Onyx, Ghost. The features of these bats vary in many aspects; however, the Kookaburra market is ruled by Kahuna.
These bats are made of the highest grade willow, which is naturally air-dried after harvesting. The design is hand-crafted and delivers the optimum power pick-up ratio. Bat’s dynamic power-shaped face enhances the scope for explosive strokeplay.
The bat's handle is made of a 12 piece Sarawak cane, and the edges are square-shaped. Despite having a huge profile, one feature that separates Kookaburra from all others is that it is amazingly light in weight.
AB de Villiers, the former captain of South Africa’s One Day and Test teams, uses the Kookaburra Kahuna bat with which he has played so many unforgettable knocks. De Villiers, though his batting, has won games single-handedly for his country. He has so much passion for this game, which eventually showed in the heartbreaking semifinal of the ICC World Cup 2015 against hosts New Zealand.
As it is an Australian-based manufacturer, Kookaburra bats are mostly used by Australian players. Some of them are Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Glenn Maxwell, Justin Langer, Michael Hussey, and Chris Rogers. The varieties of willows have also attracted well-known international players like Martin Guptill, Ian Bell, Jos Buttler, etc. Kookaburra, with its own features, is one of the best in the world in producing bats.
4. Spartan Sports
Spartan Sports is another Australian company that markets a wide range of sports products and equipment. Spartan, unlike others, develops a range of bats in conjunction with cricketers, including MS Dhoni, Chris Gayle, Eoin Morgan, Michael Clarke, and Viv Richards. Some of those are the MC Legacy Limited Edition Bat dedicated to former Australian captain Michael Clarke, the MSD7 Limited Edition Bat in the name of India’s limited-overs captain, MS Dhoni, and Chris Gayle’s the Boss Full-Size Bat.
These bats are designed in an excellent manner that has the ability to fulfill the demands of modern cricket. The face of bats is flat with a slight curvature, whereas the toe is like a square shape to increase the hitting area. It has a maximum edge thickness. The handle of Spartan bats is round with nine pieces of cane and rubber to deliver the finest grip.
MS Dhoni, the only captain in the world to win all the ICC trophies, has tasted quite some success during his captaincy tenure. Spartan is his companion in all his cricketing endeavors so far.
Also, other players like Andre Russell, Joe Burns, David Weise, etc., prefer this brand. The weight of these bats is a little bit on the heavier side, but their other features certainly make them one of the best in the world.
5. Sanspareils Greenlands (SG)
Sanspareils Greenlands, mostly known as SG, is a leading manufacturer of cricket equipment in the world. Brothers Dwarkanath and Kedarnath Anand established Sanspareils Co. in 1931, manufacturing a wide range of sports goods.
In 1940, they started a company named Greenlands to facilitate export when the world was overshadowed by World War II. Eventually combining both, the company was universally named Sanspareils Greenlands. Like Kookaburra, it is famous for balls used in Test matches and Ranji Trophy in India.
SG has been exporting bats manufactured in Meerut to the UK and Australia for most international cricket brands.
English Willow bats of SG includes special editions like Sun
Sanspareils Greenlands, mostly known as SG, is a leading manufacturer of cricket equipment in the world. Brothers Dwarkanath and Kedarnath Anand established Sanspareils Co. in 1931, manufacturing a wide range of sports goods.
In 1940, they started a company named Greenlands to facilitate export when the world was overshadowed by World War II. Eventually combining both, the company was universally named Sanspareils Greenlands. Like Kookaburra, it is famous for balls used in Test matches and Ranji Trophy in India.
SG has been exporting bats manufactured in Meerut to the UK and Australia for most international cricket brands.
These are some of the bat manufacturers in the world. Other brands like Gray Nicolls, Adidas, Puma, Reebok, which produce the best bats for cricketers. All these manufacturers need to be given some credit for the way cricket is being played today. The quality of bats which they produce has given us some of the best cricket matches to date.
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