Craftsmanship

Newbery cricket bats begin life as carefully selected willow trees - the selection process begins with the willow strikes prior even to the planting of the tree. Every year, Newbery plant, maintain and fell an increasing number of willow trees sited on farms across the South of England. In addition, we buy seasoned timber from a number of sources, which have serviced bat makers for decades.

Each cleft is individually assessed and, if accepted, will have been judged favourably for its's weight, grain and performance. Common to all bats is the treble spring handle, which we know to give the bat greater feel and 'whip'. Particular care is given to the binding, a strong Irish linen thread, which effectively tunes the flex of the handle. The handle is left subtly oval in shape, again for greater feel, and is set slightly forward so that the line of the handle follows the line of the blade's natural bow.

The primitive bat is given it's individual character by the craftsman who cuts and shaves the willow to a weight and balance specified only by his experience, it is his job to make the best out of every single cleft. The shaping and balancing of each Newbery bat is done by hand and eye. Traditional tools such as the drawknife, spokeshave and block-plane are used to shape the blade and create a 'middle' to the bat. Each bat will then be pressed, sanded and polished to a smooth burnish before being graded for resilience and appearance. Finally the Newbery crest and ribbon are applied.