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Equipment => Bats => Bat Making => Topic started by: hazant0803 on January 13, 2025, 11:01:50 AM

Title: Behind the Labels
Post by: hazant0803 on January 13, 2025, 11:01:50 AM

Hey everyone, please delete if not allowed

As a bat tragic myself and knowing I'm not the only one on this forum, I always keep a keen eye on the bats and kits people use, especially when it comes to their bats. Lately, I've been hearing more and more that sponsored players might be using bats from different bat makers, which made me wonder: how common is this practice? Why do players do it? Have you ever spotted or heard of a specific player using a bat that’s not actually from their sponsor? If so, who?

Thanks in advance

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: Buzz on January 14, 2025, 01:19:21 PM

This has been happening for decades.
Whenever an international pro travels to a different country he visits bat factories.

What we are blessed with now is a golden age in the quality of bats being made so you will be able to find a bat you like with your favourite player's stickers on... Of you can afford it.

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: Kez on January 14, 2025, 08:43:55 PM

It can be as simple as picking up other players bats the changing room, they like them and want to use them.

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: thrill_err on January 17, 2025, 06:24:51 AM

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/james-laver-on-the-making-of-a-cricket-bat-619733 (https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/james-laver-on-the-making-of-a-cricket-bat-619733)

Jayasuriya used a Kookaburra bubble labeled bat to score his 200 at the oval - per James Laver, he made it for him.

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: SD on January 17, 2025, 02:17:40 PM

I don't think I ever saw a Kookaburra Bubble that could reach 200 without breaking which may have been the giveaway in that example

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: SOULMAN1012 on January 17, 2025, 06:50:01 PM

Pretty common tbh often see the laser edge branding of SS on non SS stickered bats.

Wasn’t Bairstow dropped from GN for this? Also Warner recently with some in edged stamped GN bats in the BB to name a couple of higher profile ones recently

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: Jimbo on January 18, 2025, 10:19:32 AM

Just on pure volume I guess you'd expect SS bats to make their way into various people's kit bags, not even accounting for the positives you hear about their top bats.

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: Matty59 on January 18, 2025, 08:35:46 PM

As said above, SS sticks are the most common I’ve seen being used under other labels. Some poorly disguised, some very well disguised. It’s very common. Keeleys are the other one that seem to receive other sponsor stickers a lot.

Title: Re: Behind the Labels
Post by: Purist90 on January 19, 2025, 10:41:54 AM

A bit old now but this was interesting reading whilst on topic.

https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/931747/the-bat-wars (https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/931747/the-bat-wars)