Print

[Nmcgee]

Reg Taylor (head bat maker at Spartan) was the head bat maker at Sommers up until probably 2years ago. I'm not sure of their current status.

[ppccopener]

Don't think zenith made it far into the 90s, weren't they owned by newbery or something?

Pretty sure they were uk made by Newbury.my mate had one,if the memory has not gone blue circle with yellow Z on the front sticker?

[Turn Of Pace]

Redback are still going strong. I've been in contact with Gary recently and I've got a bat coming from him at the end of the month. Top quality brand, Gary makes some of the best bats in the business in my opinion.

[Woodyspin]

Who are all of these brands? Ive only heard of funky

[WalkingWicket37]

Funky still exist I think, I'm sure I saw Sean Ervine of Hampshire using their stuff last season.

Sean Ervine's nickname is Slug, and I know he had some connection to Funky, that being why there was a range of bats called The Slug
Ervine changed to Spartan last year though so I'm not sure what happened to Funky after that

[frooper11]

Sean Ervine's nickname is Slug, and I know he had some connection to Funky, that being why there was a range of bats called The Slug
Ervine changed to Spartan last year though so I'm not sure what happened to Funky after that

Shows how up to date my knowledge is 

[bk]

Funky are still going strong. It's Cricket Hockey's own brand. Do a full range of bats and softs and sell a lot of junior kit around Wilts/Dorset/Hants. Funky also does hockey lit. https://www.cricket-hockey.com/. Sean Ervine's deal expired at the end of 2014 and wasn't renewed


 

[uknsaunders]

reapers still going
Base near Raeding and mostly local business now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Player at Kidmore End makes them. My old man knows him as well as the guy at Gentleman and Players at High Wycombe (yes he knows everybody in Bucks/Oxon/Berks involved with cricket and rugby).

[Seniorplayer]

Player at Kidmore End makes them. My old man knows him as well as the guy at Gentleman and Players at High Wycombe (yes he knows everybody in Bucks/Oxon/Berks involved with cricket and rugby).

Think  the fellow who makes the bats name is Tom Sheldon

[FattusCattus]

Kicking Horse?

Currently fighting a nasty legal battle with those shallow swallowers of pigswill - HS Cricket - in Pakistan. It's touch and go, but I think they'll win it - if so, expect new releases before the season, and I expect they will release the 'Schlong' again.

[Mortimer]

Don't think zenith made it far into the 90s, weren't they owned by newbery or something?

There was the original Newbery company in the 80s after John Newbery left GN. After that company went bust, some of his former employees founded Zenith, with John Newbery making some of the bats. After John Newbery's death, Andrew Kember of Salix made some bats for Zenith. Zenith didn't last long, but shortly afterwards, the exisiting Newbery bat company was formed. I think Chris Cowdrey used Zenith bats when he briefly captained England

[Alvaro]

There was the original Newbery company in the 80s after John Newbery left GN. After that company went bust, some of his former employees founded Zenith, with John Newbery making some of the bats. After John Newbery's death, Andrew Kember of Salix made some bats for Zenith. Zenith didn't last long, but shortly afterwards, the exisiting Newbery bat company was formed. I think Chris Cowdrey used Zenith bats when he briefly captained England

And Phil Tufnell in an Ashes in the early 90s, I think.

[springbok45]

There was the original Newbery company in the 80s after John Newbery left GN. After that company went bust, some of his former employees founded Zenith, with John Newbery making some of the bats. After John Newbery's death, Andrew Kember of Salix made some bats for Zenith. Zenith didn't last long, but shortly afterwards, the exisiting Newbery bat company was formed. I think Chris Cowdrey used Zenith bats when he briefly captained England

I wasn't too far out then, only remember the brand because I had a zenith bat cover, bought from VKS when I was an U11 at Wycombe House. How time flies.

[procricket]

Zenith if I'm not mistaken was 3D cricket own brand with the late Tom Gravenny as brand ambassador

Also correct about cricket hockey and funky is Jamie Harvey he is a bloody nice bloke played with him a couple of times think that was his full name

Great topic

[bk]

Re Funky - yep it's Jamie Harvey along with Mike and Christian Pain. Top people. They also run the shop at the Aegeas Bowl. Very good service and all involved with local cricket.