One of the most evocative sounds associated with cricket is the sound of ball on bat or, more precisely, that of leather on willow. Quite when willow came to be chosen as the most suitable wood is not clear.
Previous columns have traced the evolution of the cricket bat from one resembling a hockey stick to one with specific length and width dimensions.
These are specified in Law 5 of the Laws of Cricket as “not more than 38 in/96.52 cm in length, whilst the blade shall not exceed a width of 4.25 in/10.8 cm, a depth of 2.64 in/6.7 cm and edges of 1.56 in/4.0 cm.” The law also specifies that “the blade shall consist solely of wood.”
Willow is a wood which is light but strong, capable of absorbing the shock of a cricket ball’s force, without shattering. There are some 400 varieties of willow but only Salix alba var Caerulea, a deciduous tree, is fit for the purpose of cricket-bat blade production.
It is straight stemmed, growing up to 25 meters high, with an ability to hold a higher moisture content than other woods. This means it is fast-growing, maturing in 12 to 20 years. Trees are ready for harvesting when their circumference measures 147.5 centimeters at a height of 142.3 centimeters from the ground, ideally with a clean trunk of 213.5 centimeters.
The trees require well-draining, loamy soils and thrive in temperate climates with a healthy amount of direct sunlight. This helps develop a “diffuse porous” cell structure inimical to the creation of top-grade willow for cricket bats.
Trees need to be close to water and are often found on low-lying, wet, heavy soils which, otherwise, may be underproductive. They can also play a role in riverbank restoration and soil stabilization.
It is thought that the variety was first identified in Norfolk, eastern England, in the 1700s. Plantations still exist in the same area, as well as south in Kent, west in Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire, with one established to the north in Yorkshire.
Ideally, the trees need space away from other tree species. They are grown at 10-meter spacings along a ditch or riverbank, or in a plantation with a high-water table, at 12-meter spacing. This will provide around 100 trees per hectare.
Coastal locations are unsuitable because of exposure to heavy winds, storms and salty air. Damage to trees can be caused by deer, which use them to sharpen their antlers and squirrels, which eat the bark.
Once a tree has been harvested, the logs are split into “clefts” and then shaped into the rough bat shape or “blade,” both ends being waxed to prevent the wood drying out and splitting.
After that, the wood is air-dried for 12 months to achieve the correct moisture content, a process which is highly proprietorial. Once dried, the blades are graded from one to 20, according to grain, coloring and any small blemishes, such as specks.
Grade 1 is the highest quality, blemish-free wood, each sequential grade having more blemishes. Blades are traded between producers and bat makers, either on long-standing or ad-hoc contracts.
There is much more than meets the eye to producing high-quality willow for cricket bats. The faster a tree grows, the wider the grains will be on the finished blade, each grain representing one year’s growth. Industry experts say that the number of grains is not an indicator of quality.
Faster growth also means that the grower receives a faster return on an investment for which there is guaranteed buy-back. This situation has been enhanced in recent years by the upsurge in demand for bats, with certain producers harvesting trees before they reach optimum size.
At the same time, because of milder winters, the growing season has lengthened in recent years into November, leading to faster maturation and a premium placed on top-quality willow which has become rarer and more expensive.
Concern has been expressed about the sustainability of willow cultivation to the point where the Marylebone Cricket Club convened a meeting of willow suppliers, bat manufacturers and retailers from across the world in mid-October.
One press report of the event suggested that an emergency exists, caused by surging demand, largely from South Asia, which has inflated the prices of quality bats.
The largest cricket-bat willow producer in the world is JS Wright, based in Chelmsford, Essex, founded in 1894. On its website, the company states that around 75 percent of the world’s cricket bats are made from its willow production, an astonishing figure.
Its management also believes in investing for the future of the industry, not just maximizing short-term profits. Production is being increased year on year to meet future demand, based on a commitment to plant more trees than are harvested.
This year, the company planted up to 40,000 trees, four for every one that was felled. On average, each tree generates 40 blades. If 10,000 were felled, then 400,000 blades would be produced. Adding the balance of 25 percent from other English producers, the total annual production of English willow clefts approaches 600,000.
Various estimates of the size and value of the global cricket-bat market have been made by market research consultancies. Whilst there are inconsistencies between the estimates, they all agree that the market is set to grow by between 5 and 7 percent year on year up to 2034.
The way this demand will be satisfied in an unregulated marketplace is the challenge for all stakeholders. More bats need to be produced cost-effectively that perform at a level which maintains the current balance of bat against ball.
Apart from English willow, the other main sources for cricket bats are Kashmir and European willow. Although grown from the same seed, unfavorable growing conditions, mainly because of a lack of moisture, make the Kashmir willow denser and heavier, but cheaper.
Accordingly, it is mainly used in low grade junior and senior bats. Sadly, both it and European willow is being used in the counterfeit market, whereby bats sold as English willow are made from the cheaper alternatives.
Indian authorities have been clamping down on this illegal activity. Michael Blatherwick, managing director of the Nottingham-based B3 bat-making company, says that, in a growing market, there is a place for Kashmiri or European willow bats if they are honestly marketed and priced accordingly.
There have also been trials of alternative materials, such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, mainly for children and casual play. Blatherwick revealed that a few years ago they were engaged in a project to test alternative timbers from around the world. None came close to English willow.
One potential solution is lamination, with an English willow face backed by cheaper and lesser-performing Kashmir willow or other woods. This would lead to a reduced demand on English willow. Cricket’s laws already permit lamination for use in the junior game.
It could be extended to the recreational game, but the professional game will want to keep bats as pure as possible. Undoubtably, cricket lovers everywhere will resist the use of materials which eliminate the familiar sound of willow on leather.
