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We were delighted to be joined by English cricketing royalty & our Kia Ambassador Graham Gooch who accompanied us in November to visit JS Wright & Sons just north of Chelmsford to learn more about their work, how cricket bats are made, and also enjoy a tour of the business.
JS Wright & Sons was established in 1894 in Essex and provides the wood (willow) for around 75% of the world’s cricket bats. Bat willows are grown then the trees are felled about 17 years later to be taken to JS Wright who cut them into “clefts”, whereupon they are dried, treated and graded.
The clefts are then exported to Pakistan or India for bat profiling, handles, and labelling. They then export bats worldwide, with some invariably coming back to the UK. A professional cricketer will typically have a minimum of three bats – one for training, one for short-form games, and one for long-form matches. A “grade 1” bat is worth around £800.
JS Wright have bat willow plantations all over the UK and produce around 600 to 800 clefts every day – that’s over 40,000 each year!
Graham spoke about the type of bats he liked to use during his heyday when he starred for England and Essex County Cricket Club and also how bats have changed over the years.
As founder members of the Brentwood Environmental Business Alliance, Allen Ford, Brentwood Kia, Romford Suzuki & Upminster Hyundai (proud sponsors of Essex Cricket) joined representatives of Essex County Cricket Club in May 2023 to mark the signing of agreements with Brentwood Council by JS Wright & Sons to plant over 200 cricket bat willow saplings on wet areas owned by the council.
The trimming of those saplings will be carried out by JS Wright & Sons and Brentwood Council will receive the income once the trees reach maturity. Oliver Wright of JS Wright & Sons was on hand to explain the importance of diversity and the part the council is doing for climate change.
The group included Allen Ford Marketing Director Matt Brown, Allen Kia ambassador & cricket legend Graham Gooch as well as current Essex County Cricket Club wicketkeeper & batsman Will Buttleman. This plan continues the alliance members’ drive to make a positive impact on the local environment.
For more information about JS Wright & Sons, visit www.cricketbatwillow.com.
To learn about the Brentwood Environmental Business Alliance, browse www.brentwood-beba.co.uk.
