AUTHENTICALLY AUSTRALIAN

Authentically Australian: The Craft of Bat Making at Cooper Cricket

Cricket bat making is more than just a craft—it’s a passion, a challenge, and for those of us who do it, a privilege. At Cooper Cricket, the journey started in a garage, fueled by a deep love for the game and a desire to create something tangible, something meaningful.

From the very beginning, the goal was never to be just another bat brand. We knew we had to be different. We couldn’t simply make the same bat over and over again—we had to customise, to refine, and to truly understand the needs of each player. That’s what sets us apart. Every bat we make is personal. It’s not just about weight or profile; it’s about who the player is, how they play, and what they need to perform at their best.

The Challenges and Rewards of Bat Making in Australia

Being a bat maker in Australia is special because there aren’t many of us. It’s a small, tight-knit community, and that makes every bat we finish even more rewarding. The biggest challenge? Trust. Without mass exposure on TV screens or in every major retailer, we’ve had to build our reputation the hard way—through quality, consistency, and the relationships we’ve formed with our players.

Then there’s the challenge of sourcing English willow, the backbone of bat making. The biggest suppliers reserve their stock for the largest brands, often decades in advance. For small bat makers, securing quality willow requires persistence, creativity, and a commitment to building relationships. We’ve worked hard to ensure we get the best materials possible, but it’s never easy.

Why We Keep Crafting in Australia

Some might wonder why we continue making bats here in Australia when it would be easier to simply import and rebrand. The answer is simple: control and pride.

When we make our bats, we control the process, the quality, and the outcome. We know exactly what goes into each one. It’s not just about manufacturing—it’s about crafting something that will make a difference in a player’s game and, sometimes, in their life. Seeing someone use a bat we’ve made to score their first hundred, hit their first six, or have their best season is why we do what we do.

Technology Meets Tradition

While bat making is a deeply traditional craft, we’ve embraced technology where it makes sense. CNC shaping helps us create precise, consistent profiles while still allowing us to refine each bat by hand. There’s no machine in the world that can take a raw cleft and spit out a finished bat—every step still requires skill, patience, and craftsmanship.

Keeping the Craft Alive

Bat making is romantic. It’s hands-on, it’s challenging, and it’s deeply fulfilling. It’s also an art form that we refuse to let disappear. The more we manufacture, the more we support local talent and keep this craft alive—not just in Australia, but worldwide.

At the end of the day, making bats isn’t just about the bats themselves. It’s about the players who use them, the stories they create, and the moments that wouldn’t happen without them. That’s what Authentically Australian means to us.