ABOUT US

THE NAME

When it came to naming this cricket business, I struggled to find the perfect fit. I was feeling creatively stale, but a conversation with a friend sparked some new ideas. The advice was simple: the name had to be personal and truly meaningful.

At the time, my wife and I were hoping to have another child. Although we didn’t end up falling pregnant, we were content with our two wonderful kids. If we had had a baby boy, we would have named him Cooper. The name "Cooper Cricket" had a nice ring to it, and I could instantly envision the design in my mind.

WE GOT LUCKY

In 2013, our lives took an unexpected turn when we discovered that our daughter, just three years old at the time, had a tumour the size of a tennis ball at the base of her brain... damn! Life came to a sudden halt, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

We are the lucky ones. Our daughter’s tumour was successfully removed by the incredible David Anderson in Townsville. We were relieved to learn that it was not cancerous. While our daughter would face some challenges, she would grow up to lead a very normal life—a blessing we didn’t take for granted.

This experience was a wake-up call, reminding us just how short and unpredictable life can be. It was one of those pivotal moments when my wife and I took a step back to reflect on what we truly wanted from our lives. Neither of us was particularly enjoying the day-to-day grind of our jobs, and we knew something had to change. When my wife asked what I wanted to do, I told her I wanted to make cricket bats. I’m pretty sure she thought I might be going crazy, but that’s when the dream of Cooper Cricket really started to take shape.

REALITY CHECK

When I first started learning how to make cricket bats, I was incredibly naïve. I remember visiting the J.S. Wright & Sons website, the largest supplier of willow in the world, and seeing that they offered beginner kits. I thought it would be as simple as sending an email to order some clefts of willow... how wrong I was!

I quickly received an email that shattered my assumptions. They informed me that, no matter how many clefts I wanted, they would never supply me with English Willow. Instead, they provided a list of cricket bat makers in India where I could order ready-made bats, slap my own stickers on them, and—voilà!—that’s how you start a cricket brand.

To me, that approach seemed completely backwards. I was determined to create something authentic, not just sell someone else’s work under my name. So, I embarked on what turned out to be an expensive and frustrating journey. I got ripped off by overseas suppliers who either sent me subpar cricket bats or, in some cases, didn’t send anything at all!

But like many challenges in life, if you persevere long enough, you might just find what you’re looking for—and eventually, I did. That experience taught me the hard way that the road to building something genuine is never easy, but it's always worth it.

SHOP ONE

In 2015, we took a significant step forward by opening our first commercial workshop in Townsville. It was a scorching hot space, but it marked an important milestone—finally moving out of the garage and into a proper workshop. This was also the beginning of our journey into CNC technology, which allowed us to speed up production and improve precision.

At this stage, we were making over 100 cricket bats per year and had just placed our first major shipment of soft gear. Alongside our bat production, we were also handling a lot of local bat repairs in Townsville, building a solid reputation within the community.

THE BIG MOVE

Our son was a talented youth cricketer in Townsville, and when an opportunity arose for us to move to Brisbane for the final term of his Year 10, we knew it was too good to pass up. The catch? We had just three months to make the move! With little time to spare, we decided to take the plunge.

We knew this decision would turn our lives upside down and make things tough for the family for a while, but it also brought us closer to the specialists who would continue to monitor our daughter’s progress after her tumour. For our son, it was a great challenge—one he faced head-on with a fantastic attitude.

For Cooper Cricket, however, the move meant that everything would have to come to a halt until I could set up shop again in Brisbane. It was a daunting prospect, knowing that the business would be on hold, but we believed in the potential of this new chapter. It was a scary time, but the move also represented a new beginning, both for our family and for Cooper Cricket.

SHOP TWO

Our second shop was located in Pinkenba—a decision that, in hindsight, wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t the best location, but at the time, it was all we could afford. We set up the shop, and it looked fantastic. On the very first day, we sold a cricket bat—BOOM! It felt like we were off to a great start.

However, the excitement quickly faded as the months went by with minimal sales. We did manage to secure some bat repair work, including repairs for the Greg Chappell Cricket Centre and many individual customers, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to keep the shop afloat. The reality hit hard—I needed to find a job. Cooper Cricket was limping along, and with heavy hearts, we packed everything into storage, uncertain of what the future held. We kept the website online, just in case we managed to sell some of the remaining gear.

It was during this challenging time that one of our now long-term overseas suppliers reached out to us. They offered to help with the supply of willow, a lifeline that gave us a glimmer of hope for Cooper Cricket’s future.

THE STORAGE SHED (SHOP THREE)

It turns out there were still people who wanted what we were offering. Although I had to stop doing the repairs for Greg Chappell Cricket Centre due to the demands of working a full-time job, individual customers continued to seek me out for repairs. Who would have thought I could run a workshop out of a tiny storage shed? It was far from ideal and incredibly awkward to bring customers into, but clearly, there was a need for the work we were doing—no matter how crazy it all seemed at the time.

I can’t remember being home much during this period. Between working full-time, fixing cricket bats late at night or in the early mornings, and on weekends, life was hectic. I even had a small printer at home for making cricket stump wraps. Those were crazy times, but they showed me that there was still demand for our craft, even in the most challenging circumstances.

SHOP FOUR

Not far from home, I found a small commercial shed that was part of a larger industrial spray painting business. It was a decent little space and much easier for customers to visit compared to the cramped storage shed! While I was still working full-time and dedicating every available hour after work to repairing and making cricket bats, little did I know that three major events were on the horizon: a massive signage job, the onset of COVID-19, and the arrival of Josh Brown.

SHOP FIVE AND THE START OF SOMETHING

My wife’s business had just secured a significant design project, which quickly turned into a major signage job that needed to be completed on a tight deadline. We had to act fast, expanding our workshop to handle the increased demand for signage work. At the same time, it became clear that Cooper Cricket needed a better location as well, so we set up Shop Five.

I reached out to Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club, where our son was playing, to see if they knew anyone who might be interested in some temporary work—we had two weeks of labouring work available. PK from Norths mentioned he had someone in mind, and that’s when Josh Brown entered the picture. We moved what needed to be moved, and Josh quickly proved himself to be a great fit—he was a quick learner, a hard worker, and an all-around nice guy. After the two weeks, we thanked him and said we’d be in touch if anything else came up.

Just one week later, we called Josh back, thinking he might be useful in the sign-making process. It turns out he was not only handy at making signs but also a natural when it came to working on cricket bats. A win-win!

JOSH BROWN

Josh quickly mastered the use of digital printers, CNC routers, and everything related to signage production. His proficiency grew so rapidly that we offered him an apprenticeship in signwriting. It was clear that Josh had a natural aptitude for the technical aspects of the job, picking up skills that often take others years to learn. Although Cooper Cricket was still running, it took a back seat to the larger signage contract we were working on.

With me often away installing signage, Josh took on the responsibility of managing the Cooper workshop. His role expanded beyond just overseeing daily operations; he also assisted the team in producing signage for the project. Josh’s ability to learn quickly and adapt to new challenges made him an invaluable asset, not just to Cooper Cricket, but to the signage project as well.

Josh’s passion for design naturally extended to creating and printing cricket bat stickers, blending his love for cricket with his growing skill set. He began repairing his own cricket bats in the workshop, and soon after, he started offering these repair services to customers. His meticulous work quickly earned him a reputation for quality, and he became highly skilled at both designing and repairing cricket bats, enhancing Cooper Cricket’s offerings.

COVID AND SHOP SIX

We all know how devastating COVID-19 was for everyone, and it certainly had its challenges for us as well. For Cooper Cricket, however, there was a silver lining. We had moved into a larger building alongside my wife’s business, and the brand was beginning to make a bigger impact on the cricket scene in Brisbane, with sales expanding into other parts of Australia.

As the Big Bash League operated within a COVID bubble, Josh was hoping to earn a spot in the Brisbane Heat squad as a backup player in case anyone tested positive for COVID. Unfortunately, that opportunity didn’t materialise for him. However, we had an exciting milestone when Steve McGiffin made his debut for the Heat, proudly using Cooper Cricket gear! It was an incredibly thrilling moment for us and a testament to the growing reach of our brand.

THAT NIGHT!

We were absolutely thrilled when Josh was set to play at the Gabba on New Year's Day. It was his second match, not his first, but the excitement was no less intense. Watching from the stands, the pride we felt was immense—seeing him out there on the Gabba, even if he hadn’t played, would have been enough for us. We were there to support him and the Brisbane Heat, and it felt fantastic.

When Josh went out to bat, it was a surreal experience watching him do what we’d seen so many times in grade cricket—taking on world-class bowlers and hitting those massive sixes. It was thrilling to witness, especially at such an iconic venue. As I watched, my phone started buzzing like crazy. First, it was my friends texting me in excitement about what was being said on Fox Sports and talking about his cricket bat, then the orders started pouring in—one after another, all for Bison cricket bats and gear. Even though it was a Sunday night and our chat was technically closed, the enquiries kept coming from all over Australia.

Amid the excitement, my wife suggested running a one-night sale to capitalise on the momentum from Josh’s 62-run performance. So, I found myself frantically setting up a discount while trying to respond to everyone. The rest of the match was a blur of answering chats, setting up the sale, and just trying to keep up with the buzz.

That night was a turning point—not just for Josh, but for Cooper Cricket. It thrust Josh into the media spotlight, made him the talk of Australian cricket, and gave everyone a reason to take notice of our brand. It was everything we’d dreamed about in the workshop over the years, and we couldn’t be prouder. The journey we’re on now, thanks to that night, is something we’re still riding, and it’s been an incredible ride so far.

WE'RE OFF AND RACING

Since Josh's incredible 62-run innings at the Gabba, it’s been a whirlwind of activity here at Cooper Cricket. The media storm that followed was intense, with everyone wanting to know more about Josh and the story behind his performance. Naturally, this brought a surge of work, and at that time, Josh was focused on his cricket while I was managing the shop on my own. It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest.

Fortunately, we found a talented young guy named Malakai, who has proven to be an amazing cricket bat repairer and, now, a skilled bat maker. He joined us in January 2023, and just 18 months later, he's doing a fantastic job handling all things cricket bats. He’s now working full-time with us, and the fact that he’s only 16 years old makes his contributions even more impressive. Malakai has really stepped up, and we’re proud to have him on the team.

Things have been busier than ever. We’re making more cricket bats than we ever have, and the media exposure we received has been fantastic. In October 2023, we brought on Luke, who initially focused on bat repairs but is now also getting involved in making bats. He’s been a fantastic addition to the team, and we’re lucky to have such a great crew.

As the 2023-2024 season approached, we found ourselves in the thick of things again, especially with the Big Bash and all the expectations surrounding Josh. He had a solid start to the season, but the real highlight was his incredible 140 in the Gold Coast semi-final, followed by a crucial 50 in the final that helped secure the win. This success brought us even more media exposure, for which we’re incredibly grateful.

HERE WE ARE

We are producing more cricket bats than ever and continually striving to improve as we head into the 2024-25 season. It’s been a fantastic journey so far, and we’re excited about expanding Cooper Cricket into different parts of Australia. With Josh moving down to Victoria, we’re now looking to push into retail stores there, which is very exciting. We’re also focused on supporting more professional players as we gain access to more high-quality willow through our global partners.

At Cooper Cricket, we’re dedicated to making the best cricket bats possible—not just for professional cricketers, but for every player who walks into our store. Whether it’s an 8-year-old just starting out, a 16-year-old aspiring to go pro, or a 20-year-old balancing a full-time job with serious cricket ambitions, we’re here for the players. Our goal is to provide the best cricket bats, the best support, and the best gear for everyone.

We love what we do here at Cooper Cricket, and we’re grateful for your interest in our journey. We’ll continue updating this About Us page so you can stay up to date with us. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Cheers,
Rod Grey, Owner