Laver & Wood hand makes custom cricket bats in Waipawa, New Zealand. Over the years we have accumulated a huge number of anecdotes and stories about cricket bats, and met thousands of cricketers who have questions about bats and bat making.

This is the first in a series of books on Cricket Bat Lore. In this volume we cover Salix alba Caerulea or Cricket Bat Willow, Handles, Bat Making and Bat Maintenance. We tell the story of the materials used to make cricket bats, the process of hand making them and make suggestions for maintaining and protecting bats.

Readers with questions about Cricket Bats, their manufacture and maintenance that they would like to appear in future volumes should email info@laverwood.com.

About the Authors

James Laver has been making Cricket Bats by hand for over 25 years. He started at Millichamp & Hall in Somerset, England, and learned his craft there. For the past fifteen years he has been based in New Zealand as the owner and chief bat maker of Laver & Wood.

Simon Lusk has worked with James at Laver & Wood since 2000. He works part time at Laver & Wood overseeing Sales & Marketing.