It’s a funny time for me to be entering my cricket-influencer era. In friendly games around Britain my innings still have more brain-fades than boundaries. My best effort with the bat in 2024 was a few big hits in a forest outside Paris.
So cricket is a great part of my life, but I really shouldn’t be spending a lot of money on my kit. And this is where Bear Bats come in.
From a workshop in Llandeilo, South Wales, Bear Bats is what founder Richard Gullam calls “a hobby that’s gone wrong”. From repairing other companies’ bats, Richard and co-founder Hedd-Wyn Jones now source and craft their own – including for the Glamorgan player Ben Morris, and dozens of serious club cricketers.
“We’re in it for cricket,” says Richard. “We’re challenging the big firms – and the small ones – who think it’s fair to charge cricketers high prices for mediocre products.”
My bat is a beautiful piece of willow, with a really fast ping to it. The grade 2 ‘Hunter’ is the same price as a patchy grade 3 bat from the big brands.
Let’s be honest, the stickers are important too, and Bear Bats look better than most of the global brands.
Richard adds: “We’ve developed into a provider of top quality equipment for seriously good value, from the incredible Butterfly bats through grade 3, 2 and 1.”
The company also has an affordable range of pads, gloves and cricket bags, and offers full ‘bundles’ of kit. Scrolling their Facebook page, it’s noticeable how many of Bear Bats’ visitors are children getting their first kits with their parents.
The batmakers also post orders to players who live further away.
My teammate in the charity team The Metronomes CC, Lucy Rees, knows Bear Bats and says: “Great bats for a great price. Used by a load of Welsh cricketers and juniors. Run by two good guys – in it to get value for players, not make a load of money out of people.”
Or, as Richard puts it: “We don’t cost an arm and a leg. You may want to keep those to help you play…”
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Get in touch with Bear Bats through their Instagram and Facebook pages, or send a text to +447970498350. Mention #SwearByTheBear to choose your own stickers from their series.
Read about my cricket writing here, and see my book here.
LIFE IN CENTRAL ASIA 