Is There Really a Cricket Bat Shortage?

You might have seen recent media reports suggesting there’s a "bat crisis" in cricket. The story goes that English willow is running out because of climate change, the IPL boom, and rising costs. All sounding very dramatic!

From where I’m standing, the situation looks very different. At OX29, I’m lucky to have a great relationship with a trusted willow supplier here in Oxfordshire. They’re felling and planting trees all over the country, and I get the privilege of choosing my willow straight from the source. That means I know exactly what I’m working with before a single cleft gets into my workshop.

A lot of brands don’t have that luxury. They’re sent whatever their supplier decides to give them, or what their contract demands. And if they suddenly need more? They’re left going cap in hand to other willow merchants trying to source more wood.

It’s true that demand for English willow has shot up in the last few years. Some of that’s down to the growth of franchise cricket, more players wanting bigger and lighter bats, and more bats being broken. Some of it’s due to other factors too, but that’s a subject for another blog post entirely. Anyway, there’s another big factor that doesn’t get mentioned much - India’s growing middle class.

In the past, most players there could only afford Kashmir willow or a cheaper factory-made bat. Now, with more people able to afford higher-end gear, the demand for top-grade English willow has exploded. That’s put extra pressure on the supply chain, especially for brands that rely on whatever their supplier sends them.

Thankfully, that’s not something I have to worry about. My Oxfordshire connection means I can keep offering players the best quality English willow, hand-picked and hand-finished right here in the UK.

Over the years, every big manufacturer has tested different types of willow - European, Serbian, Dutch - to see if anything could match English willow. The results have always been the same. European willow performs more like Kashmir willow. It’s fine for junior bats, but it doesn’t have the same power, feel, or durability. That’s not a big issue for juniors, as they often outgrow their bats quickly. With junior bats made from alternative willow sold at a lower price point, there’s less need for them to be passed down or resold - so durability isn’t as important as it is for a higher-priced adult bat.

Serbian willow is cheaper, but if it was anywhere near the quality of English willow, the big brands would be all over it to boost their margins - they’re not. Dutch willow costs almost as much as English willow (and more for UK brands to ship), but again, it just doesn’t play or last the same way. At the end of the day, English willow is still king. It gives that perfect mix of performance, response, and durability that cricketers expect.

Now, here’s where I think a bit of an agenda comes into play. The whole "shortage" narrative also conveniently supports the idea of allowing laminate bats to be used in junior and senior amateur cricket. Right now, the vast majority of local leagues rule that these bats are illegal for use in games, which aligns with MCC regulations. But if you start pushing the idea that English willow is running out, it paves the way for discussions about legalising laminate bats under the banner of "solving the shortage".

And who benefits from that? Certain willow merchants and manufacturers. Some of them are already selling half-clefts that end up being used to make laminate bats overseas in India and Pakistan. If these bats become legal for league cricket, demand for that material goes through the roof - and so do profits.

In my view, it’s a classic case of create the problem, then offer the solution.

Yes, prices have gone up across the board - not just for willow, but for labour, energy, and transport too. That’s the world we live in right now. But I’ve always believed in keeping things as fair as I can, while I can. Every OX29 bat is made by hand, using carefully chosen willow and finished with the same care I’d give to a professional player’s bat. I don’t mass produce, and I don’t cut corners - I just make the best bat I can from every cleft that comes through the workshop.

English willow takes over a decade to mature, and the good suppliers are doing the right thing - planting more trees than ever and using the best strains for future generations. My Oxfordshire supplier is part of that effort, and it’s something I’m proud to contribute towards.

So while the headlines talk about shortages, personally I’m not worried!