 | My son has just turned thirteen and is turning into quite an accomplished sportsman. He is in the rugby and hockey team, which he does well in, but he most enjoys putting on his whites and playing cricket. I’ve watched him play several times now and he’s a very capable batsman, who already has good vision, good shot making ability, and great patience at the crease. I’ve bought all of his kit so far, and for his last birthday I got him a new bat. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to be able to last for a full season of nets and matches, and before long it was in a state of disrepair. He was very upset at having to borrow bats for his games, so for a special birthday treat this year I took him to Woodstock Cricket Company, a new bat manufacturer who specialise in junior cricket bats. The wonderful thing about Woodstock is that you can go down to the workshop and watch the junior cricket bats being made in front of you. John Newsome, the bat maker, is a really friendly guy who knows his stuff. He gauged my son’s stance, size and grip, and produced a tailor-made bat from handpicked willow, and my son watched in awe as it was cut, smoothed and sanded in front of him. He even got to choose his own label and have his initials put on the bat, which is another great touch that sets Woodstock junior cricket bats aside from the rest, and has made my son’s bat the envy of his classmates. His play has noticeably improved with the new bat, and he gets a lot more power without over-exerting himself, and his accuracy is getting better all the time. I can’t recommend Woodstock highly enough to parents who want the best quality equipment for their future all-rounders. The bats are beautiful and my son is very proud owner. The only problem is that he’s due for another of his growth spurts in the near future, so I will have to get him a new bat to compensate. Fortunately the prices at Woodstock are really reasonable, so everyone is a winner! |
