I love your account Jono. What a legend the great Jules is. I am certainly privileged to have spent many years with Jules learning the trade of batmaking.
I suspect my two Laver & Woods were the first two you sent to Austria! Sadly, I no longer play, but every now and again I admire the 2007 Private Bin that was my last bat.
I know nothing about cricket, nothing about bats, a little about business, but reading this utterly engaging story was a lovely treat over a Sunday cuppa. I think it's really about friendship...so maybe a movie JH!
What a beautiful story, and so amusingly written too.
Pleased to report that my old M&H has scored two centuries; both, however, in the slightly more skilled hands of my mate who took a shine to it and from whom I often had to demand it back if he was still batting when I strode manfully to the crease at 10 or 11.
Recall visiting you both at Bishop’s Lydeard with my three amigos and also playing for the Flying Geese Cricket team. I vividly recall having a curry Steve Wilkinson and Jules at my house…and yes he fell asleep.A great read and brings back lots of memories of friendship, laughter and fun.
Takes me back 32 years when a 12 year old cricket badger visited podshavers barn & had his first hand made bat crafted by Julien & was made to feel by Jonathan as important as the pros they were also making bats for. Still remember being shown the Flying Geese cricket club….. quality of bat and personal treatment that kept me…. or more the point my Old Man buying me bats from Millichamp and Hall for years
A great read. My introduction to your bats came by chance. As a young impressionable country boy from outside of Perth I was partial to big bats, heavier the better, to dispatch to and over the boundary. Yes I could still cut and pull pace. After retiring a DF Magnum, I purchased a big County bat (from memory an Ultimate?) from the late Spud Slater at S&G Sports in Midland. Nursed it into the nets after a stack of prep on it but had the handle come out of it before I could take it out in the middle. Spud said they’d get it respliced, which I was dubious about, but they took it away, and I never saw it again. Apparently it was ‘lost’. To make up for it they said they’d get some bat makers to custom make a replacement. I’m pretty sure I asked for 3lb 6 like a philistine, and I wonder to this day if you or Julian remember that rather precocious request. I know the feedback to me was ‘we can’t take much off it if he wants that’, but M&H delivered. I used that bat on and off all around Australia with my work for the best part of 30-odd years before retiring it a couple of years before I gave up the game. Just a magnificent piece of willow that I could still use. It has punished some leather along the way I can tell you. Take a bow for your part in my eclectic cricket journey, Sir!
Ha ha! I think not. I once wrote a cricket-themed novel and my agent looked at me like I was mad! "I can't sell it in America, or Germany, women won't buy it... As surgeons like to say: the operation was successful, but the patient died."
That was fascinating . I love the the character descriptions . Whether they are actually like Jonathan and Julian you made them so real I feel I know them .
I love your account Jono. What a legend the great Jules is. I am certainly privileged to have spent many years with Jules learning the trade of batmaking.
I suspect my two Laver & Woods were the first two you sent to Austria! Sadly, I no longer play, but every now and again I admire the 2007 Private Bin that was my last bat.
What a wonderful, beautifully written article. Thank you so much for sharing.
I know nothing about cricket, nothing about bats, a little about business, but reading this utterly engaging story was a lovely treat over a Sunday cuppa. I think it's really about friendship...so maybe a movie JH!
Aw, thank you! As for it being a movie... I have instructed my agent to 'field offers'.
Fabulous piece - really enjoyed reading it, as a Taunton boy in Austria.
Thank you. So nice to hear.
What a beautiful story, and so amusingly written too.
Pleased to report that my old M&H has scored two centuries; both, however, in the slightly more skilled hands of my mate who took a shine to it and from whom I often had to demand it back if he was still batting when I strode manfully to the crease at 10 or 11.
Ha ha! Love that!
Recall visiting you both at Bishop’s Lydeard with my three amigos and also playing for the Flying Geese Cricket team. I vividly recall having a curry Steve Wilkinson and Jules at my house…and yes he fell asleep.A great read and brings back lots of memories of friendship, laughter and fun.
Yes indeed - good memories.
Marvellous to read. Brings back a lot of memories from 35 odd years ago..
Takes me back 32 years when a 12 year old cricket badger visited podshavers barn & had his first hand made bat crafted by Julien & was made to feel by Jonathan as important as the pros they were also making bats for. Still remember being shown the Flying Geese cricket club….. quality of bat and personal treatment that kept me…. or more the point my Old Man buying me bats from Millichamp and Hall for years
What an absolutely lovely reaction. Thank you so much. It’s lovely to hear everyone else’s memories are as rich as mine!
A great read. My introduction to your bats came by chance. As a young impressionable country boy from outside of Perth I was partial to big bats, heavier the better, to dispatch to and over the boundary. Yes I could still cut and pull pace. After retiring a DF Magnum, I purchased a big County bat (from memory an Ultimate?) from the late Spud Slater at S&G Sports in Midland. Nursed it into the nets after a stack of prep on it but had the handle come out of it before I could take it out in the middle. Spud said they’d get it respliced, which I was dubious about, but they took it away, and I never saw it again. Apparently it was ‘lost’. To make up for it they said they’d get some bat makers to custom make a replacement. I’m pretty sure I asked for 3lb 6 like a philistine, and I wonder to this day if you or Julian remember that rather precocious request. I know the feedback to me was ‘we can’t take much off it if he wants that’, but M&H delivered. I used that bat on and off all around Australia with my work for the best part of 30-odd years before retiring it a couple of years before I gave up the game. Just a magnificent piece of willow that I could still use. It has punished some leather along the way I can tell you. Take a bow for your part in my eclectic cricket journey, Sir!
What a great story! 3lb 6ozs is probably a record. So overwhelming to hear how many people have an M&H memory.
What a story!! M&H label packs serious weight in the USA - when a player comes out with it, they're basically assumed to be a top-notch batter.
That's good to hear! Although, never judge a book, and all that. There's also the "all the gear but no idea" phenomenon!
Nice piece, Jonathan, thank you.
Thanks, amigo.
Loved reading this while I had my morning coffee! A film script in the making?
But I'm really glad you liked it. And thank you for saying so.
Ha ha! I think not. I once wrote a cricket-themed novel and my agent looked at me like I was mad! "I can't sell it in America, or Germany, women won't buy it... As surgeons like to say: the operation was successful, but the patient died."
Just a lovely piece of writing. And very interesting as well!
Thank you, lovely!
I loved this Jonathan!
So pleased! Thank you. XXX
That was fascinating . I love the the character descriptions . Whether they are actually like Jonathan and Julian you made them so real I feel I know them .
Thank you - XXX. And all 100% real (-ish).
A moving yet unsentimental read. I know little of cricket but I was fascinated.