p16,17 Gunn:SGBGolf_NEW_template 27/01/2009 09:21 Page 17
Sports - Cricket Bats
The
remarkable
career of
William Gunn
A co-founder of Gunn & Moore,
William ‘Billy’ Gunn was one of
Victorian England’s great
sportsmen and businessmen.
Before he started making
cricket bats, Gunn was an
exceptional athlete who became
England’s first professional
sportsman to represent England
at both cricket and football. Born
in Nottingham in 1858, he played
the bulk of his football for Notts
County and all his county cricket
for Nottinghamshire, where he
became captain.
Probably the outstanding
highlight of Gunn’s cricket career
expertise on cricket bats here in Nottingham,” adds market trends and retailers’ needs a lot faster. was scoring 228 for a ‘Players’ XI
Wright. “We’re not passing that knowledge on to “The DXM process will establish us as the number against Australia at Lords in
someone else to make the bats for us just because one cricket bat maker in the world,” claims Wright. “It 1890. Standing at 6’ 2”, Gunn was
we’ll save 5p a bat.” has made us more efficient, getting the bats out very tall for a batsman of real
We don’t have to simply take Gunn & Moore’s word quicker to our customers, and also the consistency of grace, and his speed and agility
for the quality of their bats, as during the media the bats is going to be an enormous benefit to our in the field was second to none.
launch of the DXM process in January, England and business. Production costs have been reduced but not Alongside Gunn’s career on
Nottinghamshire all-rounder Stuart Broad dropped very significantly, but we didn’t go down this route to various sports fields, he also
into the factory to pick-up his new bats for England’s save money. The first priority was to improve quality grew up in the sports retail trade,
winter tour of the West Indies. and performance. This process is a long-term signing on as an apprentice with
“I have used Gunn & Moore bats since I was 15 and investment.” Nottingham’s leading sports
I am delighted with them,” Broad, 22, told SGB While accurate retail figures, in terms of retailer Richard Daft at the age of
Sports. “Gunn & Moore are the best bat makers in the comparisons with other manufacturers, are hard to 15. Gunn later became half of a
world and the bats never let you down. I’ll take four come by in cricket, Gunn & Moore suspects it is partnership to open the Gunn &
bats on tour, but I’ve used the same match bat for currently the market leader in the UK, South Africa Moore sports shop in
nine months now, so they are pretty durable. The and New Zealand, but Wright hopes the introduction Nottingham. It was from here
longer each bat lasts the better it gets too.” of DXM will enable the company to increase its market that he branched out into bat
The old process of making cricket bats took 13 share by 25% over the next three years. making in 1892. As a current
months per bat, from receiving the willow cleft to the If they reach this target, Gunn & Moore will England batsman at the time,
finished bat leaving the factory floor. With the DXM comfortably be the most played cricket bat in the Gunn was his own best
process it takes no more than a month to make the world. marketing tool for Gunn & Moore
same bat. That means Gunn & Moore can react to www.gm-cricket.com bats.
e
tiv
o
llec
Portrait C
les,
Sam Bow
C
redit:
d manufacture in action GM master craftsmen are still in control
Stuart Broad picks up his bat for the West Grading the cleft for all GM bats is done by a
Indies England tour from GM managing skilled GM craftsman.
director Peter Wright.
JANUARY 2009 SGB SPORT 17
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