James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1895

J A M E SL I L L Y W H I T E , F R O W D& Co. , iii C R I C K E TB A T ناعم HE BAT is , by universal consent , the implement of greatest interest to Cricketers , and on it, therefore , the manufacturer finds the greatest scope for his efforts . Being required for offence as well as defence , it is like the Warrior's blade , " both Sword and Shield ," and hence the 6 6 importance of concentrating in a single weapon all the qualities most valued by Cricketers . To satisfy the demands of modern players is no light or easy matter, as they involve conditions all but irreconcileable . The Bat is usually required to be light , yet to have plenty of wood , to have immense driving powers , yet to be well balanced , so that it m a y come up well ." The blade being made of willow-a light and soft wood-the face of it has necessarily to be hardened ; but to obtain the best results the wood must not be condensed throughout , or the grain crushed by great pressure , as the natural elasticity would thereby be injured . Very few manufacturers appear to understand the correct method of performing this important operation . Then, too, the handle must have plenty of spring without being weak; it must have just the right amount of ovalling , and be well and truly spliced into the blade . Finally , in addition to all the special qualifications stated , great durability is demandedand expected . Such Bats as we have described are naturally highly prized by Cricketers every- where, but as they can only be produced by a manufacturer who is an artist as well as a good mechanic and painstaking manof business , while the special quality of willow required for them is difficult to obtain , and yearly growing scarcer and dearer, it will be apparent that the quantity of the highest class of Bats mustalways be limited ; and the demandbeing great , they naturally commanda good price . The remainder are valuable in proportion to the nearness with which theyapproachto the standard of first -class . JAMES LILLYWHITE FROWD& Co. have for many years past made a most careful study how best to overcome the difficulties above referred to, and as a result of their labours , they have succeeded in inventing a number of machines and special appliances which enable them to produce the highest class of Bats with a certainty altogether unknown to the rule of thumb method so generally practised . Of course , the first necessity is to possess good materials , and there- fore J. L. , F. & Co. have always acted on the principle of purchasing the very finest willow that could be obtained and keeping a large stock of it . Theyhave, therefore , always plenty of thoroughly seasoned wood ready for use . Further, they employ only highly skilled workmen, whoare then trained to carry out the Firm's ideas . Finally , the Bats, whencompleted , are subjected to a process of continuous oiling and seasoning in a carefully regulated temperature in a large warehouse specially built for this purpose , and are then ready for use, andmaybe sentwith the fullest confidence to the mosttrying climates in the world. 2 Newington Causeway, and 69 to 74 Borough Road, London, S.E.