James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1898

J A M E SL I L L YW H I T E, F R O W D& Co. iii. C R I C K E T B A S . T H E BATis , 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 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 . TheBat 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 may " come up well ." Theblade being madeof willow-a light and soft wood-the face of it hasnecessarily to be hardened ; but to obtain the best results the wood mustnot be condensed throughout, or the grain crushed by great pressure , as the natural elasticity would thereby be injured . Very few manufac- turers 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 demanded and expected . Such Bats as w e have described are naturally highly prized by Cricketers everywhere, but as they can only be produced by a manufacturer who is an artist as well as a good mechanic and painstaking man of 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 must always be limited ; and the demandbeing great , they naturally commanda good price . The remainder are valuable in proportion to the nearness with which they approach to the s t a n d a r dof first-class. JAMES LILLYWHITE, FROWD& Co. have for manyyears past made amostcareful study h o wbest to overcome the difficulties above referred to, and as a result of their labours they have succeeded in inventing a numberof machines and special appliances which enable them to produce the highest class of Bats with a certainty altogether unknownto the rule of thumb method so generally practiced . Of course , the first necessity is to possess good materials , and therefore 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 . They have , therefore , always plenty of thoroughly seasoned woodready for use. Further, they employonly highly skilled workmen, who are 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 carcfully regulated temperature in a large ware- house specially built for this purpose , and are then ready for use , and may be sent with the fullest confidence to the most trying climates in the world . 2, NEWINGTONCAUSEWAY. AND 69 TO 74, BOROUGHROAD, LONDON, S.E. L