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Cricket
A summer with two test series and a Twenty 20 world cup ensures a high profile for cricket, but when it includes an Ashes win, cricket finds its way to the front pages. The industry as a whole is expecting the resulting publicity to attract new young players. Manufacturers in general are also reporting sales of cricket products showing resilience to the recession so expectations are uniformly positive for 2010. Congratulations, as well, go to the ECB whose development programme is bringing the game to ever more youngsters. Cricket is no longer a niche sport.
To take advantage of this, manufacturers recognise that choice is important for retailers. (Interesting: in plenty of business sectors suppliers would like to dominate outlets). But cricketers actually know the products and want to compare them. They also recognise that a broad range shows commitment to their sport.
Endorsements are a contentious subject. The major brands have an impressive list of sponsored players are of course enthusiasts. Others regard presentation and selling at retail as more important. The industry provides POS support and is committed to retail support but I could think of a dozen ways to improve what I've seen this summer.
The arrival of new ranges after Christmas will generate further sales, based on the series in South Africa. Women's cricket is growing apace on the back of the success of the England team. Nobody should be surprised; it's a team sport designed to appeal to female canniness and dislike of bruises. Don't just watch that space - move into it.
Slazenger Bats
The Slazenger V bats have been at the heart of a golden era of cricket for the past 40 years. A generation of cricketing superstars including Viv Richards, Geoffrey Boycott and Don Bradman have thrilled crowds and graced the game using the iconic bats.
2010 sees the launch of the new Slazenger V SERIES. The V1, V2 and V3 bats are introduced, offering the ultimate batting profile for every player type, from the elegant stroke maker to the hard-hitting run scorer.
The next chapter of the V will now unfold on the international stage, lead by the current generation of Slazenger's cricketing stars Paul Collingwood, Matt Prior and Jacques Kallis.
Slazenger V1 has been developed for players who demand an ultra lightweight bat for destructive precision.
The concave back spine delivers incredible ‘pick up' and sensational manoeuvrability for all round stroke play.
Slazenger V2 - New for 2010
The V2 offers an optimum balance of power and control for uncompromising all round performance.
The lowered middle combined with balanced ‘pick up' delivers excellent playability for batsmen who love to play attacking shots.
Slazenger V3 - New for 2010
The V3 boasts a unique profile for the batsmen who demands supreme power to dismantle the opposition.
The enlarged sweet spot combined with a chiselled toe creates ultimate power whilst maintaining a light ‘pick up
Batting Pads and Gloves.
This year Slazenger has rationalized its equipment range offering five pads and five gloves, all simply named , Ultimate, Elite, Pro, County and Panther.
The Ultimate pad and glove offer international standard protection utilizing ultra lightweight materials, and will be used by England stars, Paul Collingwood, Matt Prior, Adil Rashid and Tim Bresnan.
The Ultimate pad has a traditional design while the gloves have Amor-Tec M2 finger protection over the lead two fingers offering exceptional levels of protection.
The new strong branding then flows down through the price points.
Wicket keeping
The Ultimate glove and pad have been brought into line with the new designs and branding of the 2010 range, The Ultimate pads and gloves embrace the athleticism and performance demands of a wicket keeper. Used and endorsed by England's Ashes winning wicket keeping Matt Prior.
Luggage
Slazenger luggage has become synonymous with quality and functionality. The 2010 range embraces the requirements of an modern day cricketer and has been lifted cosmetically and re names to relate to the size of the bag. Range features: Ultimate V180 holdall, Elite V165 holdall and Duffle V95.
Gunn & Moore
Gunn & Moore's major investment in UK bat manufacturing is paying off. Their new bat making process and machinery in Nottingham has been followed by a resoundingly successful 2009 season for the DXM Series of bats. Whilst initial orders for 2009 were encouraging, the actual sell through for dealers and the resulting level of in-season repeats has been convincing. Since May, GM has seen a 47% year on year increase in incoming orders for English Willow Bats - evidence enough that Hero DXM and Icon DXM have proved to be the pick of the crop for players in 2009.
This success now paves the way for more exciting developments for 2010 where the momentum has been maintained with the addition of four new DXM models to the range.
Flare DXM and Apex DXM combine state of the art profiles that are exquisitely crafted in the most exacting grading of finest English willow, and just like their Icon and Hero DXM stable mates, they are produced by GM's own craftsmen in their own factory.
The introduction of the new ‘GM+' option for the Icon DXM and Flare DXM adds further breadth to the range. ‘GM+' delivers huge additional power from greatly increased edge profiles and the resulting extension in ‘sweetspot' size.
Gunn & Moore believe that their customers should be confident as to where and by whom their bat of choice is made, rather than being someone else's re-badged product which does not offer equivalent consistency or quality.
Complementing the new Bat introductions are new protective ranges for batsmen and wicket-keepers, new shoes including a mid-cut bowlers model, a completely re-designed luggage collection and an expanded clothing range which in direct response to demand from players and clubs, now includes a range of GM polo shirts, plus of course shirts and trousers specifically designed and cut for women.
Gunn & Moore's 2010 collection is the most complete, comprehensive and competitive GM range ever.
Bradbury UK
For 2010 they are keeping the Players range, which is the top level. In addition, they have three new ranges of pads and gloves under that brand name to come in line with the bat range that will stay the same as 2009. These are 5hundred, 3hundred and 1hundred.
Newbery
SUSSEX-based cricket equipment manufacturers Newbery have unveiled the "Chic", the first bat designed specifically for female cricketers.
The Chic is made of light willow and is sized somewhere between a normal men's bat and a Harrow. As with all Newbery bats, the Chic is made of specially selected wood but has a bigger sweet spot and slightly thinner handle than a conventional bat.
Newbery Chief Executive Neil Lenham said: "Women's cricket is growing in popularity and has always had a strong base here in Sussex. We have been inundated with girls and women of all ages to hand-craft a bat specifically for them and we think they will enjoy using the Chic."
England spin bowler Holly Colvin was one of the first cricketers to use the Chic during the Ashes series against Australia. Holly, who made her England debut against the Aussies when she was just 15, said: "Women's cricket in England has never been healthier following our victory in the World Cup and this is another great step forward.
"The Chic feels fantastic - it is really light and feels great in your hands but the sweet spot is so big. Every time you middle one it speeds off the bat. It is great that Newbery, who have such a great reputation as bat makers of the highest quality, have responded to the demand for a bat which is designed specifically to our needs."
Clare Connor, head of women's cricket at the England & Wales Cricket Board, said: "Congratulations to Newbery on their dynamic thinking in the form of the Chic bat. Not only does this innovation show how firmly women's cricket is now on the map and in the hearts and minds of those involved in the sport, but it also shows a real commitment from Newbery to attract more girls to the game.
"We have seen a 49% increase in the number of females taking up the sport in the past eighteen months and with exciting ventures like this, coupled with the success of the England women's team, I am sure we are going to see further increases in the coming years."
Kookaburra
Kookaburra is the leading cricket brand throughout the World. The endorsement of the World's Top Players is testimony to the performance, innovation & durability that Kookaburra Products offer. The 2010 Collection offers Players new exciting graphics & ‘state of the art' design which can elevate their game to the next level.
Team Kookaburra internationally is the strongest squad in the game, including many of the world's best known names across the cricket world
The ‘Shelf Appeal' of Kookaburra products is a key sales factor and striking graphics in tandem with superb innovation, quality and performance makes the 2010 collection their best yet. Players at all levels trust the Kookaburra reputation to offer them the best ‘Value For Money' they can get irrespective of the product they are buying or the price they pay.
Cricket Bats - Exciting new graphics throughout the range make Kookaburra the Brand to be seen with
Kahuna (endorsed by Ricky Ponting), Blade (Phillip Hughes) and Ice (Mike Hussey) will be joined by the new CCX (Owais Shah). A new style featuring a unique ODP (Optimal Drive Position) gives players a powerful shape which is just made for hitting sixes (even on the biggest boundaries)
Batting Gloves - Superb protection characteristics from £10 to £80 - all products feature new designs aimed at increasing player comfort & protection. International Players Quality products have all been improved to offer the comfort & performance of Pittards Leather. Mid range products continue to be the envy of the rest of the market - Kahuna 300 (£20), Ice 400 (£25), CCX 450 (£30), Blade 500 (£35) & Kahuna (£40)
Batting Leg Guards - Price range from £15.00 to £125, Players Quality products again offer superb Protection; however once again the club players is well catered for from £20 to £60 - look out for the CCX 200 @ £20 & Kahuna 300 @ £30
Wicket Keeping -
Gloves - The Silver continues to bethe choice of most English Keepers with its traditional style; however Brad Haddin's personal preference is for a shorti style. The ‘Brad Haddin' features Brad's personal specification, whilst Super Green is an icon in theart. New products include the striking Neon & Seraph which feature the same design features as the Brad's glove in a lower specification of materials.
Leg Guards - The Brad Haddin model continues to be top of the range & has been improved to reflect Brad's personal preference & Aussie heritage. The traditionalists are again well catered for with the Neon & Fury both of which feature lightweight material to optimise agility
Clothing - The Apex Collection is an exciting development for the Brand; featuring contemporary style & sports specific innovation. The range features performance Playing Shirt, Knitwear & Baselayer & nicely complements the existing Active & Predator ranges which has become a firm favourite with retailers throughout the UK.
Footwear - Kookaburra led the market in quality affordable footwear in 2009. The 2010 collection offers a significant development with two more quality sports specific products
‘Apex' offers players ‘DualOption' flexibility in sole options with high quality ‘running shoe/crosstrainer style and features at £50.
‘Vertex' is available in either a full spike (which again can be transformed into a half spike) @£40 & full rubber styles @ £30.
Luggage - Radical & functional - the new Pro Collection offers everyone the storage space they need to get to the game fully ready for action. The Pro 1000 is huge & caters for all the aspiring Professionals on the circuit @ £85 whilst the Pro 300 gives club players a bag that they can safely store their bat inside @ a cost of only £30.
Protection - Kookaburra Protective Shorts continue to be the benchmark for functional ‘VFM' protection; however in conjunction with Team Kookaburra Players - the new Players range is launched - manufactured in Ultra Lightweight Thermo Flex Foam - Players products provide maximum protection with minimal bulk - you can even join the Thigh Guard & the Inner Thigh Guard to provide a single protection unit.
Cricket Helmets - the new ‘Apex' is manufactured in Ultra Lightweight Shock materials & features a shock resistant Polymer liner & KCS (Kookaburra Control System) to provide a custom fit @ an SSP of £30.
