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By David Sentance

Small miracles happen at Woodley Cricket Complex every day when Zafar climbs down from his roller after preparing the pitch for the day’s games. Once off the roller he switches roles to Mr Bat Bat.

Pic (Right): Zafar was a bat maker to top Australian cricketers

Having grown up in Lahore with a home on the Grand Trunk Road to Sialkot, Zafar was raised in a furniture making family, with a love for fine grained wood. As a good cricketer he was soon drawn to the main weapon of the game-the bat. A true artisan, he apprenticed himself to the best bat makers in England. Having been impressed by the straight face of English bats, Zafar flew to London to learn the craft of bat making at the John Newbery factory.

At Newbery, he saw pressed English willow being crafted into fine blades fit enough to carry batsmen to glory in the top levels of the game. The Industrial Revolution in England started when the canal system linked coal mines to the ocean. The canals were lined with clay and buttressed by willow trees deep root system. This weeping willow became the backbone of English cricket when it took off in the eighteenth century. The frequent rain of England makes for a tight grain that can’t be duplicated in other places such as Kashmir. 

Apart from the convivial atmosphere of cricket after the game in the pavilion, Zafar gained a true regard for and a genuine mastery of the English willow.An open invitation from Harold Solomon of Kingsgrove Sports followed which led Zafar to Australia. 

At Impala Bat Making factory near Sydney he became a master bat maker to the top Australian stars, Gillespie, Slater, Walker and Ponting to name some of the most illustrious.

A Press Clipping from the time Mr Bat Bat was at Impala Sports

While working in Australia for five years he heard of Woodley based cricket in Los Angeles and decided to open his own bat making business. This year top players at Woodley have received the personal attention of a fine craftsman and true gentleman as he goes about fixing and making bats.

Never have Southern California bats been in such fine fettle. Now we have no excuse as players take to the wicket. On the sidelines Zafar smiles knowingly as his bats create their magic on the field.  

Southern California cricket is truly blessed to have Zafar honing his trade as the first full-time groundskeeper batmaker in the United States. Those needing a bat upgrade can reach Zafar (Mr Bat Bat) at: expertbatrepair@gmail.com.