India is home to a number of the top cricketbat manufacturers, including Sareen Sports, SS. But the wood used to make the highestquality bats needs to be shipped halfway across the globe from England. JS Wright & Sons, an English willow tree supplier that has been in the industry since the 1800s, supplies 75% of the willow for the world's cricket bats. English willow bats are durable, yet lightweight and sell for up to 10 times as much as cheaper, lowerend Kashmir willow bats. Growing these trees and using them to create a perfect bat is a more than 15yearlong process that requires a careful eye and years of experience. The trees need to be regularly inspected and maintained so they grow slowly and produce a clean, tightgrained cleft. But the best trees could be in short supply as the sport spreads into more countries, like the United States.

Editor's Note: At 2:30, the video incorrectly states that an English willow tree is ready to be cut down when it is 60 inches in diameter. It should say 60 inches in circumference.

00:00 Intro
00:58 $1,000 Cricket Bat
01:30 The Perfect Tree
02:14 English Willow Forest
03:11 Sawmill Process
04:22 Sawing And Waxing
05:30 Grading And Drying
06:46 Shipping Bats To India
07:13 How Cricket Bats Are Made
07:46 Carving The Bat
08:52 Pressing The Wood
09:23 Finishing Touches
09:56 Counterfeit Cricket Bats
11:02 The Growing Demand
11:41 Picking The Perfect Cricket Bat
12:53 The Future Of English Willow
13:40 Credits

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Why India's $12 Million Cricket Bat Industry Is Fueled By UK Trees | So Expensive | Business Insider