Gray-Nicolls
Encyclopedia
Gray-Nicolls is a sports equipment and apparel company specialising in cricket
. The origin of Gray Nicolls is from the English company Grays.
champion G.J. Gray founded the racket-making company G.J. Gray and Sons in 1855. The company later began manufacturing cricket bat
s. G.J."Gary" Nicolls started making bats in 1876 in his workshop in Robertsbridge
, East Sussex
, where the company is still based today. These two well-regarded bat manufacturers merged in the 1940s to form Gray-Nicolls.
The brand continued to be well regarded worldwide in the 1950s and 60s. At one stage, Ted Dexter
, Richie Benaud
, Frank Worrell
, John Reid
and Trevor Goddard
, who were the captains of five Test playing countries, all used Gray-Nicolls bats. During this time, Gray-Nicolls pioneered certain bat technology, with major innovations including the revolutionary Steel Spring and the first shoulderless Superlite bat.
The 1970s saw Gray-Nicolls become the first cricket company to use coloured bat labels, soon to become a trend on cricket bats. The company introduced the revolutionary scoop bat in 1974, which was a radically different bat with a weight reducing scoop. A new Gray-Nicolls factory was opened in Melbourne
to supply the growing demand from the Australia
n and New Zealand
markets. The company's expansion during the 1980s and 1990s required the company to move to larger premises in Robertsbridge, and the company's current home.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. The origin of Gray Nicolls is from the English company Grays.
History
World RacquetsRacquets
Racquets may refer to:* The plural of Racquet, a piece of sporting equipment* Racquets , an indoor sport using long wooden racquets and a small, hard ball...
champion G.J. Gray founded the racket-making company G.J. Gray and Sons in 1855. The company later began manufacturing cricket bat
Cricket bat
A cricket bat is a specialised piece of equipment used by batsmen in the sport of cricket to hit the ball. It is usually made of willow wood. Its use is first mentioned in 1624....
s. G.J."Gary" Nicolls started making bats in 1876 in his workshop in Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge is a village in East Sussex, England within the civil parish of Salehurst and Robertsbridge. It is approximately 10 miles north of Hastings and 13 miles south-east of Tunbridge Wells...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, where the company is still based today. These two well-regarded bat manufacturers merged in the 1940s to form Gray-Nicolls.
The brand continued to be well regarded worldwide in the 1950s and 60s. At one stage, Ted Dexter
Ted Dexter
Edward Ralph Dexter CBE is a former English cricketer...
, Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
, Frank Worrell
Frank Worrell
Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell is sometimes referred to by his nickname of Tae and was a West Indies cricketer and Jamaican senator...
, John Reid
John Richard Reid
John Richard Reid was a New Zealand cricketer who captained New Zealand in 34 Tests. He was the country's first cricketing leader to achieve victory, both at home against the West Indies in 1956 and the first away win, against South Africa in 1962...
and Trevor Goddard
Trevor Goddard (cricketer)
Trevor Leslie Goddard is a former left-hand cricketer. An all-rounder, he played 41 Test matches for South Africa from 1955 to 1970, captaining them over the 1963-64 season and drawing an encounter with Australia. A left-handed, classically correct opening batsman, he was also a successful swing...
, who were the captains of five Test playing countries, all used Gray-Nicolls bats. During this time, Gray-Nicolls pioneered certain bat technology, with major innovations including the revolutionary Steel Spring and the first shoulderless Superlite bat.
The 1970s saw Gray-Nicolls become the first cricket company to use coloured bat labels, soon to become a trend on cricket bats. The company introduced the revolutionary scoop bat in 1974, which was a radically different bat with a weight reducing scoop. A new Gray-Nicolls factory was opened in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to supply the growing demand from the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
markets. The company's expansion during the 1980s and 1990s required the company to move to larger premises in Robertsbridge, and the company's current home.
Bats
| Name | Year |
|---|---|
| Powerbow | 2010 |
| Ignite | 2010 |
| Evo | 2010 |
| Quantum | 2011 |
| Xiphos | 2010 |
| Oblivion | 2011 |
| e41 | 2011 |
Exclusives
| Name | Year |
|---|---|
| XX4 | 2010 |
| Taipan | 2010 |
| Spyda | 2010 |
| Legend | 2010 |
| Dual T20 | 2010 |
| Scoop Revival | 2010 |
| KABOOM | 2010 |