Old-time master carves 'Stradivarius in willow'

Few cricket fans have heard of James Laver, even though the master craftsman's bats -- likened to "Stradivarius in willow" -- have graced the innings of legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting.
Laver works in relative anonymity in the hamlet of Waipawa on New Zealand's North Island, hand-carving bats for his boutique Laver & Wood label while also supplying some of the world's top players.
But elite batsmen inevitably have lucrative endorsement contracts with major manufacturers, so the bats he makes for the stars appear with the sponsor's name on, rather than Laver's.
Laver explained he has an understanding with major manufacturers that he can talk about retired players who have used his blades, but not those who are still playing.

The result is polite evasiveness when trying to determine the level of Laver's involvement in Sunday's Cricket World Cup final between New Zealand and Australia.
Can he confirm his bats will be used in the decider at the Melbourne Cricket Ground?: "Yes"

Can he say who will be using them?: "No," he replies with a twinkle in his eye. "But they'll be on both sides."
"People often ask if I get frustrated that my name's not on there but it's not like that," he said.
"I know my bats will be used in a World Cup final regardless, and that's quite cool, in a way."

Drifts of wood shavings reach knee high in the corners of Lavers' factory, where bats of every kind line walls and shelves -- from rough-hewn "clefts" of imported English willow, to split, battle-scarred blades sent by clients around the world to be replaced.
After one half-formed bat has gone through a mechanical press -- two tonnes of pressure to compress the wood and harden the face -- Laver administers a quick "thwack, thwack, thwack" with a mallet.
"You're listening to the bat, every bat has a different pitch," he says. "A close grain might have one sound if it's a good bat, but if it's not so good it'll be different. Also, you're getting a feel for how well the blade bounces and what it's going to do."

Laver originally trained as a construction engineer in his native England but wound up serving an apprenticeship with batmakers Millichamp & Hall.