Newbery Cricket Bats: Kudos, Pulse and Master 100 Guide

Newbery cricket bats are English willow bats made by hand in the UK by one of the oldest names in bat making, now based in West Sussex. We stock three Newbery shapes, Kudos, Pulse and the Master 100, in four grades named 4, 5 Star, Players and SPS. For 2026 Newbery has moved to simpler numbered grades, so this guide explains both the names on our 2025 bats and the new system, lists what we stock with our prices on 15 October 2026, and covers how to choose between the shapes.

Who Makes Newbery Bats

Newbery traces its bat making to Len Newbery, who started in East Sussex in the early 1900s. His son John Newbery founded the present company, John Newbery Ltd, in 1981, and is credited with designs including the steel spring handle. The firm is based at East Preston in West Sussex and says its top-grade English willow bats are handmade in the UK by master bat makers.

Newbery's best-known oddity is the shoulderless Excalibur, the bat Lance Cairns used to hit six sixes in 52 from 25 balls at the MCG in 1983. It came about almost by accident, when a bat with a knot near the shoulder was shaved down, as cricket.com.au has told.

The Three Shapes

• Kudos: the traditional English bat in the range, with a full-length blade, a wide sweet spot set mid to low, a slight concave and a full spine. Newbery pitch it at controlled shot-making on lower pitches, and The Cricketer's 2025 test found the same: a wide sweet spot suited to lower-bouncing surfaces.
• Pulse: new for 2025, with a higher sweet spot for faster pitches and big edges. Wisden welcomed it in its 2025 bat test, calling Newbery resurgent after a quiet few years, and its tester scored the Pulse 18.5 out of 20. The first batch sold out before the official launch.
• Master 100: a limited heritage bat marking a century of Newbery bat making, with a mid to low sweet spot and an orange and black sticker carrying the original Newbery logo.

What 4, 5 Star, Players and SPS Mean

These are the willow grades on Newbery's 2025 bats, the ones we stock. Newbery's own site still refers to SPS and Player grade willow, and the SPS, short for Sponsored Players Special, sits above the Players in price. Retailer listings put the 4 at grade 4, the 5 Star at grade 3 and the Players at grade 2, with SPS the top grade. As with every brand, the grade is mostly about the look of the willow, the straightness and number of grains and the marks on the face, more than how the bat plays.

For 2026 Newbery has replaced these names with a Pro Grade and grades 1 to 3, and turned the SPS into a model of its own. Newbery's 2026 prices for these three shapes run from £350 for a grade 3 Kudos or Pulse to £725 for a Pro Grade Master.

Newbery Bats in Stock

Senior short handle bats, 2025 range, on 15 October 2026, in weights from 2lb 8oz to 2lb 11oz. The Kudos Players has the widest choice of weights. For juniors we hold the Kudos 5 Star Junior in size 6 at £144.99; Newbery is a small part of our junior range, so see our guide to the best junior cricket bats for other sizes. Browse the full range in our Newbery cricket bats collection.

How to Choose a Newbery Bat

1. Pick the shape for your pitches. Most English club pitches are slow and low, which suits the mid to low sweet spot of the Kudos or the Master 100. The Pulse, with its higher middle, is the one for quicker, bouncier surfaces and for a player who commits to every shot.
2. Pick the grade for your budget. The Pulse 4 at £214.99 is the cheapest way into a Newbery. The 5 Star at £299.99 is the same price in all three shapes, so it is the easiest grade to compare across them.
3. Feel the pick-up. Newbery press each cleft individually, so two bats of the same model and weight can feel different. Pick the one that lifts most easily.
4. Knock it in. Every new English willow bat needs it; our guide to knocking in a new cricket bat explains how.

Newbery runs an authenticity check on its website using each bat's serial number and hologram. To see Newbery beside the other smaller makers, read our comparison of Salix, CA, Chase and Newbery.

FAQs: Newbery Cricket Bats

Are Newbery bats good?
Yes. Newbery is one of the longest-established English bat makers, its top-grade bats are handmade in the UK, and the Pulse scored 18.5 out of 20 in Wisden's 2025 bat test.

Where are Newbery cricket bats made?
Newbery is based at East Preston in West Sussex, and its top-grade English willow bats are handmade in the UK.

What does SPS mean on a Newbery bat?
Sponsored Players Special, the top willow grade in Newbery's 2025 range. From 2026 the SPS is a bat model in its own right.

What is the difference between the Newbery Kudos and Pulse?
Where the sweet spot sits. The Kudos has a wide sweet spot mid to low for lower pitches, while the Pulse has a higher one for faster, bouncier pitches.

Who used the Newbery Excalibur?
New Zealand's Lance Cairns, who hit six sixes at the MCG in 1983 with the shoulderless bat.

Do Newbery bats need knocking in?
Yes, like any new English willow bat, before you use it against a hard ball.