About Us / Our Story – Duncan Fearnley
Our Story: The Duncan Fearnley Heritage
The Fearnley story begins with Duncan Fearnley, a Yorkshire-born cricketer and craftsman with a passion for the game and a gift for working with willow. After a first-class playing career with Worcestershire in the 1960s, Fearnley turned his attention to bat-making, combining family woodworking traditions with his experience at the crease. In 1968 he opened a small workshop in Worcester, devoted to hand-shaping, balancing and perfecting bats using the finest English willow. Word spread quickly: these were bats made by a cricketer, for cricketers — built with feel, performance and authenticity at their core.
By the 1980s, the Fearnley name had become one of the most sought-after brands in world cricket. Some of the greatest players to ever pick up a bat chose Fearnley: Ian Botham, Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar, Clive Lloyd, Allan Border and many more. Their runs, records, and iconic innings carried the Fearnley logo to every corner of the cricketing world, making it a symbol of confidence and craftsmanship. At a time when cricket equipment was becoming commercialised, Fearnley stood apart — not as a mass-market product, but as a maker of serious tools trusted by serious players.
Today, Fearnley remains rooted in its founding values: quality, tradition, and performance. From handcrafted bats to modern sportswear, every product reflects decades of dedication to the game. We honour the heritage Duncan Fearnley built — a history shaped in English willow, carried by legends, and remembered every time someone walks out to bat with a Fearnley name across their chest.
Alongside our handcrafted English willow, we now offer complete teamwear ranges:
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Match and training kits for red- and white-ball cricket
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Bespoke coloured T20 and limited-overs designs
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Off-field and travel wear for players, coaches and supporters
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Custom club branding with badges, names, numbers and sponsor logos
Whether you’re a village side, a thriving junior section or a premier-league club, DF teamwear is built to give your players a professional look with grassroots practicality – durable fabrics, reliable fits and classic, cricket-first design.
From a Pudsey upbringing to a Worcester workshop and now into clubhouses around the world, Duncan Fearnley remains what it has always been: a cricket brand made by cricket people, now dressing entire teams – not just their top order.
Sunil Gavaskar, Clive Lloyd, Kepler Wessels, Ian Botham, Graham Gooch, Greame Hick, Viv Richards, Graeme Pollock, Wasim Akram, Ravi Shastri, Allan Border, Martin Crowe, Graham Fowler