Australia continues to be the UK’s largest export market for cricket and polo gear, after growing by 13 per cent when compared to 2013 – backed up by established British brands such as Gunn & Moore and Gray-Nicolls.

One company highlighted for its recent increase of exported goods to Australia, Hawk Cricket, has seen business grow by 40 per cent over the last three years.

Having first begun trading overseas after joining a UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) trade trip to Australia in 2005, sales to Australia and New Zealand now account for 10 per cent of total operations.

The company’s co-founder Mike Hawk said: “Exporting our cricket bats has transformed our business and we’ve seen a significant difference over the past two years. As well as Australia and New Zealand, we’re considering new markets in the Middle East.”

The independent family business, founded in 1996, is based in Worcestershire and used UKTI to establish local business contacts in Australia – allowing it to launch the business into the country.

Francis Maude, minister for trade and investment, added: “The UK and Oz are both cricket-mad nations and it’s great to see the Aussies continue to be bolded over by the excellent standard of our sporting equipment. I encourage all companies to take advantage of government support for exporters and sell their premium British-made products abroad.”

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Outside of Australia, the next largest UK export markets for cricket and polo equipment in 2014 were the US (£600,000), Norway (£500,000), the UAE (£400,000) and South Africa (£300,000). Hindered by a large number of local brands in India, sales to the Asian nation were only £300,000.

Steve Finn, the England fast bowler who was part of the victorious England cricket team at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on 8 August, said: “The UK’s love for cricket is well known and evidenced by the high-quality cricketing equipment manufactured right her in Britain and exported across the world.”

By Hunter Ruthven