SA craftsman takes bat to Ashes opener Jake Weatherald
“Seeing him get his baggy green, sitting with his wife… it was crazy.” SA’s talented cricket bat maker tells how it felt seeing Ashes opener Jake Weatherald handle his handmade creation in WA – and how his latest bat is now headed to the Gabba.
“I can’t really believe the last week… it’s pretty crazy,” Jack Konnis says, surrounded by stacks of freshly crafted cricket bats in his small Norwood workshop.
The 22-year-old local cricket bat maker had just seen his creation used by Jake Weatherald on the international stage in Australia’s opening Ashes Test at Optus Stadium in Perth, a milestone many craftsmen can only dream about.
Konnis, who started JK Cricket in his parents’ shed at just 15 years of age, has since built a reputation for precision, passion, and obsessive attention to detail.
He described the relentless schedule that got him here.
One that has also seen some of world crickets’ biggest names, including the likes of Travis Head, Joe Root, and Rashid Khan, visiting the store for repairs.
“Pretty much all day every day I’m working, most days as an occupational therapist… then I’m here Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, sometimes Sundays. Busy schedule,” he says.
He credits his start to humble beginnings, repairing bats for friends and local players.
“I wouldn’t have been able to start my brand without repairs. It just wouldn’t have happened,” Konnis said.
Taking a leap of faith, he rented a small workshop with no guarantee of success.
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“When I took the space a few years ago, I was still in uni. The landlord said, ‘Do you want this or I’m putting it on Gumtree.’ I was like… alright,” he recalled with a laugh.
“It wasn’t a smart decision at the time. I wasn’t really ready. But that’s part of it – the risk paid off.”
His dedication to his craft is evident in every piece of willow, from the thickness and shape of the handle to the stickers and personal engraving, every bat tells a story.
“I’m obsessive about detail when I’m really interested in something. I’m still learning every single bat I make… it just feels like constantly learning,” Konnis said.
The reward for his years of effort came with recent Aussie Ashes test cricket debutant, Jake Weatherald – who is now tipped to be an opener in the Ashes Brisbane clash starting tomorrow, using Konnis’ ‘enigma’ blade.
Konnis first met Weatherald when he was just 16, repairing bats for friends and local players. Years later, the Tasmanian player reached out professionally.
“He just messaged me… ‘Hey mate, got plenty of time. We could sketch stuff out and create a few designs together,’” Konnis said.
That loyalty meant a lot to him.
“Jake’s been a very loyal person to be able to showcase something when he could have easily gone with a big brand… I’m indebted to him,” he added.
Weatherald, who switched from the Strikers to the Hurricanes in the BBL, made 23 runs and struck three crisp boundaries in his second innings for Australia, giving Konnis’ craftsmanship a debut on the world stage.
Watching nervously in the stands, Konnis said the experience was surreal.
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“Anyone who didn’t enjoy watching that shouldn’t watch cricket,” he said. “Seeing him get his baggy green, sitting with his wife, the raw emotion… it was crazy.”
Beyond the cricket itself, Konnis values the relationships and personal stories behind each bat.
“A lot of the time we’ve spent hasn’t been talking about cricket bats – it’s been seeing someone grow,” he said of Weatherald.
“He’s grown immensely as a person. Just to see him happy was the highlight of my trip.”
Weatherald’s journey has been far from smooth, and Konnis believes his story, told through a mental health lens, will have a lasting impact.
“He’s climbed back over seven mountains to get where he is. He’s incredibly inspiring not just as a cricketer, but in how he’s fought through hardship,” Konnis said.
“Think about it: 473 players have ever played for Australia and he got there.”
For Konnis, the experience validates years of work, risk, and sacrifice.
“I want to create this into a business… not just happening, but something full-time that I can do for a long time,” he said.
“Next steps will probably be hiring people – more for the repair side – and I can focus on making cricket bats.”
Even the smallest details are not overlooked. Konnis went back-and-forth with manufacturers to perfect logo stickers for left-handed bats, making sure every element was spot-on for the players who use them.
“It’s such a small detail, but I obsessed over it,” he said.
As JK Cricket continues to grow, Konnis remains driven by his passion and a desire to see local craftsmanship shine on a global scale.
“I’m in a really unique position – for a small brand to be at that level is quite rare. Right now I’m running on adrenaline. You just want to get as much done as possible and seize an opportunity,” he said.
Weatherald will sport his ‘enigma’ blade once again as he is set to open the batting in the highly-anticipated second test versus England on Thursday.
