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Coming from down under back to his country of origin, Sahan Dickmadugodage, born to a Sri Lankan family in Australia, a staunch supporter of Sri Lanka Cricket and an staunch believer in due returns for commitment, had chosen Sri Lanka as the manufacturing hub for his dream that is intended to go global. In fact, he has taken Sri Lanka into the books of the International Cricket Council, as his Staunch Sport branded cricket bats were graced with the ICC approval for standard products to be used in any ICC tournaments.
Opened a door, a gate and a horizon, Sahan and his Staunch bats are now ready to go into the hands of world’s renowned cricketers, waving another made in Sri Lankan product in the centre of attraction of a loved sport in the country.
Determined to make it big, the young entrepreneur has got very clear plans for the company’s future. He wants to go global and he wants to make into all sports, being a renowned brand in sports marketing.
Following are some of the excerpts of an interview with the budding cricket bat manufacturer in Sri Lanka:
By Leonard Ratnayake
Q: What made you think of making cricket bats?
A: I was always an ardent fan of cricket growing up; I also had a fascination for cricket bats. When I would go out with my friends to the mall I would drag my mates to the sports stores and I would hold and feel the cricket bats all the time. So I had an early interest from a young age. When I came to Lanka in 2017 for a holiday I noticed cricket bats were expensive, some were more than the bats in Australia, my home country. During April 2017, I thought of making cricket bats in Sri Lanka.
Q: Why did you choose Sri Lanka as your manufacturing hub?
A: When I realised cricket bats weren’t made in Sri Lanka. I thought I could make them in SL for a much cheaper price in Sri Lanka as wages were lower compared to Australia and England. So i thought there was a decent shot for me in the market.
Q: How close is your life to the sport of cricket?
A: I live and breathe cricket. I pretty much knew everything about cricket and cricket bats growing up, so that definitely helped me know about the industry, like pitches in Australia are different to Sri Lanka so you have to make different bats accordingly to the pitches.
Q: You said you always loved to hold cricket bats when you see them in malls but how do you feel when you hold a cricket bat of your own manufacture in your hands?
A: It’s something that I cannot describe. My passion for cricket bats runs deep. I always triple check the bat before it goes out to the public.
Q: Congratulations on the ICC endorsement, could you please explain about the standards of the bats you make?
A: Thanks mate, the standards of our bats and stickers have a certain guidelines set by the ICC that we cannot go over. We have our own measuring gauges for the bats and stickers. So we can be 100% sure that our bats are up to regulation standards.
Q: Tell me how do you convince a known cricketer to change his bat to a Staunch?
A: Being honest, I don’t do any convincing! The bat speaks for itself! A proper player comes in and pretty much from the first minute compliments the bat before he even picks it up. I barely do any of the talking. I let my bats do the talking rather scoring…
Q: Just relate a few important milestones in your life related to your dream product?
A: It starts in June 2017, when I dropped myself out of my university and coming to Sri Lanka was my biggest milestone; I knew there was pretty much no turning back after that decision. In the same year, I had to sell my car to find some finances to my dream project. I also got shafted by a Pakistani supplier where I lost about Rs. 800,000. In July 2018, I got two partners to the company to help me out and later in the year I flew back to Australia to find investors, Thereafter, in an year’s time, I started trading as a bat manufacturer and in six month since then in February 2020, I was able to get the ICC approval.
Q: Who had been supportive and what were the real obstacles?
A: I’ve had many support from everywhere across the world, I would be here all day if I listed them. But to name a few, my parents for lending me their holiday house when I moved here. Stefan and Akalanka for joining the business initially. Ranul, Ravi, Alex and Venetia for investing in the business. Charith Senanayake and Sachithra Senanayake for helping me meet the players and giving advice.
Q: It is Staunchsport, so obviously, cricket is not only your target?
A: Definitely not just cricket, I not only plan to make pads, gloves and cricket balls in Sri Lanka, but I plan this is going to be a gateway for other sports equipment to be made in Sri Lanka. I am 100% confident once the bats are being made it should run its course.
Q: Where would you see your company in three years’ time?
A: Most definitely, a known cricket brand that manufactures pads, gloves, cricket balls, etc. No exception and should
be experimenting with other sports.
