Cricket has rarely been far from the headlines in recent months, with rivalries between clubs and nations across the men’s and women’s game, records broken, and storytelling once again captivating fans across the world.
In recent years, much of the conversation around cricket has focused on the balance between heritage and modernity, and on preserving the sport’s rich legacy while attracting new audiences, a reminder of how deeply cricket resonates across nations and generations. While the Ashes urn remains one of cricket’s most recognisable cricket trophies, the modern game has given rise to a new generation of cricketing silverware that inspire players and audiences on a global scale, many of which have been designed, handcrafted, or restored by Thomas Lyte.
Over the past decade, Thomas Lyte has been entrusted with producing and caring for many of cricket’s most prestigious icons in sterling silver. From the revered ICC World Cups to the bold contemporary design reflected in franchise cricket trophies, our London workshop has become a home for the symbols that define cricketing achievement today.
At the heart of every elite sporting trophy lies a story of craft. As Royal Warrant holders and one of the world’s leading goldsmiths and silversmiths, we continue a tradition that stretches back millennia. Each commission begins as a concept sketch and evolves through meticulous design, digital modelling, and traditional silversmithing techniques. Hand chasing, spinning, casting, forging, planishing, engraving, polishing, and assembly are a number of the skills carried out by master craftsmen and skilled apprentices in our London workshops.
These techniques remain largely unchanged in spirit from those used to create some of sports most historic masterpieces, yet are applied today to create silverware that works harder than ever before. Where fine silverware was once kept safely in display cabinets, today’s cricket trophies take centre stage, featured across global broadcasts, acting as a powerful branding and sponsorship tool, and travelling the world on promotional trophy tours. Thomas Lyte produces silverware of such quality that it endures the demands of a modern trophy’s hardworking life. Tournaments choose Thomas Lyte not only for the excellence of our craftsmanship, but for the credibility and prestige that a bespoke, handcrafted trophy brings to their competition.
Among the most recognisable pieces in world sport are the ICC Cricket World Cup trophies for both the men’s and women’s tournaments. Their trophy lifts create moments that become etched into sporting history, broadcast to billions of viewers worldwide, with a special nod to the host nation’s triumph earlier this month in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup held in India.
Both trophies have a distinctive form, a globe, stylised as a cricket ball, cradled between columns rising from the base. A symbol that has become synonymous with cricketing excellence.
Our role includes restoration, preparation, and finishing ahead of each tournament, ensuring that the trophies reflect the highest standards when they return to the world stage. The craftsmanship involved, from repair work, polishing, and gold plating to precise engraving of winning teams, demands absolute precision. These trophies stand as the pinnacle of cricket silverware, and we are proud to be trusted by the ICC with their ongoing stewardship.
In addition to trophies, Thomas Lyte also design and manufacture the player of the tournament and match awards, and the medals for all major ICC tournaments.
The evolution of the sport has been mirrored in the trophies that represent it. The ICC T20 World Cup trophies for the men’s and women’s formats embody the dynamism and energy of modern cricket. Their sharp, contemporary silhouettes are designed to stand out on broadcast and digital platforms, and have influenced incredible branding efforts, reflected in the explosive popularity of the T20 format across the world of cricket.
In contrast, the ICC World Test Championship Mace represents cricket’s deepest traditions. Awarded to the world’s top Test team, the mace combines elegant form with rich symbolism and the logos of each of the competing test cricket nations. The Mace features a gold-plated cricket ball, surrounded by a silver globe with a beautifully crafted openwork structure symbolising the worldwide reach of Test cricket.
A laurel leaf design spirals its way down the baton, a symbol of victory and achievement for centuries. Together, these trophies demonstrate the capabilities of world-class modern goldsmiths and silversmiths, to bridge innovation and history, crafting trophies that reflect both modern spectacle and timeless prestige.
As franchise and domestic competitions continue to grow, trophies have become powerful visual ambassadors for tournaments around the world. The Betway SA20 Trophy and the International League T20 (ILT20) Trophy, couldn’t be more different, both embody bold, distinctive identities, helping to establish the prestige of two rapidly developing leagues with global broadcast reach and strong audience engagement. Their presentation ceremonies and trophy tours play a crucial role in building recognition of their tournaments and fan loyalty, ensuring the silverware becomes synonymous with each competition’s brand.
Closer to home, The Hundred trophies for the men’s and women’s competitions were created with attracting a new audience audience in mind, aligning with striking visual identities and engaging younger supporters.
The Vitality Blast Trophy, meanwhile, has become a familiar presence in the British cricket calendar, maintaining visibility and tradition within domestic cricket and reinforcing the competition’s status each season all while displaying the brand colours of their headline sponsor Vitality Insurance.
Collectively, these trophies showcase the breadth of our work in modern franchise and domestic cricket, crafted in our London workshops for explosive global leagues. They illustrate how bespoke silverware can shape a competition’s identity.
From grassroots passion to the global stage, cricket continues to evolve. As the sport expands into new markets and formats, new icons will undoubtedly emerge, and the next icon of cricket may already be taking shape in our workshop. At Thomas Lyte, we are honoured to play a role in shaping these symbols. Every commission is crafted to endure, ensuring that these moments of victory will continue to be revered for generations.
At Thomas Lyte, every commission begins with a conversation, if you’d like to speak to us about commissioning bespoke silverware for your own sporting tournament, we’d love to hear from you.
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We have selected a number of case studies that demonstrate the broad range of our capabilities designing and making in precious metals.
