Speed. Precision. Ruthlessness.

The GM Rival 404 Cricket Bat 2026 is designed for players who don't walk to the crease simply to participate — they walk out there to compete.

Featuring a striking chequered-flag inspired design, the 2026 Rival combines aggressive styling with a powerful mid-to-low swell, huge toe depth, traditional L555 blade length and GM's proven English Willow construction.

Built for boundary-hunters and positive stroke-makers, the Rival 404 provides an excellent combination of power, pickup, balance and value, making it an outstanding choice for club and competitive cricketers.

No hesitation. No looking back. The Rival is Built To Win.

The Rival – Built for Competition

Every aspect of the Rival has been designed around positive, attacking cricket.

The substantial lower profile puts plenty of willow behind the ball, while carefully engineered sweeping contours help maintain excellent pickup and manoeuvrability.

The result is a cricket bat capable of feeling powerful through impact without becoming unnecessarily cumbersome in the hands.

Whether you're driving hard down the ground, attacking through the covers or looking to clear the boundary, the Rival has been shaped for players who want to take the game forward.

English Willow Construction

The GM Rival 404 is manufactured from carefully selected English Willow, providing an excellent combination of performance, durability and value.

The 404 specification makes the distinctive Rival profile accessible to club and developing cricketers looking for genuine English Willow performance at a competitive price point.

Each bat benefits from Gunn & Moore's extensive manufacturing expertise and precision shaping to achieve the balance and pickup expected from a GM cricket bat.

Traditional L555 Blade Length

The Rival features GM's traditional L555 blade length, paired with a 295mm handle.

This configuration provides a generous hitting surface while maintaining the familiar proportions of a Short Handle cricket bat.

The L555 blade works particularly well with the Rival's powerful lower profile, providing plenty of willow through the main hitting zone while maintaining the control required for all-round stroke play.

Mid-to-Low Swell – Attacking Power

At the heart of the Rival profile is its powerful mid-to-low swell position.

By positioning the main power zone slightly lower down the blade, the Rival provides excellent performance when playing on the front foot.

This makes it particularly effective for powerful drives, aggressive straight hitting and attacking fuller deliveries.

However, the swell isn't positioned excessively low, allowing the Rival to retain enough versatility for the all-round shot-maker.

Huge Toe Depth

One of the standout characteristics of the Rival is its huge toe depth.

The substantial lower blade puts additional willow into an important hitting area and gives the Rival its distinctive, imposing appearance.

For players who like to attack full deliveries or frequently make contact slightly lower on the blade, the additional toe depth provides extra confidence.

It also complements the mid-to-low swell perfectly, creating a profile designed for positive front-foot cricket.

F2 Face Profile

The F2 face profile provides the Rival with its distinctive playing characteristics.

The slightly rounded face works alongside the powerful swell and substantial lower blade to provide an excellent combination of feel, control and performance.

This gives the Rival a more traditional feel through impact while retaining the aggressive modern characteristics of the overall profile.

Sweeping Contours

The Rival features carefully designed sweeping contours through the back of the blade.

These contours help GM manage the distribution of willow throughout the bat, allowing the Rival to retain an imposing profile while maintaining excellent balance.

The result is a bat that looks substantial at the crease but remains responsive enough for quick hands and aggressive stroke play.

Powerarc Bow Face Profile

GM's Powerarc bow face profile further enhances the balance and swing characteristics of the Rival.

The carefully engineered bow helps create a smooth movement through the shot and complements the mid-to-low swell position.

Whether you're timing the ball into gaps or accelerating the bat when looking for the boundary, the Powerarc profile contributes to the Rival's excellent all-round performance.

Explosive Pickup

Despite its substantial lower profile and huge toe, the Rival has been carefully shaped to deliver an impressive pickup.

Effective weight distribution helps the bat feel responsive in the hands, allowing players to generate excellent bat speed through the hitting zone.

This combination of substantial power and responsive pickup makes the Rival particularly attractive to modern attacking batters.

New GM Apex Grip

The 2026 Rival is finished with the new GM Apex Grip.

Designed to provide excellent traction and secure hand positioning, the Apex Grip helps players maintain control when generating high bat speed.

The comfortable construction provides a confident connection between the hands and handle throughout long innings, while its distinctive appearance complements the aggressive Rival graphics.

Bold 2026 Rival Design

The Rival is one of the standout designs in GM's 2026 English Willow collection.

Its chequered-flag inspired graphics reflect the personality of the bat — fast, competitive and aggressive.

The distinctive design creates an unmistakable presence at the crease and perfectly complements a profile built for players who want to take control of the game.

Made in England

The GM Rival 404 2026 is proudly manufactured by Gunn & Moore in England.

GM combines generations of English cricket bat manufacturing expertise with modern precision engineering to create carefully balanced and consistently shaped cricket bats.

From willow selection and machining through to handle fitting and finishing, the Rival 404 benefits from the craftsmanship and manufacturing experience associated with Gunn & Moore.

Key Features

• GM Rival 404 – 2026 Edition
• Quality English Willow construction
• Bold chequered-flag inspired 2026 graphics
• Built for positive and aggressive stroke play
• Traditional L555 blade length
• 295mm handle length
• F2 face profile
• Powerful mid-to-low swell
• Designed for the all-round shot-maker
• Huge toe depth for attacking confidence
• Sweeping contours for an imposing profile
• Powerarc bow face profile
• Excellent combination of power and pickup
• Designed to generate excellent bat speed
• New GM Apex Grip
• Short Handle (SH)
• Made in England
• Excellent option for club and competitive cricketers

Specifications

Brand: Gunn & Moore (GM)**
Model: Rival 404
Season: 2026
Size: Short Handle (SH)
Willow: English Willow
Blade Length: L555
Handle Length: 295mm
Face Profile: F2
Swell Position: Mid-to-Low
Toe Profile: Extra Deep / Huge Toe
Back Profile: Sweeping Contours
Bow: Powerarc
Grip: GM Apex Grip
Country of Manufacture: England

Who Is the GM Rival 404 For?

The GM Rival 404 2026 is an excellent option for club and developing cricketers who want an English Willow bat designed around aggressive modern stroke play.

Its mid-to-low swell and substantial toe make it particularly attractive to front-foot players and boundary-hunters, providing plenty of power for driving through the line and attacking fuller deliveries.

At the same time, the sweeping contours and carefully distributed weight help create the pickup required for quick hands and all-round shot-making.

For players looking for English Willow performance, a powerful lower profile, excellent pickup and bold 2026 styling at an accessible price point, the GM Rival 404 is a fantastic choice.

Speed. Precision. Ruthlessness. The Rival is Built To Win.

Important Weight Information

Any bat weight displayed in this listing is measured WITHOUT an Extratec protective sheet and WITHOUT a toe guard fitted.

Please note that fitting an Extratec protective sheet and/or toe guard will slightly increase the finished playing weight of the bat.