Founded in 2023 by Matt Carter and Richard Woodhouse, and in partnership with a whole host of cricket and footwear experts, ME+U are in the vanguard of the design of innovative cricket shoes. Phil Walker spoke to Carter to find out more
WCM: Where did the idea for ME+U originate?
MC: I was playing a Kent league game a few years ago and dislocated my ankle while bowling. In the months following I had a lot of time to think about my own misfortune and what led to it. Following a lot of research and consultation with footwear and biomechanical experts, I decided to do it myself. Initially I did it through my brand Stag, but after the product became something unique, I formed ME+U.
WCM: How did you go about designing and crafting a shoe that works for the physical requirements of cricket?
MC: We looked at biomechanical and running principles, and how to protect the body against impact in a different way. Rather than creating a shoe that takes the shock through your ankles, knees and lower back, we talked about creating a heel detail to minimise the strain. I spoke to Steff [Steffan Jones] who was brilliant on the physiological aspects of creating a shoe suited to fast bowlers, and we also have two very experienced designers, one who worked on the adidas cricket shoe that was used by Mark Wood and Jofra Archer at the 2019 World Cup. This meant we could call upon experienced industry professionals to help make the product biomechanically sound.
WCM: Are the shoes only designed with bowlers in mind?
MC: The shoes suit both batters and bowlers. We found that each discipline requires similar load points biomechanically, meaning that all the features designed to prevent injury and assist performance are consciously catered to for both.
WCM: In what way has the shoe evolved since inception?
MC: It’s hugely different. The first shoe was cardboard and vapour cut out, moulded around a shoe, the next one was made from off-cuts and scraps from the correct materials. It looked unique! But when we got the final formal sample it looked like a finished cricket shoe. We started design and briefing in 2021 but formally launched around a year ago. It’s a collaborative process, so we’re constantly evolving with feedback. For example, we had a toe detail to minimise impact on fast bowlers getting bruised toenails, but the feedback was that although parents liked the protection, fast bowlers didn’t enjoy it that much, so we’ve adapted it to a softer toe with a new heel detail, meaning the shoe is around 30 per cent lighter than last year.
WCM What makes ME+U such a distinct brand?
MC: The unique selling point of ME+U is that we produce a shoe exclusively for women. The structural anatomy of men’s and women’s feet are different, so the shoes should be different too. The game’s complexion is changing completely with the increase in female involvement and visibility, so it’s good to be in the vanguard of that. You’ve now got female-specific cricket clothing brands, with Lacuna and Maiden for example, which evidences the growth of the sport. It’s going to grow year on year for the foreseeable, with more and more clubs building women’s and girls’ programmes.
WCM: Kieron Pollard (former West Indies captain) is an ambassador and investor, how did this come about?
MC: We were looking for investment at the time, and Pollard’s involvement has helped us get to where we are now. When we first introduced them to him, we only had size 11 samples. He’s a 13, but we took them out to Bangladesh and he squeezed his foot in and liked them so much that he decided to come on board. It really helped us kick on to where we are today.
‘You need to look at the anatomical differences between male and female feet’
Pacelab founder, high performance fast bowling coach, ex-county cricketer and ME+U advisor Steffan Jones explains the physiological differences between male and female fast bowlers, and why they require variations in footwear design.
Fast bowling places extreme demands on the body, requiring efficient force application, energy transfer, and movement precision.
However, male and female fast bowlers exhibit distinct biomechanical differences due to anatomical structure, physiological variance, and kinematic adaptations. These differences influence bowling mechanics, injury risk, and even the design of essential equipment –
such as bowling boots.
When talking specifically about female footwear, you need to look at the anatomical differences between male and female feet, as women tend to have a narrower heel, wider forefoot, higher arch, smaller instep and shallower big toe profile. This means that when using standard cricket boots, women can struggle with heel slippage, excessive compression and loose fitting. Given these variations, bowling boots must be tailored accordingly.
ME+U’s women’s cricket shoe takes this into account, providing a gender-specific design that offers more protection, more comfort, and better performance than the unisex alternatives.
NEW FOR 2025
The Women’s Cricket Shoe, The All Rounder and the Bowling Shoe
Each shoe in ME+U’s 2025 range has a number of important features:
• Lightweight and breathable upper
• EVA foam midsole
• Custom fly-knitted ankle sock
• Flexible sole
• Lateral and medial foot stabilisers
• Unique heel stabiliser
• Injection moulded heel cup
As worn by Maia Bouchier and Lauren Filer, the Women’s Cricket Shoe is the only cricket shoe specifically designed to the unique shape and features of women’s feet. This includes external forefoot support and a specialised heel detail that transfers load into the ground. The design also reduces strain on the toes by promoting natural flexion.
WCM says
As standards soar and participation deepens in the women’s game, so those at the sharp end of equipment production have to move with the times. ME+U is the first brand of its kind to create a cricket shoe designed exclusively for a woman’s foot. It is not before time – for decades, running shoes have been tailored to reflect the markedly different contours of a male and female foot. It’s about time cricket caught up. ME+U recognise this, and it’s no coincidence that they’ve received the backing of two current England stars, one of whom bowls faster than any English woman who went before her. And they don’t just serve women of course, the men’s shoe has caught the eye of the fastest young quick in the English game. It feels like ME+U is the type of forward-looking brand the game needs right now.
