Supreme Love Devotion: Salix Edition
Step into the Magic of Salix, a Haven for Cricket Bat Craftsmanship
We arrive, past the leafy greenery obscuring the iconic Salix sign, and find the showroom glittering with wonders to take home. Across the way, we discover the heart of the operation – Andrew Kember's workshop.
Stepping inside, we're greeted by a maze of lathes and pressing machines, a tower of clefts like Jenga blocks, a young apprentice hard at work on handles, and a sea of wooden trunks brimming with unfinished bats. On the far wall, classic models serve as timeless reminders, while a rows of boxes await dispatch in the adjacent storage room. A warm hug for Kember leaves him covered in dust and woodchips – this place oozes authenticity.
Kember is beaming. Business is booming, and he's recently traded vows with Kel, who he credits for revitalizing the enterprise post-pandemic. The lad working the binding machine is none other than Kel's son, Sam. They are, undoubtedly, a team.
"Four of us work here full-time," Kember shares, "including Kel and me, Sam and Luke, and Hugh, who comes once a week to fit handles." He speaks of his role as a means to sustain a legacy – as few offer apprenticeships for cricket bat making these days.
In this temple of cricket, each artisan plays a part in the batmaking process. Kember focuses on shaping and refining handles, while Sam tackles the initial rasping. Kelly takes over for sanding, binding, polishing, and the final touch – stickering. The rotating responsibilities have boosted productivity, allowing Salix to churn out more bats than ever before.
Kember got his start at the legendary Newbery stable in Sussex and remains smitten with the craft. The 4-member team's harmony has led to increased demand for Salix bats, with orders flooding in, even from overseas markets. Salix remains steadfast against the temptation of becoming a mass-production brand, emphasizing consistency over quantity.
Crafting the Future: The ACID Range is Born
Salix stays rooted in tradition, but with an eye on the future. The company has unveiled a new range, the ACID (Artisan Cricket India Dynamics), to cater to the burgeoning North American market and the trendy tastes of young cricketers back home.
WCM (Walk with Cricket Mind): Tell us more about the ACID range...
AK (Andrew Kember): We've blended the Asian aesthetic – flat, bold, purposeful – with our signature style. It boasts a heftier feel, flatter faces, pronounced bow, low driving areas, and chunky toes.
WCM: What's the thought process behind the ACID range?
AK: To an extent, we're responding to the growing North American market – with a shipment bound for California today – and tapping into the appetites of younger cricket enthusiasts in the UK. Manufacturing bats for the US market was unimaginable just five years ago, but the demand is staggering. If players want big and flat, we'll make it happen!
WCM: What challenges come with creating such unique bats compared to the classical Salix?
AK: For starters, it's impossible to craft the heavyweight classical bat that Salix is known for, given the ACID range's distinct design. ACID has become a testament to the differences between our traditional and modern batmaking, and a testament to our versatility as artisans.
WCM: Isn't having such drastic points of difference a good thing?
AK: I believe so. We've succeeded in crafting an effective flat-face bat because we understand the intricacies of creating a traditional one. The two styles complement each other, with the audacious ACID bats standing in stark contrast to the refined Salix offerings.
WCM Says
In a competitive market, the focus on quality remains paramount for smaller brands like Salix. They don't aspire to become a mass-production outfit but choose to prioritize consistency. The introduction of the ACID range marks Salix's adaptability, catering to modern cricket needs and venturing into new markets, both locally and globally. Long live the masters!
Related tags:
Cricket bat making, Andrew Kember, Salix, ACID range, Artisan Cricket India Dynamics, traditional English bat, North American market, younger cricketers, adaptability, mass production, consistency, T20 cricket.
- Kember's workshop, hidden behind the Salix sign's mythic allure, houses the toyshop of cricket bat-making industry.
- In the retail business of cricket, the team at Salix, with its members specializing in diverse aspects of batmaking, works together to produce bats as efficiently as sports-betting odds are calculated.
- As the cricket industry evolves, Salix's new ACID range, born from the fusion of Asian aesthetics and their signature style, appeals to the taste of young cricketers, much like how finances attract investment in promising ventures.
- Unlike some bats in the sports-betting world that prioritize quantity, Salix remains steadfast in its commitment to traditional craftsmanship, ensuring consistency over the number of bats produced.
- Though the ACID range represents a departure from the classical Salix, its flat faces and chunky toes can be likened to the audacious approach taken by sports-betters who dare to roll the dice on high-stakes, unconventional bets.
