In the late 1970's, Andrew Kember cut down a willow tree on his father's farm, fashioned a handle from cane drain rods and wellington boots and made his first cricket bat… this initial attempt earned him an apprenticeship with John Newbery, with whom he remained until the latter's untimely death in 1989. In 1990, Andrew founded The Salix Cricket Bat Company with cricketer, business graduate and friend Hugh Betts.

The fundamental aim for Salix was that it should be a wholly independent manufacturing cricket company. Andrew therefore developed and made all the machinery – customised what he could, designed and commissioned the rest - to assemble a workshop capable of producing cricket bats from cleft to final finish. This has become even more unusual and fundamental to the brand, in a market where importing and outsourcing has become the norm. The ability to make every stage of the bat, combined with his training and raw talent gave him the platform to develop a brand with true heritage and longevity.

In 1992, Ian Carey joined the company to work with Andrew in the intensive sanding and finishing which has become such a signature of Salix bats; in 1996 Andrew's wife Victoria joined to extract bats from filing trays and to manage the design, administration and marketing of the fledgling brand.

Today Salix remains unusually true to its origins with these four core members still working together to achieve this quality. We remain a small, uncompromising, manufacturing brand, making extraordinarily fine English cricket bats which sell alongside global sports products. Ranked very highly by cricket specialists, our profile belies the actual size of the company, but we have always positioned ourselves as a cricket brand, aspiring to the heritage and professionalism of the major names, but with artisan quality and attention to detail. Craftsmanship is at the very core of everything we make, with every element of our range made or designed by us. Andrew remains passionate about the craft and the game, aware that the values and experience he had working with makers and wood cutters is fast disappearing.

Making a bat, especially with the sources available nowadays, is not hard. Making great bats, consistently, season after season, is somewhat more challenging. We try every season to develop, to push, to produce bats which inspire and deliver; to eclipse what we have made before but always to stay rooted in English craftsmanship and manufacturing.

ex salice Præstantia ~ excellence from willow