A NEW company devoted to keeping alive the dying art of hand-producing cricket bats has been launched in Silsden.

Viking Cricket is bringing-in top English willow from Suffolk and crafting it into bats for adults and juniors.

Business owner, Silsden man Jeff Wilson, said: "Over the years we have seen the art of making hand-produced cricket bats decline in favour of machined products and that's a concern.

"There is a massive importation of cheap, imitation products from overseas, using poor-quality wood. It is given a veneer to make it look more expensive, but the bat cracks in no time.

"As a cricket coach and parent, I had bought a bat for my son. It looked very nice, but didn't last two minutes.

"We want to maintain the tradition of English bat-making.

"And let's be honest, cricket is in our blood in Yorkshire!"

Mr Wilson, 53 this week, hopes eventually to take on apprentices to be trained in the craft.

The company makes bats specific to individuals' needs, but also has an off-the-shelf range available.

"We launched the firm in just the last couple of months but we worked through the winter building-up stock and now have about 400 bats," said the dad-of-two, who started playing cricket himself when he was six.

"The business is predominantly web-based, but importantly people can come along to our premises and choose the bat they want or have a product made tailored to them.

"Customers need to get a feel of the bat – it's about the weight and the distribution.

"The bigger brands simply aren't interested in that kind of service.

"We had a Steeton player, for example, who was looking for a custom-made bat to suit his individual needs.

"All our bats, bespoke or otherwise, are properly hand crafted using quality wood."

Mr Wilson looks after the marketing and sales side of the business, while a partner produces the bats.

"We have had plenty of experience over the years between us and feel we can help keep the proud traditions of cricket bat making in Yorkshire alive for the next generations," Mr Wilson added.

So why the name Viking?

"I have Norse heritage of which I am very proud and we live in a region full of Viking history – we even called one of our bats the Jorvik 866!" said Mr Wilson.

Visit vikingcricket.co.uk for more details.