He’s commonly referred to the greatest cricketer of all time. Now you can grab the first Test bat used by Australian legend Sir Donald Bradman at auction.
The fabled hero of Australian Test cricket will have his first ever bat, used against the Poms in his debut series in 1928, hit auction and is expected to sell for around $150,000.
Bradman donated the bat to the Sydney Sun newspaper in 1930 to be used as a prize for a competition raising money for a children’s hospital. The boy who won the bat held onto it until 2008 when he sold it for a whopping $145,000.
Currently owned by an Aussie collector, the bat is on exhibit at the MCG’s National Sports Museum.
Signed by 19 players from both the Australian and English sides from the 1928 Test, the bat didn’t actually get up to much in the hands of Sir Don and produced scores of just 18 and 1 in a Test record 675-run loss for the Australia, but still holds a special place in nation’s sporting history.
Bradman went on to play in 53 more Test and retire with the still unbeaten record average of 99.94
In other Australian cricket news, Michael Clarke’s side will travel to England for next year’s Ashes series with an even greater challenge at hand.
Headingley Oval has been left off the tour schedule for the second straight time, the only venue where Australia have claimed a win on English soil during the past two tours.
Hitting England for five Tests starting in mid-July 2015, Australia will play at Cardiff, Lord’s Edgbaston, Trent Bridge and The Oval.
The Aussies were demolished 3-0 last English summer, but regained control of the Ashes with a 5-0 sweep at home in December and January.
The tour will also feature a five-match one-day international series and hit outs against Ireland.
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Photos: The Sydney Morning, Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
