Bradman Bat Fetches UK Pounds 23000 (13 May 1996)

13 May 1996

Bradman`s bat fetches #23,000

A CRICKET bat used by Don Bradman to score 212 against England at a Test match in Adelaide in 1937 set a #23,000 auction record at Phillips in London on Saturday.

It was sold by an English family and bought anonymously by a telephone bidder who said it would "not necessarily be leaving the country". Rumours suggested it had gone to Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones, who bought Bradman`s cap and blazer at auction last year. But others suggested it had gone to Kerry Packer or the Don Bradman Museum in Melbourne, Australia.

Richard Madley, the auctioneer, said: "In truth I don`t know either. It was bought by an agent on behalf of the collector." The bat was signed by Bradman and both teams who played in the series before it was given away.

Mr Madley said: "A Test player gets free bats now but . Donald would have had to buy his own bat, and to sign one, get everybody else to sign it and then give away what was really a tool of your trade was really something."

The previous highest price at Phillips was #1,300 for Jack Hobbs` bat in 1981.

The Bradman bat`s sale was the high point of an auction whose centrepiece was the memorabilia of the late Brian Johnston, the BBC commentator. His collection raised a total of #19,426.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk)