'Victory Bat' Goes Up For Auction (14 Nov 1996)

14 November 1996

`Victory bat` goes up for auction

A vintage bat which recalls India`s first ever series triumph in England in 1971 will go up for auction at Bombay`s Ruia College on Sunday.

The bat, which contains autographs of all the players who took part in the 1971 tour of England under Ajit Wadekar, was first put up for auction over a decade ago and bought, at the time, by the late India star Vijay Merchant.

Merchant presented the bat to Wadekar, India`s captain during the victorious tours of West Indies and Engalnd. And when Ruia College officials approached the former Test skipper as part of their fund-raising drive, Wadekar - who is an alumnus of the college - gifted them the treasured bat to put up for auction again.

The auction will take place on Sunday November 17 at the Wankhede Stadium, in course of a day-night, double wicket tournament organised by the college.

Participating stars include the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Javagal Srinath, Ajay Jadeja and Anil Kumble from India, besides Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda D`Silva, Sanat Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana of Sri Lanka.

Source :: Rediff On The NeT (https://www.rediff.co.in)