First Test bat used by Don Bradman to be auctioned

Don Bradman

Australian cricketing legend Don Bradman’s first Test bat has been put up for auction. Bradman, often referred to as ‘The Don’ had a Test batting average of 99.94, which is yet to be beaten by any cricket player. The bat is said to fetch up to 145,000 Australian dollars. Bradman began his Test career in the 1928 series against England.

The great right-hand batsman donated the bat to Sydney Sun newspaper in 1930 to raise money for a children’s hospital. Later, the bat was sold for 145,000 Australian dollars. The current owner of the legend’s bat is an Australian collector who put the bat on display at the National Sports Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

Max Williamson of Mossgreen Auctions said, “The market is tougher now but we expect to reach around the same price again.”

Bradman, who scored 18 and 1 in his debut Test match signed the bat as DGB. As if the bat was not precious enough, it contains signatures of 19 members of the English and Australian teams who played in his debut match.

The cricket icon who captained the Australian team to turn them into the “The Invincibles”, died in 2001 at the age of 92 in 2001. The green cap that Bradman wore on his final match was sold for more than 400,000 Australian dollars in 2008.