One of the most renowned auction houses in the U.K, Bonhams is now all set to bring to the table, an iconic cricket bat that was used by none other than the legend of cricket, Sir Ian Botham during the Headingly Test Match against Australia in the year 1981. This bat itself has now become one of the most revered additions to the world of cricket, as this piece of precious wood was the one that helped Sir Botham to reach an awe-inspiring 299 not out and that too at a time when England faced an imminent defeat at the hands of the mighty Australian team. This remarkable Duncan Fearnly bat will be going under the hammer in June 1st, 2010.
The Headingly test match witnessed England in a precarious situation, where the home team was forced to a follow on after Australia scored a massive 401 runs and England was already seven wickets down for just 137 runs after a first innings of 174, when Sir Ian Botham came on crease. With the Duncan Fearnly bat, the iconic sports star went on to make a smashing innings of 299 leading to a glorious and memorable England win of 3-1, claiming the entire series and effectively propelling Sir Ian Botham to Knighthood. This historic feat put Sir Ian Botham in the league of some of the most revered cricketers such as the likes of Sir Donald Bradman and the Indian test cricket sensation, VVS Laxman, who scored a marvelous 281 against Sri Lanka. Bonhams expects this historic pair of bat and stumps to fetch between $3,239 to $4,049.
This is not the 149 bat. We actually own it. It’s in one of the biggest collections of sporting memorabilia in the UK and we have documentary evidence to prove it.