Bidder stumps up £250 for cricket bat cricket bat


A CRICKET bat signed by leading county players in the 1950s raised £250 for good causes in Swindon when it went under the hammer at Moore Allen & Innocent auctioneers in Cirencester on Friday.

 

The bat was sold commission free on behalf of the mayor of Swindon, councillor Michael Barnes, who donated the proceeds his mayoral charities:

 

TWIGS - Therapeutic Work in Gardening in Swindon - helps to facilitate the recovery of local people with mental health needs.  Gardening and related crafts are used to teach new skills, build up self-esteem and assist people on to paid employment or further voluntary work.

 

Swindon Cares is an umbrella organisation that aims to engage all areas of the Swindon community to support people in the town.  Donations made to Swindon Cares in 2008 will be shared between Swindon Samaritans, Swindon Therapy Centre for Multiple Sclerosis and the Broadgreen Breakfast Club for homeless people.

 

Since he was elected in May 2007, Cllr Barnes has raised 22,350 for the two charities. He hopes to make it £24,000 by the time his term of office ends in May this year.

 

Cllr Barnes, who was educated at Rendcomb College, near Cirencester, and played cricket for Duntisbourne Abbots for 35 years, said: “I was given the bat as an eight year old in 1958 by my godfather, who was a member of Sussex Cricket Club. He won it in a club raffle.

 

“I had 50 years of enjoyment from it, and I thought it was time for someone else to enjoy it and raise some money for the mayoral charities.”

 

The Stuart Surridge County Driver bat was signed by ‘Surrey County Champions 1952 -58’ on the back of the blade – marking their seven-year domination of the sport - and by players from Gloucestershire, Yorkshire, Essex and Leicestershire on the front.

 

Among the well-known signatories were Dickie Bird – better known as a cricket umpire – and Fred Trueman, both of whom played for Yorkshire.

 

The bat had been estimated at £150 to £200, but two determined bidders on the day pushed the sale price to £250, with a private collector taking home the trophy.

table

The biggest surprise of the day, however, came when an octagonal Indian hardwood occasional table, which had been valued at £50 to £80 was sold for £1,000.

 

Decorated with black elephants, the table had attracted a large commission bid and another bidder on the phone, who against one another drove the hammer price up and up.