16 Jul 2013
More than 80 years after rescuing Australia in an Ashes series, a touch of Sir Donald Bradman magic has hit London as part of his legendary collection comes to Lord’s Cricket Ground for a short run.
A selection of the legendary batsman’s memorabilia, including bats, a blazer and unique gifts, are currently on display at Lord’s Cricket Museum. These items, loaned from the Bradman Collection which is usually housed at the Adelaide Oval, will be displayed until September 21st 2013.
This collection will be at Lord’s whilst the Adelaide Oval undergoes a major AUD$535 million redevelopment programme and, to celebrate the collection’s arrival, a special tribute to Sir Donald Bradman was organised by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) and the Britain-Australia Society with special guest, soprano Greta Bradman.Greta is not only Sir Donald’s granddaughter she is also regarded as “One of Australia’s finest young singers” having just won the prestigious Australian International Opera Award.Coincidentally, Bradman was himself a boy soprano, pianist and songwriter and as part of her performance at the tribute dinner on the 12th July, Greta will sing one of Bradman’s own compositions.
THE BRADMAN COLLECTION as a whole spans an era of cricket unequalled in the world. Spanning the 1920′s to the 1980′s, it reflects all aspects of his life and achievements. It notes his rise to hero status in the 1930′s, explores his significant role in cricket administration and provides glimpses of the family man and all-round sportsman.The items on display in London include two bats – one used by Sir Donald to score 1,000 runs before the end of May 1930. This feat had only been previously achieved four times. All were Englishmen, the first being W.G. Grace in 1895. Sir Donald dramatically passed 1,000 runs just before rain stopped play at the end of the match against Hampshire on the last day of May.
The second bat was used to achieve the world record score of the time in a Test cricket match, Australia v England (Third Test) at Headingly in July of that year. Batting on the first day, Sir Donald made 105 before lunch, 115 between lunch and tea, and 89 between tea and stumps, 309 for the day, finishing next morning with the highest score in Test cricket to that time of 334.
These items are of national significance to Australia and were allowed to leave as a temporary loan under a special license from the Federal Minister of Environment and the Arts, Hon. Tony Burke.
SACA chief executive, Keith Bradshaw, said he hoped the display would prove popular for all cricket fans and confirmed that on returning to Adelaide the display would move to its new location in the southern grandstand in time for the Adelaide Ashes Test match in December 2013.
Commenting on the display, South Australia’s Agent General in London, Bill Muirhead said “As a South Australian living in London I am extremely proud to see one of our greatest sporting heroes lauded and remembered here at Lord’s. I’m sure it will give cricket fans of all ages and nationalities great joy to see it for themselves, inspiring them to see the collection as a whole in the Adelaide Oval itself.”
ADELAIDE OVAL & BEYOND – Cricket fans looking to travel to Australia for this year’s Ashes will have a fantastic opportunity to use the time between Tests, either the ten days post Brisbane or the three days before Perth, to explore not only Adelaide but other South Australia highlights including Kangaroo Island renowned as Australia’s fourth icon, the Eyre Peninsula renowned for offering adrenalin pumping aquatic adventures or the Flinders Ranges for a taste of Outback Australia.
Tour operator Freedom Australia (Tel 0844 567 8040) has put together a series of packages with a lead in price of £818 including accommodation in Adelaide and tickets to the Ashes. Whilst their Wine and Wicket self drive package is priced from £1,085, and the One Day International packages start from £186.
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