The name also sent me rushing down into my cellar, to check a cricket bat I bought many years ago, which listed the autographs of the Warwickshire cricket team who were county champions in 1951.
More interestingly, perhaps, the back of the bat has autographs of the MCC team touring Australia in 1950/51, and also most of the Australia team, and there at number 4 is Ray Lindwall.
A detail of Robin Mitchell’s cricket bat with the autograph of Ray Lindwall.
So now, my bat has just a hint of royalty, and may have gone up a couple of pounds in value!
Bradman bowled
Finally, it is worth mentioning that the Warwickshire team lists one Mr Hollies, a spin bowler, who signed the back of the bat alongside a second scourge of English cricket, Sir Don Bradman. However, [Eric] Hollies went some way to retrieving English pride when he bowled out the great man for a duck, and by doing so, prevented Bradman from achieving a Test average of 100. What a shame!
Robin Mitchell
