Howzat?! Aussie bowling great and English batting legend square up at UK auction

As the Ashes get underway, Ray Lindwall and W G Grace prepare for battle in Leicestershire

With the Ashes getting underway, it's not surprising that Knights auctioneers have decided to hold an auction of sports memorabilia centred around some decent quality cricket collectibles (though with something for football collectors and others too).

Two collectibles in particular stand out, and appropriately one each will inspire Aussie and Pom fans.

Firstly there is an Australian dark green 'baggy green' cloth test cap worn by Ray Lindwall during the series against England in 1959/60.

As cricket fans will know, Lindwall was regarded as the greatest fast bowler of his time, and this cap from one of his last Test matches is rather modestly listed at £3,000-4,000. It would make a strong investment at this price considering how important Aussies regard the green caps as being.

The expected top lot, however, is a bust of one William Gilbert Grace - better known as W G Grace. The large imposing, head and shoulders, bust of Grace sporting a forked beard and wearing a cricket shirt was fashioned by artist William Henry Tyler in 1888.

W G Grace bust

An extremely rare and important figure of Grace, it is one of only three similar busts known to exist.

The Marylebone Cricket Club were presented a similar bust by W G Grace's widow in 1919 and it is displayed in the Lord's museum, the other known bust is in the private collection of renowned collector Roger Mann, it was owned by G Neville Weston, a leading student of Grace and it previously belonged to E Rockley Wilson, who had it standing in a bedroom at Winchester College.

Knight's auction takes place on December 4-5 in Leicester, UK.

• Learn how you can get pleasure and profit by investing in rare sports memorabilia
• Click here for all the latest Autographs and Memorabilia news

Join our readers in over 200 countries around the world - sign up for your free weekly Collectibles Newsletter today or download our free Collectors News app for your iPhone

Recent and related articles...

·  Wizened Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack leads book auction, next month | 29 July 2010

An early edition of the world's longest-running sports reference book could be an all-rounder in London

·  The football memorabilia collections of John Crace | 14 July 2010

The British journalist and writer caught the collecting bug in the year of England's World Cup, 1966

·  A new generation of stamp collectors | 8 December 2009

Sales of stamps are rising as younger people follow stars in taking up the hobby

·  Owzat! 'Bible of Cricket' sells for £90k | 10 November 2009

The Wisden Cricketers' Almanack outshone Lord Cherbury's £84k secret play and a £62k James Bond

·  Former England cricketer denies selling 'fake' autographs | 15 October 2009

Dermot Reeve's autographs by the legendary batsman Donald Bradman are forged, says expert

www.paulfrasercollectibles.com

Images: Knight's