Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanacks,
Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
22nd, 23rd & 24th March 2024
Lot 399
Estimate: £120/160
Hammer: £110
Arthur William Wellard. Somerset & England 1927-1950. England long sleeved test sweater worn by Wellard whilst playing for England in either 1937 against New Zealand or against the Australian tourists in 1938. The sweater by ‘Simpson of Piccadilly’ with England emblem of the three lions and crown in blue to centre. Minor wear otherwise in remarkably good condition for a pre World War II Test sweater. The sweater was given to Somerset historian and author Barry Phillips by Wellard’s sister-in-law as a ‘thank you’ for writing Wellard’s biography ‘No Mere Slogger’ published in 1996. A note stating this accompanies the sweater and signed by Phillips, dated December 1996
Arthur William Wellard. Somerset & England 1927-1950. Wellard played for Somerset on 391 occasions being a hard hitting batsman and useful bowler of either fast medium or off spin. He scored over 12000 first class runs and took over 1600 wickets. He toured with Tennyson’s eleven to India in 1937/38 and was selected for the M.C.C. Tour of India in 1937-38, this tour was cancelled due to the War. He played in two Test matches against New Zealand in 1937 and against Australia in 1938. Regarded as the biggest hitter in first class cricket in the late 1930’s, he twice hit five sixes off an over in 1936 and 1938.