Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanacks,
Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
22nd, 23rd & 24th March 2024
Lot 445
Estimate: £3000/5000
Hammer: £2800
Maurice Leyland. Yorkshire & England 1920-1946. A.G. Spalding ‘Extra Special’ cricket bat used by Leyland on the M.C.C. ‘Bodyline’ tour of Australia in 1932/33. The bat has Leyland’s handwritten name/signature to shoulder and it was bought by the present vendor from auction in 1992. The bat, sold by a relative of Leyland’s, was sold in a period bat cover and with a note of authentication stating ‘This is to confirm that the attached cricket bat did, indeed, belong to Maurice Leyland (it was the one used to reclaim the Ashes actually), as he was the first cousin of my father ‘Leyland White’. signed Penelope Kohli and dated 13th June 1992. The handle covered in tape otherwise in good condition. Sold with the note of provenance
England won the Ashes series by four Tests to one. The tour was highly controversial because of the bodyline bowling tactics used by the England team under the captaincy of Douglas Jardine.
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia’s Don Bradman. A bodyline delivery was one where the cricket ball was bowled at the body of the batsman, in the hope that when he defended himself with his bat, a resulting deflection could be caught by one of several fielders standing close by.
Maurice Leyland played in 41 Test matches scoring 2764 runs at an average of 46.06. On the tour he ended with the fourth highest batting average amongst the team of 44.00, scoring two centuries. He scored 83 and 42 in the 3rd Test and 86 in the 4th Test. Leyland toured Australia with M.C.C. on three occasions 1928/29, 1932/33 and 1936/37 but this is the only tour they ‘reclaimed the Ashes’ with Leyland in the touring party
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia’s Don Bradman. A bodyline delivery was one where the cricket ball was bowled at the body of the batsman, in the hope that when he defended himself with his bat, a resulting deflection could be caught by one of several fielders standing close by.
Maurice Leyland played in 41 Test matches scoring 2764 runs at an average of 46.06. On the tour he ended with the fourth highest batting average amongst the team of 44.00, scoring two centuries. He scored 83 and 42 in the 3rd Test and 86 in the 4th Test. Leyland toured Australia with M.C.C. on three occasions 1928/29, 1932/33 and 1936/37 but this is the only tour they ‘reclaimed the Ashes’ with Leyland in the touring party