Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
10th, 11th & 12th April 2026
Lot 138
Estimate: £150/250
Hammer: £420
‘Bodyline’. Iftikhar Khan Ali, Nawab of Pataudi. Oxford University, Worcestershire, India, England etc. 1928-1946. Official folding menu for the ‘Farewell Dinner to “Pat” [Pataudi]’ held at the 77 Club, Adelaide, 9th March 1933 to mark Pataudi’s departure midway through the 1932/33 tour to Australia due to ‘business reasons’. The card with printed title and cockerel motif to front, ‘Toasts’ and ‘Autographs’ to inside, coloured cord tie, gilt to edges. The autograph page has been beautifully signed in ink by fourteen attendees. Players’ signatures are Leyland, Mitchell, Paynter, Brown, Tate, Verity, Pataudi, Voce, Bowes, Ames, Duckworth, Larwood, Ferguson (baggage) and Ingham (journalist). Ex Bill Voce collection. Very good condition.
Notable for the absence of the signature of the England captain, Douglas Jardine, Pataudi had scored a century (102) on his Test debut for England in the 1st Test at Sydney on the infamous Bodyline tour, but was dropped for the 3rd Test after a disagreement with Jardine about the use of ‘leg theory’ bowling tactics, which Pataudi considered unsportsmanlike. He consequently left the tour early. Pataudi remains the only cricketer to have played at Test level for both England and India.