Cricket fans brave long queues, bustling crowds and are willing to go the extra mile just to get hold of an autograph of their favourite player. There are also some collectors who will wait for auctions, travel the world to own a piece of history. We list some rare cricket memorabilia that you can buy - and in some cases bid for - from some websites which stock these collectors' items.
THE BRADMAN 452 BAT
Don Bradman scored many memorable centuries but one of his most treasured knocks came not in Test cricket but a first-class match. Playing for New South Wales in 1930, Bradman scored 452 not out - his highest score in cricket - against Queensland. A commemorative bat was launched by Slazenger called the Slazenger 452 and was signed by Bradman. Priced at 5500 Australian dollars (about Rs 3.15 lakh), the bat is available in a 310mm x 1050mm frame.
Where: www.memorabiliaonline.com
1952 INDIAN TEAM AUTOGRAPHED BAT
A rare piece of memorabilia is this full-sized bat signed by the 1952 Indian team, on its tour to England in 1952. It is a Slazenger bat signed by 18 players, including greats like Polly Umrigar, Vijay Hazare and Pankaj Roy. Although the tour was a disappointment and India failed to win any of its matches, it is one for those who are looking for collectors' item. It is priced at £345 (Rs 29,000)
Where: www.spiritofsport.co.uk
RICHIE BENAUD'S CAP AND BLAZER
The "voice of cricket" and the legendary Australian spinner's baggy green cap and blazer which he wore in the 1963-64 series against South Africa is up for auction. The Australians are known to take immense pride in their baggy green cap and perhaps that's why the cap is priced double as the blazer. The blazer's estimated price is about £1,500-2,000 (more than Rs 1.5 lakh) whereas the baggy green is to be auctioned at an estimated £3000-4000 (Rs 3 lakh and above).
Where: www.knights.co.uk
SRT 35
To pay tribute to Sachin Tendulkar breaking Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 Test centuries, a limited edition signed bat titled SRT 35 was released. Framed in a timber box frame, it has four photos of Tendulkar taken during his world record innings. It also contains the details of all of his 35 Test centuries printed on the mat board in gold text. This rare piece is personally signed by Tendulkar himself. Priced at 1,165 Australian dollars (Rs 70,000 approximately), the bat comes with a certificate of authentication.
Where: www.memorabiliaonline.com
COMMANDER AND CHIEF LITHOGRAPH
Another piece of history from Australia is this lithograph which commemorates all the 43 Test captains the country has had. What's more it is personally signed by every living Test captain - 18 of them - and features facsimile signature of the other 25 deceased captains. It comes with a certificate of authenticity and is a limited edition product with only 100 of them available. Priced at £2495 (about Rs 2.1 lakh), it has signatures of Don Bradman, Steve Waugh and Bill Lawry, among others.
Where: www.cricket.com.au
