NANCY DOYLE MBE CRICKET MEMORABILA
Tuesday, 20 October - Tuesday, 3 November 2026

England v Australia 1977 - autographed unbranded junior size bat (640 mm) signed in ink,

Lot Details

Including: Gregg Chappell, Rod Marsh, Doug Walters, Kim Hughes, Bob Woolmer, Derek Randall, Christ Old This was a big year for the Ashes with two separate England-Australia meetings. First with The Centenary Test (March 1977) - Played at the MCG to mark the 100th anniversary of the first-ever Test match. It wasn't for the Ashes, but it was a huge occasion. Australia won by 45 runs, remarkably the exact margin of the 1877 original test. Key performances by legendary players:- Rick McCosker – opener who had his jaw broken by a Bob Willis bouncer, then bandaged up and famously returned to bat in the second innings, becoming part of cricket folklore (‘Waltzing McCosker’). Rod Marsh – wicketkeeper, scored 110 not out and 68, a big part of Australia's total. Greg Chappell – captain, contributed useful runs across both innings. David Hookes – young batsman who smashed Tony Greig for five consecutive fours in one over, a defining moment of the match. Dennis Lillee – took 11 wickets in the match, the standout bowling performance. Doug Walters – experienced middle-order hand and the quintessential 'Ozzie Battler' With England chasing 463 and falling 43 runs short Derek Randall scored 174 in the second innings, an extraordinary chase effort, and was named Man of the Match. This knock is probably the single most celebrated individual performance of the whole occasion. The match is also famous simply for who turned up to watch and be honoured — over 200 former Test players from both countries, including Don Bradman and Harold Larwood, were guests at the MCG for the match The 1977 Ashes series (June–August) Australia toured England to play five Tests for the Ashes, plus three ODIs and other tour matches. This series is remembered as much for off-field drama as for the cricket: Australia's new captain Greg Chappell led a side that was thrown into turmoil just before the series by the row between the Australian Cricket Board and Kerry Packer's Nine Network over TV broadcast rights, which led Packer to set up the rebel World Series Cricket league and secretly sign up many of the game's top players including a chunk of that Australian touring squad. England won 3–0, and the series was overshadowed by the Kerry Packer/World Series Cricket revelations that broke mid-series Mike Brearley – took over the captaincy from Tony Greig (Greig was stripped of it once his WSC involvement became public) and led England to a dominant win — regarded as the start of his reputation as a tactical captain. Geoffrey Boycott – returned to Test cricket after a three-year self-imposed exile and marked his comeback with a century in his 100th Test at Headingley. Ian Botham – made his Test debut in the 3rd Test at Trent Bridge, the beginning of his career. Tony Greig, Bob Woolmer, Dennis Amiss, Derek Underwood, Alan Knott – all playing under the shadow of having already signed for Packer's WSC, which became public knowledge during the series. Bob Willis, Chris Old, Mike Hendrick – the seam attack that did much of the damage. Greg Chappell – captain, leading a side thrown into disarray by the Packer affair breaking just before the tour. Rod Marsh, Doug Walters – among the senior players, also WSC signings themselves. Rick McCosker, David Hookes, Ian Davis – carried over from the Centenary Test side. Notably Dennis Lillee did not tour (injury-related non-selection), which significantly weakened Australia's bowling compared to the Centenary Test line-up.