By Alun Rhys Chivers
Pontypridd Cricket Club are to benefit from the sale at auction of two drawings of arguably the greatest cricketer that ever lived. The drawings by former Cowbridge Cricket Club captain Douglas Davies of Australian legend, Sir Donald Bradman are set to be sold in Leicester on Saturday.
Davies and Bradman had struck up a friendship over many years, and the drawings were given by the artist himself to Bernard Hedges. And now the latter’s son, Stephen, hopes the sale of the drawings can benefit his father’s hometown Pontypridd Cricket Club.
January 16, 1986 is the date on the first of the drawings, signed by Bradman himself and according to auctioneer Tim Davidson of Nottingham, it’s in very good condition and is expected to fetch between £30 and £50. The second drawing from 1984 is set to fetch a similar price and is also said to be in very good condition.
It is accompanied by an explanatory note which states that Bradman’s writing had been affected by a stroke.
With the help of Glamorgan Cricket’s Dr Andrew Hignell, the drawings have made their way to Grace Road, the home of Leicestershire County Cricket Club, where they will be sold at auction on Saturday.
Of artist Douglas Davies, Stephen Hedges recalls, “He used to visit Dad at the house in Newton (Swansea) and he just gave these two drawings to him. Dad then passed them onto me and I’ve had them in the house ever since, and have never done anything with them. I never felt it was something I wanted to keep so I asked Andrew who to get in touch with, and he put me in touch with the people from the Cricket Memorabilia Society.
“I never felt I wanted the drawings to be kept with me and I always thought one of the nicest things I could do was to use any money that might be raised from the sale for Pontypridd [Cricket Club]. They’re not going to break the bank. I’m going to go along because I’m quite interested in seeing how it works and to see the lots myself.
“I’m hopeful it’ll raise a little bit and I’ll probably add some cash myself and just present that to the club for whatever they can use it for.”