Cricket ball bowled by Bob Willis in the 'greatest Test' against Australia is up for sale
THE cricket ball bowled by England star Bob Willis in the so-called 'greatest Test' against Australia in the 1981 Ashes series is tipped to sell for £12,000.
1981 Ashes Test cricket ball bowled by Bob Willis is up for auction
The fast bowler used the red leather ball to get eight of the 11 Australian batsmen out after legendary batsman Ian Botham's stunning innings had helped turn the match in England's favour.
The visiting team had been dead-certs to win the third Test match at Headingley in Leeds when after they amassed a huge 227 run in the first innings.
Then Botham scored 149no, resulting in Australia requiring a mere 130 runs to win.
The cricket ball is tipped to sell for £12,000.
But Willis performed like a man possessed and in an incredible spell of fast bowling won the match for England by taking eight wickets.
It is a pleasure to be selling the cricket ball with which Willis bowled England to victory
The match has gone down in cricketing folklore, not least because bookmakers had given odds of 500-1 for to England win at one stage - prompting two Australian players to put on a £15 bet as a joke.
As the visitors sat sickened in their dressing room afterwards, someone came in with their winnings and emptied thousands of pounds in cash on the floor.
Willis, aged 31 at the time, kept the ball after the match and inscribed it 'Headingley 1981. Bob Willis 8-43' and signed it.
The England cricket team on the last day of the 4th Test match between England and Australia 1981
He sold it many years ago to a private collector of cricketing memorabilia. The ball has now emerged for sale following the collector's recent death.
Botham received the man-of-the-match award but sponsors Cornhill Insurance commemorated Willis' epic bowling by giving him a special medallion.
The medal, with relief of ball and stumps and wording 'Cornhill Insurance Test Series. England v Australia 1981' and engraved on the reverse 'To commemorate Bob Willis's match winning figures of 8-43. England v Australia. Headingley 1981', accompanies the ball in the sale.
In addition there is a further medal which was Willis's standard Test match medal for the series.
Willis, aged 31 at the time, kept the ball after the match and inscribed it
Tim Knight, of Knight's Auctioneers of Norwich, Norfolk, said: "The Ashes Test played at Headingley in 1981 was, probably, the most remarkable match ever played.
"It is a pleasure to be selling the cricket ball with which Willis bowled England to victory.
"This was a remarkable and significant match in the history of the Ashes. Anyone living in 1981 will remember that day and that match.
"I'm confident that there will be a great amount of interest in the sale of the ball." The sale takes place on May 13.