My autograph book stands Test of time

COLIN LANG’S story about requesting Sir cliff richard’s autograph jogged my memory of a similar experience. Back in 1948, as a 12-year-old, i watched the australian cricket team led by the famous Sir donald Bradman, when they played essex in Southend. i was able to get only one autograph, that of the 19-year-old neil Harvey, who is now 91. that team scored 721 runs on the first day, and one of the scoreboards ran out of numbers for the hundreds after 600. So, at the close of play, the scoreboard showed the team was all out for 21 as there was no number seven! i collected the scorecards from all the essex matches i watched, but when my parents moved in 1966, i am sad to say, all my treasures were thrown out. However, the famous england all-rounder trevor Bailey moved into our road that year and — to my great excitement — offered to take my autograph book with him during that season. Yes, i have almost all that australian team in my book, plus many other teams. at least my autograph book was not ‘tidied up’ by my parents. Looking at it brings back great memories.

Bob Wallace, Hurstpierpoint, W. Sussex.