Don Bradman autographing Sykes cricket bats, England, 1948

Don Bradman used bats produced by Yorkshire firm William Sykes & Sons throughout his career (from 1929) until the Second World War when the company was taken over by Slazengers.

In 1929 shortly after Bradman scored the then highest First-Class innings at the SCG (340* for NSW v Victoria) using a Sykes bat, Sykes signed him up for the production of the 'Don Bradman' bat, produced initially under the heading ‘NSW & Australian XI’. Later separate headings like 'Test', 'World Record', 'Club', 'Junior' or just plain 'Autograph' appeared.

Most of these bats also sported four crowns but some of the lesser quality or earlier versions had three or only two crowns.

After the Second World War Slazengers continued to produce the ‘Don Bradman Autograph’ bat until the early 1950s. Slazengers re-released the Don Bradman autograph bat in association with the Bradman Museum in 1992. It continues to be sold through sports stores today.

Don Bradman draws the crowds at Mick Simmonds sports store, George St Sydney shortly after scoring the world record 452 not out, January, 1930