Border's baggy green fetches 29,000 dollars at an auction

Melbourne, June 27 : A baggy green cap owned by former Australian captain Allan Border has been sold for 29,000 dollars at an auction on Thursday night.

The signed cap, from the private collection of Keith Atree, is believed to be the first Border cap ever sold to the public.

Hawthorne auctioneer Charles Leski of Leski Auctions said the prized possession went to a private Australian investor.

"It was on the astonishing side of what we'd all expected," The Australian quoted Leski, as saying.

The cap's presale value was estimated at 15,000 dollars.

Atree worked at the WACA in Perth for more than 50 years as a dressing room attendant and "knew everyone" involved in Australian cricket, Leski said.

With a large collection of Sir Donald Bradman memorabilia, Atree managed to acquire the caps from Border by swapping some old photographs of the cricket legend.

Other baggy greens sold at the Melbourne auction included two owned by Colin Miller, and one belonging to Bruce "Stumpy" Laird, who made his Test debut at 30 in the 1979-80 series, which reached 13,400 dollars.

Another surprise result was an unattributed baggy green from the 1989-90 Test Series against Pakistan, expected to raise 3000 dollars. It sold for 9300 dollars.

Cricket caps from India, England and the West Indies were also sold at the auction.

ANI