If you've been inspired watching the Test cricket on at the moment, you might want to secure your own piece of cricketing history.
Fyshwick auction house EHVA has for sale online a cricket bat verified signed and used by the 19th century Australian Test captain Harry Trott.
The signature says GHS Trott for Harry's full name - George Henry Stevens Trott.
The Melbourne-born all-rounder played 24 Test matches between 1888 and 1898. He died in Melbourne in 1917 aged 51.
The Stuart Surridge bat is receiving online bids until 7pm on January 28 at www.ehva.com.au
Sporting historian Tom Thompson says in a letter that the bat was used by Trott while he was the Australian captain throughout the 1896 and 1897-98 Ashes series.
"In the first Test at Lord's in the 1896 series, Trott scored 143 runs in the second innings and 53 in the second Test at Kennington Oval, which Australia won," Mr Thompson wrote.
Trott scored a duck in the first innings of the first Test, so could boast both a duck and a ton from the same match.
While the Trott signature has been verified, there appear to be other signatures on the bat that have not been identified.
In 2005, the bat was valued at $15,000. The bidding on Thursday was at steal-level at $355, with still more than a week to go.
The bat is available to view at the Fyshwick office of EHVA at 7 Wiluna Street.
Contact auctions manager Sarah May at sarah@allbids.com.au
The link to the auction is here.
