One of the MCC’s favourite cricketing sons, Colin McDonald, celebrated his 87th birthday in November with the release of his autobiography, Taking Strike: the Colin McDonald Story.

Available in limited numbers, Taking Strike is a hardback with picture colours and comes with the signatures of six of his former Test teammates: ex-captains Brian Booth, Neil Harvey and Bill Lawry and champion left-arm bowlers Alan Davidson, the late Lindsay Kline and Ian Meckiff.

In a 47-Test career as a tough opening batsman between 1952 and 1961, “CC” scored 3107 runs and notched five centuries. Two of those were back-to-back Ashes tons in 1959, including one at the MCG.

He also scored 91 against the West Indies in front of a then world record crowd of 90,800 in the 1960/61 deciding Test in Melbourne.

“It was a thrill of a lifetime to play in front of such a huge crowd," he said. "It just kept on getting bigger and bigger."

Members can order a copy of Taking Strike by sending a cheque for $95 to Ken Piesse Cricket Books, PO Box 868, Mt Eliza 3930 or by emailing kenpiesse@ozemail.com.au.