The club is proud of its rich collection of cricket artefacts, a breadth demonstrated by a recent changeover of items in the Long Room.

Our tireless curatorial team has replaced all cricket bats and balls on display in the hallowed room to allow the material an opportunity to rest, away from both natural and artificial light, to ensure its continued preservation.

These objects had all been on display since the new Reserve opened in 2005, with some having also been on display in the old Members Pavilion.

Have no fear, the substitute material will provide just as many talking points for members and their guests on match day. There are bats and balls on display from most eras, with some of cricket’s biggest names now with a presence in the Long Room.

Blades used by Don Bradman (1929) and David Boon (1994) to make Ashes Test centuries at the MCG sit alongside the willows wielded by other Australian Test batsmen Mark Waugh, Brad Hodge, Joe Darling, Kim Hughes and Keith Rigg.

England’s Arthur Gilligan, Jack Hobbs, Mike Denness and Mike Brearley also have their bats displayed, while there is a bat presented by Bill Ponsford to Betty Wilson after she scored a club century in 1945.

What good is a bat without a ball? Whether it’s a red cherry used by India (1967/68) or West Indies (1968/69) in Australia, or the white ball used in one-day internationals, they’re all here.

There’s even a yellow ball used during the first Sheffield Shield match under lights at the MCG in 1995 – and it’s signed by Dean Jones, who was no doubt happy to do so after scoring 324 not out for the Vics!