In 1970, South Africa were due to embark on a five-Test tour of England but the plans were shelved by the cricket board at the 11th hour as a result of anti-apartheid protests. The South African team was replaced by a Rest of the World side that was captained by Sir Garfield Sobers and is sometimes referred to as the strongest side ever to tour the British Isles. GB used this bat to score 157 in the second innings of the final Test at the Oval but a century from Rohan Kanhai saw the Rest of the World take victory and a 4-1 series win.
Signatures on the bat include Boycott, Cowdrey, Amiss, Illingworth, Knott, Sobers, C. Lloyd, G. Pollock, Alam, Kanhai, Proctor.
See also lot 31.