By Charles Randall

4 April 2012

A cricket ball that featured in the six sixes by Garfield Sobers in one over at Swansea in 1968 is up for auction at a sporting memorabilia sale in London in May, and the estimated price has been put at more than £20,000.

Whether this historic item will meet expectation will be revealed at the Bonhams auction rooms in Knightsbridge on May 29. A ball used by Glamorgan in that Malcom Nash over went for £26,400 at a Christie's auction in 2006 before the recession. More than one ball was used, with the fourth and sixth deliveries flying out of the ground, and it is not clear which ball is being handled by Bonhams. The Slazenger bat used by Sobers that day fetched more than £54,000 at a Christie's auction in Melbourne 12 years ago.

A ball from the Bodyline Ashes tour of Australia in 1932-33 was sold for £10,000 at Plymouth Auction Rooms in 2005. The sale attracted huge interest, with an unnamed buyer from the UK beating telephone bidders from Hong Kong, Sweden and Spain. Perhaps one of the more remarkable sales has been the £175,000-plus fetched by a baggy green cap worn by Donald Bradman during the 1948 'Invincibles' tour of England, auctioned by Charles Leski in Australia.

 Bonhams are holding two auctions of sporting memorabilia this summer at Montpelier Street, the first on May 29 and another, with an Olympics theme, on July 25. Highlights, including three Lonsdale Belts owned by Henry Cooper, are on public view next week on April 10 and 11 at 9am to 4.30pm.