The much-welcomed green top

Shane Warne and Jeff Thomson have displayed heartofgold generosity by putting their baggy green caps up for auction in aid of bushfire victims in New South Wales and Victoria never mind if these two Australian cricket legends didnt take as much pride in adorning their Test headgear as say a Steve WaughOf course it means something to get one but Im not one to sit around and kiss the cap and blazer Thomson was quoted as saying in Michael Fahey and Mike Cowards 2008 book The Baggy GreenWarne was seen more often with the white floppy hat the baggy green mostly worn in the opening session of a Test when Steve Waugh captained Australia Thanks to Waugh the baggy green cap has bagged more significance and there is a possibility that cricketers who came before him started valuing the cap just a bit more post Waughs thrustIn The Baggy Green book Thomsons mate and fellow paceman Len Pascoe revealed that he found a cap lying on the floor of the Lords Cricket Ground dressing room during the 1977 Ashes and none of his teammates claimed itIn England at times county caps were more treasured than the one players received when they made their international debut The great English fast bowler Fred Trueman related a story in Ball of Fire about how his father a miner didnt report to work when he found out that his son had got the white rose Yorkshire cap There was no formal presentation in those days Fred and his Yorkshire teammate Bob Appleyard were asked by captain Norman Yardley to head to the office in Bradford and were handed their caps by YardleyFred got his cap in his third season with Yorkshire 1951 and was thrilled for more reasons than one mdash a capped player received two pounds extra as match fees and availed of a monthly retainerTo save on hotel bills Fred stayed at home during games but it meant a bus journey to MaltbyWhen Fred arrived at 10 pm he was surprised to see his father perched on his chair at home On enquiring why he hadnt reported for night shift Alan Thomas Trueman exclaimed On a night like this in a Yorkshiremans life he doesnt go to work Come on where is it cap Fred was certain that his old man welled up but his mother who was in the kitchen at that time surely wept and the young fast bowler could only say Dont worry Mum you can have my first England cap The Yorkshire cap meant the world to Alan because he played a significant role in his sons cricketing development When Fred was selected for a junior tour after trials where he found the target three times out of 11 father and son didnt utter a word to each other until the end of their bus journey Its going to cost me six pounds but I dont care about that Youve been picked for the Federation tour and youre going When Alan passed away that Yorkshire cap was placed in his coffinBack to the baggy green Generosity and appreciation were associated with it among Australian cricketers in another era Long before Thomson parted with his cap to journalist and collector David Frith with whom he wrote the book Thommo Arthur Morris who played in Don Bradmans 1948 Invincibles team presented his baggy green to a young Indian batsman who scored a century for his team Indian Board Presidents XI in a Defence Fund match at the Brabourne Stadium in 1964 While researching for the book The Baggy Green authors Fahey and Coward discovered that Morris didnt possess a baggy green because he presented one to Sir Frank Worrell swapped another with English spinner Eric Hollies who bowled Bradman for a duck in his final Test innings at the Oval in 1948 The third one was presented to that unidentified young Indian batsman A few years ago I was flipping through a 1966 issue of Sport amp Pastime magazine which had a profile on Hanumant Singh The writer mentioned that Morris had presented his Australian cap to Hanumant thus solving the mini mystery as to who that batsman wasThe next thing to do was to contact Hanumants son Sangram and he confirmed that Morriss cap was still treasured The late batting stylist didnt use it and didnt allow anyone to do so eitherA players country cricket cap will always enjoy special significance Many players have lost their caps Some have given them away Thats not a bad thing if like in the case of Shane Keith Warne and Jeffery Robert Thomson it helps save families from the financial flames of those bushfiresmiddays group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance He tweets ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individuals and dont represent those of the paperCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates