The Cricket Captains' Walk is a collection of specially commissioned bronze busts of Test captains of the Australian men’s national cricket team, arrayed on pedestals on the outside of a rectangular path set in a large public park in Cootamundra, New South Wales. The all-weather path, which starts and ends at Wallendoon Street is wheelchair friendly, and approximately 150 metres around.
History The Walk was planned and executed by the Cootamundra Shire Council (now Cootamundra–Gundagai Regional Council) with the approval of the Australian Cricket Board (now Cricket Australia). Stage 1, unveiled on 30 August 1998, comprised the likenesses of Unaarrimin (Johnny Mullagh), Dave Gregory, Bill Murdoch, Arthur Morris, Richie Benaud, Bobby Simpson, Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell, Allan Border and Mark Taylor. Modelling of these busts was performed by Carl Valerius, sculptor and stone mason of Harden–Murrumburrah, perhaps best known for his bronze statues at the Australian Light Horse Memorial in Harden–Murrumburrah, notably the horse "Bill the Bastard", of which the full size version is now installed at Harden-Murrumburrah. The nearby statue by Valerius artist's copy, sold 7 April 2018 for $52,000 at public auction entitled Russell Crowe — Art of Divorce. (shown below) of Bradman in action was unveiled during the celebrations for "Sir Don"'s 92nd Birthday in August 2000. A minor mystery surrounds the Brian Booth sculpture, similar in style to others by Valerius, but not credited in the official documentation. There is no obvious clue in the plaques, which have remained uniform in style and execution over 30 years. Stage 2, comprising the remaining 30 captains, was unveiled by the sculptor Tom Bass on 27 August 2008, the centenary of Bradman's birth barely a kilometre away. Much of this work was performed by Bass and his team. His bust of Bradman was unveiled by the cricketer's grandson, Tom Bradman.From details on "diptych" plaque at entrance to Walk (pictured in "Gallery" directly above) Stage 3, unveiled on 12 March 2020, brought the walk up-to-date with the unveiling of three new busts - Shane Watson, Steve Smith and Tim Paine and a plaque for Michael Clarke, who was mid-career when the second tranche of busts was commissioned. All three were made by the Tom Bass sculpture studio. In 2023 the pedestals were relocated to a more formal arrangement with the Bradman statue as a focal point.
The busts For a more complete summary of each captaincy, see List of Australia national cricket captains. Work Name Specialty Tests as Captain Plaque Artist Notes Johnny Mullagh, traditional name Unaarrimin or Unaarrimmim Led Australian Aboriginal cricket team in England in 1868 Carl Valerius Sponsored by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Dave Gregory 3 Tests1876–771878–79 Carl Valerius Sponsored by Goldenfields Water County Council Billy Murdoch RH batsman 16 Tests1880–1890 Carl Valerius Murdoch was a practising solicitor in Cootamundra in 1880s. Sponsored by Australia Post Tom Horan RH batsmanBowler 2 Tests1884–85 Robert Pratten Hugh Massie RH batsman 1 Test1884–85 Bernice Lowe Jack Blackham WicketkeeperRH batsman 8 Tests1884–851891–9218931894–95 Karen Alexander Tup Scott RH batsmanBowler 3 Tests1886 Damien Lucas Percy McDonnell RH batsman 6 Tests1886–87 Wendy Black George Giffen RH batsmanBowler 4 Tests1894–95 Michael Christie & Sue Alexopoulos Harry Trott RH batsmanBowler 8 Tests18961897–98 Damien Lucas Joe Darling LH batsman 21 Tests1901–0219021902–031905 Lea Ferris Hugh Trumble RH batsmanBowler 2 Tests1901–02 Sue Alexopoulos Monty Noble RH batsmanBowler 15 Tests1903–041907–081909 Carol Crawford Clem Hill LH batsman 10 Tests1910–11 Bernice Lowe Syd Gregory RH batsman 6 Tests1912 Michael Christie Warwick Armstrong RH batsmanBowler 10 Tests1920–21 Christine Crimmins Herbie Collins RH batsman 11 Tests1921–221924–251926 BJ (Beomjin) Kim Warren Bardsley LH batsman 2 Tests1926 Peter Bartlett Jack Ryder RH batsmanBowler 5 Tests1928–29 Julieanne Mahony Bill Woodfull RH batsman 25 Tests19301930–311931–321932–331934 Virginia Lloyd–Tait Vic Richardson RH batsmanSlips fieldsman 5 Tests1935–36 Robert Pratten Don Bradman RH batsman 24 Tests1936–3719381946–471947–481948 Tom Bass Bill Brown RH opening batsman 1 Test1945–46 Karen Alexander Lindsay Hassett RH batsmanBowler 24 Tests1951–521952–531953 Petrena Shaw Arthur Morris LH batsman 2 Tests1951–521954–55 Carl Valerius Ian Johnson RH batsmanBowler 17 Tests 1954–5519561956–57 Janet Coyne Ray Lindwall RH BowlerLower-order batsman 1 Test1956–57 Michael Christie Ian Craig RH batsman 5 Tests1957–58 Peter Bartlett Richie Benaud RH batsmanLeg spin bowler 28 Tests1958–1964 Carl Valerius Neil Harvey LH batsmanCover fieldsman 1 Test1961 Bernice Lowe Bob Simpson RH opening batsmanLeg spin bowlerSlips fieldsman 39 Tests1963–1978 Carl Valerius Brian Booth RH batsman 2 Tests1965–1966 Bill Lawry LH opening batsman 25 Tests1967–1971 Carl Valerius Sponsored by the City of Darebin, Victoria, who have a replica in their council chambers. Barry Jarman RH batsmanWicketkeeper 1 Test1968 Carol Crawford Ian Chappell RH top-order batsmanSlips fieldsman 30 Tests1970–1975 Carl Valerius Greg Chappell RH batsmanBowlerFieldsman 48 Tests1975–1983 Carl Valerius Graham Yallop LH top-order batsman 7 Tests1978–1979 Damien Lucas Kim Hughes RH batsman 28 Tests1978–1984 Wendy Black Allan Border LH batsmanBowlerFieldsman 93 Tests1984–1994 Carl Valerius Mark Taylor LH batsmanSlips fieldsman 50 Tests1994–1999 Carl Valerius Sponsored by Pat Kerin, Cootamundra cricketing aficionado Steve Waugh RH batsmanBowler 57 Tests1999–2004 Carl Valerius Adam Gilchrist LH batsmanWicketkeeper 6 Tests2000–2004 Sue Alexopoulos Ricky Ponting RH batsman 77 Tests2003–2010 Wendy Black Michael Clarke RH batsmanSlips fieldsman 47 Tests2011–2015 Christine Crimmins Shane Watson RH batsmanFast bowler 1 Test2013 Wendy Black Steve Smith RH batsmanSlips fieldsman 34 Tests2014–2018 Monika Scarrabelotti Tim Paine RH batsmanWicketkeeper 19 Tests2018–2021 Christine Crimmins Pat Cummins Right Arm fast bowler 2021–
Gallery
See also List of Australia national cricket captains
References