2008

Plaster as bronze

h: 360 w: 280 d: 180 (mm)

Casting:  Crawford's Casting

As part of Don Bradman’s 100th birthday anniversary celebrations, Cootamundra Shire Council commissioned Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School to make over 30 busts of Australia’s test cricket captains. I had the honour and pleasure of making Herbie Collins - a “possum eyed Australian” (Howell, 2006) who looked "as old as the hills” (Hutchison et al, 1997).

Collins was an exceptional and intriguing character. Born and raised in Darlinghurst, Sydney, he captained Australia from 1921-1926. He was also a gambler, bookmaker and premiership-winning rugby league player. In the 1911 cricket off-season, Collins played five-eight alongside rugby league immortal, Dally Messenger, as Easts won its first ever premiership.

Fellow cricketer Arthur Mailey said “Collins’ hunting grounds were the race-track, the dog-track, Monte Carlo, a baccarat joint at King’s Cross, a two-up school in the Flanders trenches and anywhere a quiet game of poker was being played” (Hutchison et al, 1997).

Collins was also at the centre of one of Australia's great cricket controversies. He was stripped not only of his Australian captaincy, but also his captaincy of New South Wales and his local club Waverly, for allegedly throwing the 1926 test series in England. Having developed somewhat of an intimate knowledge of Collins through this project, I would definitely give him the benefit of the doubt!

The completed sculpture of Collins (in bronze) sits with the other test cricket captains as part of the Captains Walk at Jubilee Park, Cootamundra.