Mementoes of one of Yorkshire's greatest cricket players will go under the hammer this summer.

The collection of bats, balls and other items owned by the legendary Herbert Sutcliffe - known as the Prince of Cricket - could fetch up to £20,000.

Among the lots at Sotheby's in London on July 9 are his first club bat, engraved with the words Pudsey St Lawrence CC, presented to him in 1923.

The Harrogate-born batsman learned his cricket at the famous St Lawrence ground, making his team debut at 14 before moving to arch rivals Pudsey Britannia in 1911.

Sutcliffe went on to play 602 times for Yorkshire, scoring a record-breaking 38,558 runs at an average of 50.20, and in 54 Tests for England, notching up 4,555 runs at an average 60.73.

He died at Cross Hills, near Keighley, in 1978 at the age of 83. Also up for sale will be the bat he used to score his 100th first-class century at Bradford for Yorkshire against Gloucestershire in 1932. It is expected to fetch up to £5,000.

The 26 lots are expected to arouse great interest in sporting circles, harking back to a different era in cricket.

One of the items expected to be the most sought after is the bat with which Sutcliffe scored his 50,000th run against Sussex at Scarborough in 1939.

Also going under the hammer will be a presentation boomerang commemorating the Ashes tour of 1924/25, remarkable correspondence and cuttings relating to the row between Sutcliffe and Lord Hawke over the selection of the England team for the 1938 Ashes, and engraved silver trophies.

A Sotheby's spokesman said: "This is a unique opportunity to acquire items of sporting memorabilia relating to one of the immortal names of Yorkshire and England cricket."

David Warner, cricket writer for the Telegraph & Argus for the past 25 years, said: "Sutcliffe was without doubt the best opening batsman Yorkshire ever had and retains a particularly affectionate memory with local people for his association with the Pudsey clubs.

"He was known as the Prince of Cricket for his cool and orthodox batting."

Keith Moss, president of Pudsey St Lawrence and chairman of Yorkshire Cricket Club, said neither club was expected to bid for any of the lots because of lack of funds and with nowhere to display them

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