ACTION MAN
Action Cricketer Set 1968
Period: Painted Head
Dates: 1968 until c1970
Cat No: 34802
Action Man Action Cricketer Contents:
Cap with badge
V-neck sweater
Shirt
Trousers
Socks
Shoes
Bat
Ball
Pads
3 x stumps
1 x set of bails
Painted stand (with white painted crease line)
Cricket Information leaflet
Equipment Manual
Cricketer Description:
The Action Cricketer is a very detailed set and is fairly rare, along with much of the short-lived 'Sportsman' range. It first appears in the 1969 Equipment Manual but has gone by 1971. The outfit came with a two piece stand that would help pose the batsman in realistic poses, holding him around the back of the waist, but the figure of the time still had hard hands and having him grip the bat was a challenge unless blue tack or similar was used.
Buy replacement cap badges here
Notes:
The Cricketer's jumper is very prone to snagging, and fraying. Also the blue dye in the wool runs if it gets wet or there is any attempt to wash it, making it a very rare piece in any kind of reasonable condition. The ball and (single piece) bails are also difficult to locate. The pads straps also tear through the buckles if handled without extreme care. The base is similar to the footballer base, however it has the crease line applied. Later issues of bases had flock grass. He wears white versions of the football boots, and a peaked cap wearing the badge associated with the footballer too. The bat has plastic tape self adhesive binding that often comes off when the adhesive breaks down. Buy way of caution, there should be due consideration that sweaters found in a mint condition might be from the 40th reproduction range of 2006.
1968 Action Man Action Cricketer
Action Man Cricketer getting bowled out
Action Man Action Cricketer Set
CRICKETER 34802 (image courtesy of Vectis Auctions Ltd)
Note mislabeled top panel.
CRICKETER Box rear
1969 Action Man Official Equipment Manual
