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David Warner becomes 3rd cricketer to be awarded unique Australian art prize

Earlier, Shane Warne and Mitchell Johnson have also been a subject of Bald Archy winners in 1998 and 2014 respectively.

© Getty Images
© Getty Images

Australia‘s opener and vice-captain, David Warner,  is a big name on and off the field. He has plethora of achievements and awards in his career. Looks like he has more reason to smile now as he can add a leading art prize to his trophy cabinet. Warner is the subject of 2017 Bald Archy winner, a popular portrait competition for Australian artists. The artists is Maitland painter James Brennan, a three-time winner of the award, and claims to be a big fan of the swashbuckling left-hander. He has been in awe of Warner’s ability to entertain with the willow and remain aggressive in the 22-yard.

“I  just love the way he plays his cricket. The way he bats, the way he fields. He’s aggressive, entertaining. He can make a quick hundred before lunch. It’s great to see a gallery with a bit of laughter, a snicker, a guffaw. Most galleries are probably the opposite to that”, Brennan was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia.

The Bald Archy commenced in 1994 as a spoof of the long-running Archibald prize. It has since grown into a highly sought-after art prize in its own right. The Bald Archy covers the best in caricature and humour art work. It is judged by a sulphur-crested cockatoo named Maude.

Warner became the third cricketer to be immortalised as a Bald Archy winner. Earlier, former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson was the subject of the 2014 winner with a Miley Cyrus-inspired ‘Wrecking Ball’ take on the fast bowler’s Ashes 2013-14 demolition. On the other hand, Shane Warne was the first cricketer to be a part of this award in 1998 with a caricature that focused more on his off-field life than cricket exploits.

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