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Bevan's memorabilia retrieved

Australian cricketer Michael Bevan's prized World Cup memorabilia was retrieved today after his manager paid a 5,000 Australian dollar (3,300 US dollars) reward to an anonymous man in a Sydney parking lot.

A spokesman from Bevan's management company said he received the anonymous tipoff about the items, stolen from a sports bag outside Bevan's manly apartment yesterday, after a series of police appeals to return the goods.

Bevan, who had offered the reward earlier today, returned to his unit yesterday afternoon after the Australian team's World Cup win in England and a welcome home parade in Melbourne.

He put his travel gear inside the apartment, but left his cricket gear outside the door because the bag was muddy and wet. He went out to see a friend and when he returned five hours later it was gone.

The bag contains eight yellow World Cup shirts signed by the Australian World Cup-winning squad, four cricket bats signed by the team, two Australian badged helmets, two floppy hats and two caps, two pairs of cricket gloves, two pairs of shoes, cricket pads and other gear.

Bevan said the gear became wet when he dragged the bag through the rain.

"I guess it wasn't the smartest place to leave the gear. It was just habit more than anything.''

AP