SYDNEY: Australia captain Michael Clarke is set to auction off his custom-built Louis Vuitton cricket trunk, the proceeds of which will go towards charity.
Clarke travelled to Louis Vuitton's historic Asnieres Special Order workshop on the outskirts of Paris to oversee the design of the cricket trunk that stands 140cm in height.
It was built in eight months in France and includes special drawers and compartments for cricket equipment such as bats, gloves, helmets and even an iPod dock.
Everything inside the trunk will be part of the auction except Clarke's baggy green cap and his captain's jacket.
“I will be wearing those for quite a while longer, I hope,’’ he told the Herald Sun.
The trunk has a reserve price of $170,000 but is likely to go up to $300,000 or higher during the bidding process at te Louis Vuitton store in Sydney.
The proceeds from the auction will go to the Sydney Children's Hospital, a cause which Clarke says makes "it all worthwhile".
“If I can use my reputation to make sick kids happy, then that is the least I can do. And the money raised by Louis Vuitton, that will then be given to the hospital so it can make a mighty big difference," he said.
Clarke and his wife Kyly are actively involved in raising funds for charity, especially for sick children.