Erotica on Bradman, is the latest street talk

“We mean absolutely no disrespect to the man himself,” said one owner, who gave his name as Tom. “I’m a cricket fan myself and I would never want to in any way defame the man.”

The move is likely to upset the intensely private Bradman, who is trying to block plans by a businesswoman on the same street to name her restaurant Bradman’s cafe on the drive. Bradman has been accused by restaurateur Lyn Mounsey of employing “bullying tactics” in a bid to stop her using his name for business.

The troubles arose after Bradman agreed to a proposal by a local Adelaide council to celebrate his achievements by naming the main road from Adelaide’s airport to the city centre in his honour from January 1, 2001.

Local media reported several businesses along the road had registered adaptations of the Bradman name, from Mounsey’s restaurant to tiles on Bradman and now Erotica on Bradman.

Neither Bradman, who rarely speaks in public, nor his charity arm — The Bradman Foundation — has commented publicly. The foundation says it cannot comment because it is involved in other legal action seeking to protect the Bradman name.

Former Australian cricket official Barry Gibbs, who has known Bradman for 40 years, was outraged by the sex shop move. “I believe that it is blatant commercial opportunism and that the name Bradman, being the revered name that it is in Australia, is almost being desecrated by association with a business of that nature,” Gibbs told Reuters.

Bradman, who retired from Test cricket in 1948 and who turns 92 on Sunday, scored 6,996 Test runs at an average of 99.94 runs. No player has since come close to matching his record.