Fan's touching gesture for Bairstow

A "fantastic gesture" from an Australian cricket fan in Adelaide has seen England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow handed a special piece of family memorabilia ahead of the third day of the second Magellan Ashes Test.

On Monday morning, Bairstow was given a pair of wicketkeeping gloves that had been signed by his late father, the former England keeper David Bairstow, on England's 1978-79 tour of Australia.

Bairstow Snr, who played four Tests and 21 one-day internationals for England between 1979-1984, took his own life in 1998 when Jonny was just eight years old.

Adelaide man Andrew Johns was given the gloves when he was a child and with the return of Bairstow Jnr to his home city, Johns was keen to reunite the Yorkshireman with the souvenir bearing his father's name.

"A chap called Andrew messaged me on Instagram, actually," Bairstow told ABC Grandstand ahead of play on day three. "I don't really normally look at them (messages), but fortunately enough I did and (he had) a pair of wicketkeeping gloves signed by Dad in 1978-79.

Image Id: 096C375FC0D94C1D937D6A986B09B1BD Image Caption: Bairstow with the gloves signed by his late father // ABC Grandstand

"It was a fantastic gesture and I thank him ever so much for bringing them."

David Bairstow, a popular figure known as 'Bluey', suffered from depression after retiring from cricket. At the time of his death, his wife and Jonny’s mother, Janet, was battling cancer.

That difficult chapter of Bairstow’s life is a topic he covers with refreshing honesty in his recently released book, A Clear Blue Sky.

Having reached out to Bairstow, Johns was invited to the England team hotel on Monday morning to meet the England keeper and hand over the gloves.

"We had a good half-an-hour, 45 minutes together, which was wonderful," Johns told ABC Grandstand.

"And he was quite emotional to receive them, it was really lovely.

"I lost my father this year in June. He was 83 but had a great life.

"And I know if someone gave something to me that belonged to my father, I'd want it. And that's what I wanted to do for Jonny."

It’s not the first time Bairstow has been given a gift to treasure while touring Australia. During the 2013-14 Ashes in the lead-up to the Sydney Test, the keeper was approached by former South Sydney rugby league captain and coach Craig Coleman in the SCG nets, who handed him a tie that once belonged to his father.

Image Id: 46ED084C7BFA42ACA30E8F2D180A73A3 Image Caption: David Bairstow played four Tests for England // Getty

Bairstow Snr had presented Coleman with the tie over a pint in the Town Hall Tavern in Leeds 25 years earlier, on the night of his Yorkshire testimonial.

"Little gestures like that, like last time I was in Sydney, the tie that I got given as well. It's always nice," Bairstow said.

"It's something that's always very special.

"Obviously in my book I make references to going around the world and I've been very fortunate to go around the world.

"People always have very fond stories of Dad and everything that goes with it."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21