27th AUGUST 1908
Today 27th August, we remember and honour Sir Donald Bradman on the occasion of his 114th birthday. One of the most significant figures in Australian cultural and sporting history, he remains an inspiration to generations of cricket fans.
And as we approach the T20 World Cup in October and the 75th anniversary of India’s inaugural tour of Australia (the team against which Bradman scored his 100th first-class century), it is worth reflecting on some of Sir Donald’s cricketing achievements.
Batting average of 99.94
Consider that the second highest is Graeme Pollock at 60.97, with Steve Smith 62.00 (currently), Brian Lara 52.88, Sachin Tendulkar 53.78, and Ricky Ponting 51.85.
This is 60% more than anyone else in the game’s history.
In the 1938 Ashes tour to England, his average never fell below 100 for the tour.
When England introduced Bodyline in the 1932/33 Ashes series, Bradman’s average for the series fell to 56.57. Despite that, at that point, his career Test match average still remained above 90.
After being dropped after his first Test match, when he returned to the Australian team, he averaged 102.60 for the rest of his Test match career.
He scored quickly and efficiently
Record highest Shield innings of 452, at age 21
Record for most Test match runs in a day – 309 (went on to score 334)
Scored 200 in a day five times
Fastest player to reach 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 and 6,000 runs in Test match cricket.
6,000 runs in 68 innings; Sir Garfield Sobers is next fastest in 111 innings
974 runs in a single series (1930 Ashes). 500 or more runs in a series 7 times
The only player to score 6 consecutive Test centuries
If Bradman had played T20
Blackheath 3rd November 1931
100 from 24 balls in 18 minutes
In total, 102 runs were scored from 3 (8 ball) overs, with 100 of those runs coming from the bat of Bradman and 2 singles from Wendall Bill. 6,6,4,2,4,4,6,1 (33), 6,4,4,6,6,4,6,4 (40), 1,6,6,1,1,4,4,6 (29).
He was dismissed for 256, an innings that included 29 fours and 14 sixes
Scarborough 8th September 1934
132 in 90 minutes one 6 and 24 fours
Consistency
29 centuries in 80 innings – a century every 2.75 innings compared to;
- Sachin Tendulkar 51 in 200 innings – 3.92
- Ricky Ponting 41 in 168 innings – 4.09
- Steve Smith 28 in 87 innings – 3.1
Six first-class centuries in six consecutive innings
He scored twice as many Test centuries than half-centuries – 29 centuries to 13 half-centuries. This represents a conversion rate of 229%. The next best player is Younis Khan at 103%
Of his 117 first-class centuries, 37 (31.6%) were double centuries. An unparalleled achievement.
Comparisions
Scores over 150 –
1. Don Bradman 18
2. Steve Waugh 13
Innings to 29 centuries
1. Don Bradman 72
2. Sachin Tendulkar 144
3. Steve Smith 152
Fastest to 3,000 runs against an opponent
1. Don Bradman 38 innings v England
2. Steve Smith 54 innings v England
3. Sachin Tendulkar 58 innings v Australia
Record holder for:
- Most double hundreds in a career (12)
- Most double hundreds in a series (3)
- Most hundreds against one team (19 against England)
- Most runs against one team (5,024 against England)
The sheer volume and breadth of Bradman’s figures continue to dazzle and delight cricket fans from all over the globe, and his record remains matchless.
In 1938, the year that Bradman’s average never fell below 100 from the first match of the Ashes tour, the Cambridge mathematician, G.H. Hardy, wrote to a friend:
“Bradman is a whole class above any batsman who has ever lived: if Archimedes, Newton and Gauss remain in the Hobbs (Jack) class, I have to admit the possibility of a class above them, which I find difficult to imagine. They had better be moved from now on into the Bradman class.”
From the player’s perspective, Wilfred Rhodes the great England and Yorkshire spin bowler (58 Test matches, 1,110 first-class matches, 4,204 wickets at 16.72), opined, “I bowled against all the best from 1900 to 1930 – Hobbs, Trumper, Grace and Ranji among them and many, many more – but Bradman was the greatest.”
Happy Birthday, Sir Donald!
