Sir Donald Bradman too spectacular to emulate

By A. C. De Silva

FLASHBACK..... The cricket world was given a right-royal push up with the advent of that mercurial batsman Australian Sir Donald George Bradman who would have passed the century mark 105 years had he been living today.

Bradman played his first Test at the age of 20 years and 95 days against England in 1928-29 at Brisbane (first Test at this venue). In the first innings he made 18 while playing at No. 7 and in the second innings, he made one while batting at No. 6. He took one catch and did not bowl.

He was 39-years and 157 days when he played the last Test against England at the Oval in 1948 and he was bowled by Holies for a ‘duck’ while batting at No. 3. If he had scored four runs, his Test average would have been over 100.

From 1927 to 1948, Bradman scored 29 hundreds which stood as a world record. It was broken by Sunil Gavaskar who established a world record of scoring 34 hundreds.

Bradman is the only batsman in Test history who has scored 12 double hundreds including two triple hundreds made at Leeds in 1930 and 1934 respectively. He is the only batsman to score two triple centuries in Test history.

Many cricket fans and critics did not see Sir Donald at the crease. Those of subsequent generations will lament they did not have the chance to see Gavaskar at the crease.

We have been privileged to watch the modern master, the man who scored many more runs and hundreds than even “The Don”. He had accomplished the feat on all surfaces in all conditions throughout the cricket world. For all his greatness Sir Donald played only in Australia and England most of the time.

Perhaps the greatest testimony to Gavaskar’s unique powers, is his record against the West Indies. One senses that even Sir Donald knows about it. Unquestionably Sir Donald will rejoice in Gavaskar’s unique achievement.

On another occasion, he was unbeaten on 299 when Australia scored 513 against South Africa in 1931-32

The Englishmen in the thirties were in a quandary. They did not know how to stop Don Bradman from scoring runs fluently.

Bradman–Morris in full flow

There are many good batting performances by Don Bradman over the years. Here’s one such performance where Bradman came off with flying colours. It was the ‘Test” in 1948 where Australia, chasing a victory target of 404 against England in the second innings reached the target by 7 wickets.

Don Bradman made 173 not out and earlier Arthur Morris scored 182 and the second-wicket partnership between them realised 301 runs.

ENGLAND - 1ST INNINGS: 496 and 365 for 8 wickets dec.

AUSTRALIA – 1ST INNINGS: 458.
AUSTRALIA – 2ND INNINGS

A.R. Morris c Pollard b Yardley 182
A.L. Hassett c and b Compton 17
D.G. Bradman not out 173
K.R. Miller lbw b Oranston 12
R.N. Harvey not out 4

Extras 16

Total (for 3 wkts) 404

Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-358, 3-396.

Bowling: A. Bedser 21-2-56-0, S. Pollard 22-6-85-0, Oranston 7.1-0-28-1, J. Laker 32-11-93-0, N. Yardley 13-1-44-1, D. Compton 14-3-82-1.

Sunil Gavaskar – Asia’s greatest batsman

As a youngster breaking into big-time cricket, Sunil Gavaskar scored his 10,000 run on the same day of March (7 in 1971 and 7 in 1987), the great accumulater gently corrects the impression: “I think I was four or five not out on March 6, back in 1971 at Port of Spain, said Gavaskar.

‘Sir Don’ salutes Gavaskar

Indeed, in 1986 on Australia day and India’s Republic Day, Sir Donald stood before a crowd of 28,236 sun-burnt souls and paid another glowing tribute to Gavaskar. Sir Donald had no hesitation returning to centre stage to present Gavaskar with a silver salvar to commemorate his scoring the 100th Test century at Adilaide Oval, one of the world’s most scenic grounds.

Hutton praises Gavaskar

Sir Leonard Hutton – the former England skipper wrote highly on the batting of Gavaskar’s 221 at the Oval then.

“I have seen many double centuries in Test cricket, but this superb innings by Gavaskar could well be the greatest, taking into consideration his team’s hopeless position at the start of the final innings.

Brian Lara felicitated

One champion cricketer follows another and it is in the West Indies again where legend Brian Lara was included into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame at the ICC’s awards night. The superb left-hander Lara was honoured. He became the 17th West Indian to be inducted.

Lara dedicated the award to his late father Bunty Lara who died before he (Brian) made his international debut for the West Indies.

Besides his Test record of 400 not out, he made 501 not out in first-class cricket. He scored five of his 34 Test hundreds against Sri Lanka.

Brian Lara was warmly congratulated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees at a ceremony when the West Indian star called on the President.

A wonderful sight

Could there be a nicer sight in cricket to see Garfield Sobers marching into the field with jaunty steps, collar upturned, full sleeves rolled up the elbows and he was reading in a flash to thrill the crowds.

Take that January day back in 1972, when Sobers clobbered a faultless 254 for the Rest of the World against Australia, spearheaded by the fiery Lillee; still further back, in that ‘tied’ Test at Brisbane in 1960, didn’t he make a magnificent 132, described by Fingleton as innings than ranked with Star McCabe’s 187 against the establishment at Sydney in 1932, hailed as the greatest piece of batting ever! But he will also be remembered for that brilliant catch at slip which sent back Neil Narvey (off Hall) in the same match.... Then after a great hearted 113 not out at Sabina Park against England in 1968.

Sobers -a genius

When we say that Sobers is a genius, we know what it takes to make a genius, which is never incidental. It is built on a solid foundation. Blessed are those who savoured the essence of his all-round brilliance in his prime.

Sobers was born to a family with mild means, but he grew with the game. He earned riches playing the game with great talent. He made 26 Test centuries and his highest Test innings of 365 not out was a hallmark of class. Sobers 365 not out came against Pakistan at Kingston (Jamaica) in the 1957-58 series. He batted ten hours and 14 minutes and hit 38 fours. He shared a 446-run stand with late Conrad Hante (260 run out) for the second wicket. It was Sobers’ first century in Tests. S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia had the good fortune of having Sobers as coach of the first eleven team at a certain time.

Record for Sobers’ bat

Be a good cricketer, there’s money coming your way. The cricket bat used to hit a world record six sixes in a single over has smashed a record price at auction. Sir Garfield Sobers’ famous short handled slazengerbat fetched dollars 146,875 from a mystery phone bidder in Melbourne at a auction. The Windies left-hander used the bat during a 1968 county match.

Another Sobers bat, which clouted a then world record Test score of 365 not out against Pakistan in 1958, was snapped up for dollars 129,250.

Christie’s declared the sale a record for a cricket bat.

Mankad-Roy world record

World records are something very special and for two cricketers of India to establish a world record, calls for celebration. This was in the 1955-’56 tour.

Phenomenal achievement came when Indians Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy flayed the New Zealand attack in their record breaking partnership of 413 runs for the first wicket. Mankad made 231 not out and Roy was out for 173. Speaking of Mankad, there was a famous match at Lords in 1952 when in answer to an urgent SOS, he went straight from the simple stint with Haslingden in the Lancashire league to Test cricket at Lords. Without match practice, he became India’s No. 1 facing Trueman and Bedser using the new ball on a pitch at Lords then notorious for its ridge and unashamed help to fast and medium pace bowlers.

Tendulkar’s five greatest innings

It was somewhat a surprise that versatile young batsman Sachin Tendulkar – the Indian star has kept off Test cricket. The versatile Sachin who came into the Test scene as a 17-year-old in 1989, November, was up against Pakistan’s fiery pace attack of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waquar Younis.

He has been in the game for nearly two decades representing India in 194 Test matches and 463 ODIs. During this period he has scored 51 Test hundreds with the highest number of highest Test 15,645 runs. With a top score of 248 not out. He had also scored 66 Test 50. In his 463 ODIs, he also has scored the highest numbers of runs (18,426) with a highest scored of 200 not out to become the highest scorer in both versions of the game. He was somewhat had to carry the burden of the Indian batting and he ran into some rough spots of late. He is such a capable cricketer and he should be able to make a comeback into big-time cricket. He has scored heavily in the 1990s.

At Old Trafford in 1990 he made 119 not out against England at Old Trafford. Graham Gooch’s 333 in the first Test at Lord’s was a terrific display of batting, but 17-year-old Tendulkar playing in somewhat unfamiliar conditions, he made a century to raise India’s hopes of holding England to a draw with his century who batted for four hours to draw the match from the helpless position the Indians were in 127 for 5 wickets to force a draw. It was his first century.

Then in Perth, Australia in 1992, he made 114 and he tamed the Australian bowlers Graig McDermott and Merv Hughes. He was still only 19 years.

Came 1997 and India’s match with South Africa at Cape Town raced to 529 in the first innings and India were down in the dumps with the board – a pathetic 58 for 5 wickets. Tendulkar wasted no time and made some splendid hits to hit 169 runs and tucked into it 26 boundaries. The Aussies were in India in 1998 and it was left for Sachin to capture the hearts of his supporters. Playing against the world’s best team = Australia, he made 155 not out and helped India beat Australia.

Tendulkar used full use of all his elegant strokes to make Australia’s king-pin bowler Shane Warns look ordinary. Australia named Tendulkar as No. 1 in the list of 50 great cricketers.

Came the match with Pakistan at Chennai in 1999 and India were set an unlikely target of 271 for victory and India collapsed to 82 for 5 wickets and though Tendulkar (136) fought his way, he fell to Saqlain Mushtaq and India collapsed and the match was grabbed by Pakistan. Sachin Tendulkar ahs a exceptional record against Sri Lanka and he has scored seven centuries in 16 Test matches.