Sir Donald George Bradman

SIR DONALD GEORGE BRADMAN

In the world of sport, there occasionally comes a being of superlative skill, whose exploits in the game define him or her as even greater than the great players. Michael Jordan in basketball and boxer Muhammad Ali were two of the mould, breaking through the supposed boundaries of their sport. In the world of cricket, Sir Donald Bradman was such a man. The most prolific (Highly productive) run-maker ever and, in terms of statistics, the greatest batsman ever. At the end of the twentieth century, just over a year before the great man's death, nobody playing the game had got within spitting distance of his unparallel batting record. He averaged 99.94 in all test matches- the five-day form of the game that is regarded as the most demanding. Compare his average to the best that hover around the 50-60 mark. There can be little doubt that these others were, and according to those still playing, are, truly great players. Realizing that Bradman's test average is nearly twice their averages, it gives you an idea of how great he was.

Don Bradman was born in 1908 in a backwater village, near to the city of Sydney in Australia. He found that his school didn't apportion him much importance to sport, much to his disappointment. Coupled with lack of school friends living near by, he was forced to find ways to amuse himself. He invented a game where he slung a golf ball against a water tank, and, grabbing a cricket stump with both hands, tried to zip the ball back as it came back at some speed and odd angle towards him. He admitted later in life that, in his own modest reserved way, than more often than not he was successful in hitting his target. Also he revealed that many a cricket fantasy was lived playing the same game.

Having perfected his hand-eye coordination from a tender age, he was able to test his ability real soon after leaving school. A local club team Bowral Town, found themselves a man short when young Bradman was their scorer. He was invited to play and played at number ten, scored a remarkable 37 not out. Soon afterwards he scored a remarkable 300 in one innings. This let his mother to buy him a new bat and an invitation to audition at The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). He played his first season in shield cricket for New South Wales in 1927 and scored 118 in his first innings.

Word was traveling fast that Don Bradman was an extraordinary run machine. At the age of twenty he was selected to play for Australia against England, and he scored a century in his third test. Records continued to tumble. In a county match he scored a record 452, in record time for good measure.

In 1930, Bradman was aboard the ship that set sail, destination England for another eagerly awaited Ashes series. The journey took the best part for a week, but for Bradman's fans, it was well worth the wait. In his first test innings of the tour, he scored a memorable 236, including twenty-eight fours. News of the little genius had swept through Britain and as a result attendances swelled to double the usual when he was at the crease. But the English didn't go in the hope of seeing him fail. They too knew that he was dynamic, relentless run maker and delighted as their Aussie counterparts in watching Bradman making a mockery of the English bowling attack. The Don finished the series with 974 runs from 7 innings, at an average of 139, including the then top test score of 334.

Returning to his native Australia a hero didn't faze Don. He remained modest and unflustered despite thronging crowds, delighted with the team's success. Though the English were planning a downfall of Bradman, in a way that would shake the very nature of sportsmanship to its foundations. That summer, when England toured Australia in what became known as Ð''The Bodyline Series' , the situation became so strained that the two countries nearly broke off diplomatic relations.

Leg theory, as the English preferred to call it, was a system devised by the captain of the side at that time, Douglas Jardine. The idea was for the bowler to aim a short-pitched ball at the chest, throat and the head of the opposing batsman, with the majority of his fielders placed at leg side. The anticipated