Don of Cricket

As the world knows him, the Don of Cricket - Sir Donald Bradman is undoubtedly the greatest batsman of all times. What more can be said about a person, who is described as

“The batsman appearing not just once in a lifetime but once in a life of game” (Dennis Compton – England test cricketer)

Last week (27th June 2010), I got chance to meet him (yes he is still alive in our hearts through memories) in his own boyhood place called Bowral in New South Wales State of Australia. That’s why he is fondly known as Bowral Boy as well. I was so fascinated to see the surroundings of this town, where Donald must have played initial cricket of his career.

He was born in 1908 at Cootamundra NSW, Australia. His parents shifted to Bowral, when he was just two and half years old. He started playing Cricket from Bowral since a very early age.

He joined International Cricket in 1928-29 and played till 1949 before saying final good-bye to International cricket. Needless to mention about his landmark last innings duck, where his test cricket score reached 6996 runs with average of 99.94 (which is still a World Record, no cricketer is even close to it). Other than this he has numerous cricket records on his name, which are still unbroken. Check on the list given below for his few records, which are still unbroken.

• Highest career batting average (minimum 20 innings): 99.94
• Highest series batting average (5 Test series): 201.50 (1931–32)
• Most runs against one opponent: 5,028 (v England)
• Most runs in one series: 974 (1930)
• Most runs in one day's play: 309 (1930)
• Most double centuries: 12
• Most triple centuries: 2 (equal to Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag)
• Most consecutive matches in which he made a century: 6 (the last three Tests in 1936–37, and the first three Tests in 1938)

He was such a wonderful batsman that England had to plan a controversial bodyline strategy to stop him from scoring runs. Even then, England was unable to stop him from scoring and bringing success to his country. When he was at the peak of his career, News Chronicle, London wrote following statement.

As long as Australia has Bradman she will be invincible ... It is almost time to request a legal limit on the number of runs Bradman should be allowed to make.

He is considered the best in his sport amongst the ten best sportsmen of the world representing their sport including Pele for Football and Mohammad Ali for Boxing.

In 1949, he was knighted for his services to Cricket and he was called ‘Sir’ Donald Bradman, the greatest honor given to a cricketer. He will always be the greatest player of Cricket and will never be forgotten for his contribution to cricket. We can just pay tribute to such a tall personality.