Popularly known as ‘Don,’ the Australian cricketer Don Bradman is often called one of the best batsmen in the world, even today. With a record test-batting score of 99.94 on average, Bradman’s achievement is considered to be one of the best scores in the history of any significant sport. Bradman’s journey is iconic and inspiring in itself.
In this article, we will explore Bradman’s journey in some detail. So without wasting any further time, let’s dive straight into the happening life of this 92-year-old Australian cricketer. His ICC ranking is still considered to be impressive, while his stats and other career-related information can only make you a true fan of this Cricketer.
Keep reading to find out more on the same.
Who Is Don Bradman?
If you are not in the habit of not following cricket, then it is unlikely you have any information on Don Bradman cricket! But don’t you worry, we are here to fill you up on the same. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, Don Bradman quickly rose to fame as Australia’s cricket idol, and he was not even 22 at the time. The man was already setting records before turning 22 – and some of those records still stand.
Bill Woodfull, one of the former captains of the international Australian cricket team, called Bradman : “worth three batsmen to Australia.”
The famous batsman played for 20 years. In those 20 years, there wasn’t a single year he disappointed his fans or his country. The English team even came up with a pretty controversial technique called the Bodyline for trying to stop Bradman from scoring.
Sir Don Bradman was a man of many talents. However, if his talent on the field was one skill he was born with, there is another skill that is not often talked about – he was also an entertaining player. When he was a captain, he always made sure the match was entertaining. His entertainment skills, combined with his batting skills, always drew in a large number of people in the audience.
Streanonsport is one of the best live streaming websites that allow users to enjoy live football matches and all other sports click here for the review.
However, Bradman hated all the excess admiration, and in the process, he often seemed like a wary and aloof man. This, in turn, strained his relationship with journalists and team members. When the Second World War broke out, a hiatus was enforced. But what a comeback! Bradman made an excellent comeback as a captain with an unbeaten, record-breaking tour of Britain.
In the year 1997, the then Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, named Bradman the “greatest living Australian.”
Don Bradman: Career Info And Stats
The legendary cricket star won hearts throughout his career. In fact, when in 1948 he went to the stadium for his final innings, the entire crowd was waiting with bated breath. Here was a man, a legend who was batting his final innings. To the surprise of everyone, the entire stadium erupted with applause in honor of the cricket superstar.
Instead of googling Don Bradman stats or even Don Bradman records, check out the table below for more information on the same
Table 1: Batting Career Summary (Test)
Matches | 52 |
Innings | 80 |
Not Out | 10 |
Runs | 6996 |
High Score | 334 |
Average | 99.94 |
Balls Faced | 9798 |
Strike Rate | 71.4 |
100 | 29 |
200 | 12 |
50 | 13 |
4s | 681 |
6s | 6 |
Fantasy Power 11 Review- How To Play Fantasy Power 11, Is Fantasy Power 11 Safe?
Table 2: First-Class Performances
Innings | Not Out | Highest | Aggregate | Average | 100s | 100s/Inns | |
Ashes Test | 63 | 7 | 334 | 5,028 | 89.78 | 19 | 30.2% |
All Tests | 80 | 10 | 334 | 6,996 | 99.94 | 29 | 36.3% |
Sheffield Shield | 96 | 15 | 452* | 8,926 | 110.19 | 36 | 37.5% |
All First-Class | 338 | 43 | 452* | 28,067 | 95.14 | 117 | 34.6% |
Grade | 93 | 17 | 303 | 6,598 | 86.80 | 28 | 30.1% |
All Second-Class | 331 | 64 | 320* | 22,664 | 84.80 | 94 | 28.4% |
Grand Total | 669 | 107 | 452* | 50,731 | 90.27 | 211 | 31.5% |
Table 3: Test-Match Performances
Opposition | Matches | Runs | Average | High Score | 100/50 |
England | 37 | 5028 | 89.78 | 334 | 19/12 |
India | 5 | 715 | 178.75 | 201 | 4/1 |
South Africa | 5 | 806 | 201.50 | 299* | 4/0 |
West Indies | 5 | 447 | 74.50 | 223 | 2/0 |
Overall | 52 | 6996 | 99.94 | 334 | 29/13 |
Don Bradman: A Reluctant Cricket Hero
Now that you have a fair idea about Don Bradman and his successful career, you might be wondering about the next interesting topic in this context – Don Bradman age! Yes, the cricketer did live a long life and passed away at the ripe age of 92 in the year 2001. As discussed above, in short, the talented cricketer hated excessive admiration or praise, which was the prime reason why he is known as a reluctant hero.
Bradman once spoke about his record-breaking performance where he commented,
“The small bat made this no easy matter; as the ball came back at great speed and, of course, at widely different angles. I found I had to be pretty quick on my feet and keep my wits about me, and in this way I developed, unconsciously, perhaps, sense of distance and pace”
His talent as a batsman and his great scoring record had made his professional and personal life field with unwanted attention from the media, fans, and colleagues. Naturally, this strained Bradman’s relationship strained with most people around him, especially his teammates – more often than not, the cricketer appeared both wary and aloof.
When Bradman married Jessie Menzies in the month of April 1932, thousands of onlookers came to see the newly married couple outside St. Paul’s Church in Burwood. The situation was completely chaotic and out of control. St Paul’s was under a type of siege for the entire day with people breaking down actual barriers. In fact, many of the actual guests of the couple did not get a place to sit down.
Read more : GoSuper11 Review- How To Play GoSuper11, Is GoSuper11 Safe
The couple did not even get a chance to go on an actual honeymoon. After the wedding, Bradman went on a private tour of Canada and the United States as a part of a team organized by another popular Australian cricketer of the time, Arthur Mailey. The couple later had two children, Shirley, and John Bradman.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Interestingly, Don Bradman hit a total of only 6 sixes in his illustrious Test career. Out of all the 6 sixes, he hit five against England and one against India. But if you google Don Bradman average in terms of how many fours he hit in his test career, you will find out a staggering number – a solid 618 fours in total.
With a total of 6,996 runs in his Test career, all that Don Bradman needed was four runs for averaging precisely 100 in the world of Test cricket. We still remember how Bradman decided to take guard and went in to play the first ball from none other than Hollies.
Of course, Bradman has a better top score, and even according to Wisden’s ranking system, Bradman appears to be a clear leader compared to Sachin. But when you look at the scores, things change a little in favor of Sachin. While Bradman’s top score is 334, Sachin’s is 248, but he was not declared out.
Wrapping Up:
Don Bradman is a legend in the world of Cricket. Even after he retired, his opinion was consulted by the international cricket community for several years. Popularity followed the illustrious cricketer wherever he went. No wonder he was exhausted from all the attention and appeared to be an aloof man to the world.
Thus, if you loved reading all about the legendary Bradman, let us know if you want to read something similar in the future. Tell us in the comment section below.