Sir Don Bradman's invincible Australian team reached the zenith of their domination by hammering 721 runs in a single day during a tour game against Essex.
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In the modern era, cricket fans are witnessing quick scores due to the advent of Twenty20 Internationals. Batsmen are scoring at a strike-rate in excess of 150 or 200. In Test matches, the Twenty20 effect has been seen with the likes of Virender Sehwag and David Warner scoring at a brisk rate. Bats are bigger nowadays. Pitches are flatter and boundaries are smaller. But, 73 years ago, one cricketing feat was achieved by someone who had already redefined the world of cricket with his exploits.
That it would be Sir Don Bradman and his Australian team of Invincibles who would achieve the feat is just apt. Bradman was already the greatest player in history. The Australian players were already a force in the world. But, during one County game against Essex, they redefined the essence of batting.
In modern day Test matches, the maximum a side has ever managed to score is just over 400 runs. But, on May 15, 1948, Australia rewrote the history books. In the three-day match against Essex, Australia amassed 721 runs in a single day! Yes, you read that right. 721 runs were scored in 129 overs on a single day as Essex was totally decimated by the might of the Australians.
The early carnage was begun by the opening partnership of 145 between Sidney Barnes and Bill Brown. However, Bradman came and changed the entire complexion of the match. His 187 came in just 125 minutes. Since there was no accurate measurement of balls bowled in that time, it can be assumed that Bradman got to his knock in just 110 or 120 balls. His partnership 219 with Brown helped Australia cross 350.
Keith Miller was the only one who missed out on the chance to score big as he was bowled for 0. When Bradman fell, Australia had reached 452/4. The carnage was only beginning. Sam Loxton and Ron Saggers hit brilliant tons in quick time and Australia were bowled out for 721. The brilliance of the Australians was too much for Essex.
On the next day, Ernie Toshack took 5/31 and he was well supported by Miller who took three wickets. Following on, Essex fought a little better. But, Ian Johnson took six wickets and Australia were victorious by an innings and 451 runs.
The dominant performance against Essex set the tone for Australia in the rest of the tour. They won the Ashes 4-0 and they did not lose a single match in the entire tour. The 1948 tour was thus dubbed the tour of the ‘Invincibles’. This proved to be the last tour for Sir Don Bradman, who ended with a record average of 99.94. Bradman just needed four runs to ensure he ended his career on an average of 100.
However, he was bowled by an Eric Hollies googly as the world bid farewell to the greatest cricketer of all time. But, Australia would continue to be served well by future stars in the 50s.
The tour of England produced some amazing talent for Australia in the coming years. Keith Miller was one of them. It is widely believed that Miller deliberately got bowled for 0 during the 721-run exhibition against Essex. His personal relationship with Bradman was not good. When Bradman became the head of the Australian Cricket Board, he ensured Miller never became the captain.
In 55 Tests, Miller made 2958 runs at an average of 36 but with the ball, he took 170 wickets at an average of 22. Miller was one of the first greatest all-rounders in cricket. In one Test in 1956 in Lord’s, Miller bowled about 70 overs and took 10 wickets. He also hit a century, making him the first player in that era to have his name on both the honor’s boards in Lord’s. His partnership with Ray Lindwall was magnificent.
Lindwall, on the other hand, was simply one of the best for Australia in the 1950s. The Lindwall-Miller partnership was a world beating attack in every sense of the word. In 61 Tests, Lindwall took 228 wickets at an average of 23. If Miller and Lindwall did not get you, Ernie Toshack would.
The left-arm medium pacer might have taken only 47 wickets in 12 Tests but his finest moment came against India in Brisbane in 1947/48. Toshack took 5/2 and picked up 6/29 in the second innings as he ended with 11/31. No bowler has been able to take such a cheap five-wicket haul in Tests although Josh Hazlewood came close in the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide in 2020.
After the end of the tour, there were mixed feelings when it came to Bradman. The greatest cricketer in the world had stopped playing. However, his administrative traits were accused of vindictiveness. His treatment of Miller in particular did not go down well with many Australian people.
The fact that he could not reach the average of 100 made Bradman even more mortal. The Essex 721-run fest could be interpreted in two ways. Miller never was fond of an unequal contest and that is why he deliberately got out first ball. For Bradman, this was a chance to demonstrate the ruthlessness of Australia which was being developed.
One can argue that the summer of 1948 was the zenith of Bradman and Australia’s invincibility. But, it did cause some damage in later years with the team emerging out of Bradman’s giant shadow. But, the record of 721 runs in a single day might never ever be broken, even if boundaries are made shorter and bats are bigger.
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