Sir Don Bradman missed out on the chance of ending his cricketing career with an average of 100 but he was dismissed for 0 in the final Ashes Test against England at The Oval.
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Just four runs away. That was all it took for Sir Don Bradman to become the immortal in world cricket. Bradman had already pushed the barriers of greatness in cricket when he hit 12 double tons and two triple centuries in his career. In his remarkable career, Bradman had created so many records, some of which have still not been equalled in the modern era. Bradman became first player to hit over 900 runs in one Test series as well as the first to hit 300 in a single day. As captain, he is responsible for overturning a 0-2 deficit and win the series 3-2.
The achievements of Bradman spooked England and every nation against whom he played. England, in particular, had resorted to negative tactics like Bodyline to deny ‘The Don’ any kind of runs. Yet, in that series, he averaged 56. Such was his brilliance that there was Bradman and the rest. Heading into the final Test of his career at The Oval in 1948, Bradman was on the cusp of cricketing immortality. But, it showed that not only is the game of cricket a great leveller but even gods can be fallible.
Sir Don Bradman had redefined the art of batting in the era of the 30s and 40s. The second world war took four years off his career. But, it did not diminish his brilliance. When the 1948 Australian team came to England shores, they were dubbed ‘The Invincibles’. Bradman scored a total of 11 First Class centuries and two in the Test series. One of the knocks was 173 when Australia chased down 404 by losing only three wickets.
Australia was already on the cusp of dominance heading into the final Test at The Oval. The Aussies compounded England’s woes when they bowled them out for 52. Australia easily went past the total but at 6 PM, Sid Barnes was dismissed. Many felt that a nightwatchman would come out. Instead, came Bradman for possibly the last time in his cricketing career.
Eric Hollies was the bowler. In the past, Sir Don Bradman did have a problem facing legspin. The likes of Bill O’Reilly had troubled him with his legspin and googly. Hedley Verity, who had gotten rid of Bradman the most number of times, had a flattish trajectory that often troubled the great man.
When Don Bradman faced the first ball, he was beaten by the legbreak. In the second, Bradman failed to read the googly and was bowled for 0. Bradman did not know it at that time, but he needed just four runs to finish with an average of 100. Before that innings, Bradman had 6996 runs and in his 70th innings, needed just four to become the first player in history to end with an average of 100.
But, in a rare moment of failure, Bradman was dismissed for zero. Many termed it as ‘God’s blob’. Australia won the match by an innings, meaning Bradman did not get a chance to bat for the second time and try getting to an average in excess of 100. Writing in the book Farewell to Cricket, Bradman said he was not aware that he was near the average of 100 at that time.
“That reception had stirred my emotions very deeply and made me anxious – a dangerous state of mind for any batsman to be in. I played the first ball from Hollies, though not sure I really saw it. I knew it would be my last Test match after a career spanning 20 years. But to suggest I got out, as some people did, because I had tears in my eyes while I was looking at the bowler was quite untrue. Eric Hollies deceived me and he deserves full credit,” Bradman said.
The reference to tears came about when Eric Hollies claimed that Bradman had tears in his eyes and that is why he could not see the ball. But, it was a moment of rare fallibility from one of the greatest in the game.
The average of 99.94. It became the most famous number in the history of cricket. Bradman’s records have still not been broken in cricket, with only some being equalled. No player has scored 900 runs in a single series. Bradman’s tally of 300 runs in a single day has never been matched, although Virender Sehwag came close.
The tally of 12 double tons and two triple centuries has been equalled by players like Brian Lara and Sehwag. But, they have not been able to break it. There is no player in the foreseeable future who can break that mark. The tally of 5000 runs against one opponent might never be broken, considering that there are so many nations currently playing the game as compared to Bradman’s times.
19 centuries against England is also one record that might never be broken, although if Steve Smith continues in this vein for another 2-3 Ashes series, he could do it. But, for Bradman, his career would be defined by that near-miss at The Oval. For everything else, there is the small matter of 99.94 average.
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