Cricket Legends and Their Specialties

Adam Gibson

SYDNEY, Australia (TheSportsNEXT) December 6, 2012: The article about the cricket legends and what they were famous for was originally written by Adam Gibson for an Australian newspaper but it was worth sharing with our readers, so enjoy.

Cricket is a sport in which fans and commentators have wildly differing views on who is, or was, the greatest in their particular area of the game. Raw statistics hold an undeniable weight, but one of the beauties of cricket is its scope for subjectivity.

In a compilation of any list of cricketing greats, one therefore must walk the line between sheer crowd-pleasing players and those whose feats stack up statistically. Bearing all that in mind, here is a selection of players who are generally regarded as the some of greatest to have graced the game.

Sir Don Bradman

It is rare to get consensus in cricket, but without doubt, Don Bradman is cricket's greatest batsman. With an average of 99.94, a top score of 334 and 117 first class centuries, "The Don" was a dominant force for a 20-year period after making his debut in 1928.

Sachin Tendulkar

While it is generally agreed Bradman is cricket's greatest batsman, there is wide agreement that Indian, Sachin Tendulkar, is the next best. The leading run scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international history, Tendulkar hit his 100th international century just this year.

Sir Len Hutton

Bursting onto the English county cricket scene at 17 in 1934, within three years the Yorkshire youngster was opening for England. Regarded as one of the most technically correct batsmen to grace the game, he is famous for posting the then record total of 364 at the Oval in 1938 against Australia.

Sir Jack Hobbs

An English opener, Hobbs retired in 1934 but his record of 61,760 first class runs still stands as record. Time has obscured his deeds somewhat, but in his prime, before and after the Great War of 1914 to 1918, he was a peerless batsman who amassed a total of 199 first class centuries.

Sunil Gavaskar

Any list of great batsman has to include champion Indian opener, Sunil Gavaskar. Heralded as India's "best schoolboy player" in 1966, the diminutive "Sunny" Gavaskar was soon dismantling the world's fast bowling attacks in the Indian Test team. He went on to amass 34 Test centuries, a record that stood for 20 years.

Brian Lara

West Indian batting supremo, Brian Lara, must also be mentioned in any discussion of greatest batsmen. Holding the record for the highest Test score of 400 and the highest first class score of 501, "the Prince of Port of Spain" flourished during a difficult period for West Indian cricket through the 1990s.

Sir Viv Richards

Richards' nickname "the Master Blaster" pretty much sums up the West Indian superstar. With a devastating hitting game combined with a chilled Caribbean demeanour, Richards defined an era of West Indian dominance in the 1970s and '80s. Equally at home in Test or one-day cricket, he is still a firm favourite among cricket fans around the world.

Sir Gary Sobers

Sobers is cricket's definitive all-rounder. He could bat, with a Test average of 57.78, he could bowl, with an average of 34.03, and he could field, with 109 Test catches. He would have made any team on his bowling alone, but his batting was extraordinary, with his six sixes from six balls in 1968 a legendary feat.

Adam Gilchrist

Coming into the Australian team as wicketkeeper in 1999, Gilchrist's explosive batting matched his ability behind the stumps and caused a complete rethink of the gloveman's role. Suddenly, a 'keeper had to be able to bat too. Retiring with 379 catches, 37 stumpings and a highest score of 204, he is unquestionably one of the greats.

Dennis Lillee

The sight of Lillee steaming in to bowl, shaggy hair flowing, sweat dripping from his famous moustache, is one of the iconic Australian images from the 1970s and early '80s. The archetypal fiery fast bowler, Lillee's early raw pace was later replaced by a tactical nous that saw him net a then world record 355 Test wickets.

Malcolm Marshall

Even in a West Indian team studded with blistering pacemen, Marshall stood out for his sheer speed and canny cricket mind. In the 1970s and '80s when the "Calypso Kings" were at their height, none were more feared than Marshall. Sadly, however, for a man who once had such physical prowess, he died of cancer aged 41 in 1999.

Wasim Akram

Regarded as the best left-arm bowler in cricket history, Pakistani hero, Akram, had an uncanny ability to control the ball. At times it seemed he had it on a string and throughout his career from 1983 to 2004 he regularly bamboozled batsmen. He was a pioneer of "reverse swing" and, when his mind was in the job, was a devastating batsman.

Shane Warne

Wherever "Warnie" went, controversy followed, but there can be no disputing his greatness as a bowler. With guile and sheer god-given talent, Warne ruined some very good batting careers. His first ball in England to Mike Gatting in 1993 is regarded as the most famous delivery in cricket and he is the second-highest wicket taker in history.

Muttiah Muralitharan

While his bowling action was the subject of much discussion throughout his career, Muralitharan's record of 800 Test wickets stands as a record unlikely to be eclipsed any time soon. The Sri Lankan off-spinner was virtually unplayable on his day but he is just as remembered for his run-ins with officialdom, notably umpire Darrell Hair at the MCG in 1995.

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All Time Best Cricketers By Category

By Adrian Meredith

VICTORIA, Australia (TheSportsNEXT) September 28, 2012: All Time World XIs are often discussed. Since T20s are pretty new, and ODIs themselves are only 40 years old, for the purposes of this analysis, I am talking primarily about test matches, at least for people who played before the other two formats had international status.

Best wicket keepers:

The list of wicket keepers with the most dismissals has a number that recently played, with Mark Boucher from South Africa in first place and Adam Gilchrist from Australia in second. In 3rd place is Ian Healy, also from Australia, and in 4th place is still Rod Marsh, also from Australia. The only other wicket keeper with a substantial number of dismissals is Kamran Akmal, who, unlike the others, has nobody who seriously thinks he is amongst the best of all time. Other wicket keepers have at different time been popular. Sri Lanka's best of all time was probably Hashan Tillekeratne while by all reports India's was Farokh Engineer. The most popular English keeper was more of a batsman than a keeper, in Allan Knott, while the best from West Indies was probably Jeffrey Dujon. Pakistan's best may have been Moin Khan, though they have never had a steady keeper for a long time - Kamran Akmal is still the most long-term keeper in Pakistan history! Zimbabwe would be tossing up between Andrew Flower and Tatendu Taibu but neither really were proper keepers, though at least Taibu was close. Fielding standards weren't generally as good in days gone by as they are now, and hence keepers in times gone by were a lot worse than they are now - as their dismissal records prove. At the end of the day, the most popular keeper of all time is still Australia's Adam Gilchrist. Most people pick him as their All Time World XI wicket keeper. In ODIs Gilchrist makes it easily while he didn't play enough T20s to know but the fact he is still playing IPL some 4 years after he retired suggests that he would be good. Mark Boucher does hold the test record but he took less dismissals per match than Gilchrist and didn't perform nearly as well in ODIs. Some would say that Gilchrist gets there because his batting was better - but Sangakkara's batting record is better than any of the others yet nobody would rate him as the best keeper of all time - he doesn't even keep full time any more. So for me, in a very close contest, it is Adam Gilchrist. His fairness and integrity really helped too. Such a gentleman.

Best spinners:

In the early days of cricket it was very easy for spin bowlers. All they had to do was to bowl after it had been raining and with a wet pitch they were almost unplayable. So many cheap wickets came to spinners early in test cricket. It is easy to dismiss many of the early bowling performances, especially those by spin bowlers. Bowlers who would take 6 for 9 one day then 1 for 120 the next were wet pitch bowlers. Sure, so batsmen got used to playing against spinners on wet pitches but not really. Pitches only started to be covered in the 1960s, and realistically there weren't a lot of quality spinners before that anyway. There were some good one off performances but nobody took a bunch of wickets. A West Indian bowler called Lance Gibbs took 300 wickets while the Australian all rounder Richie Benaud - who bowled both pace and spin - took almost as many. But then in recent times have come the two big wicket takers - numbers 1 and 2 in test cricket amongst all bowlers - Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan. It is really somewhat pointless to consider anyone else. Murali was in, for most of the time, a much weaker side than Warne was, and bowled a lot more. Murali was often the only quality player for Sri Lanka and had to do everything for the team, while Warne often played with the best team in the world - maybe even the best team in history. The only question mark is whether you think that Murali is a cheater - whether he throws the ball. If Murali throws, then Warne is the best. If he doesn't then it has to be Murali. Either way they are numbers 1 and 2.

Best fast bowler:

It was so easy for bowlers in the early days of cricket. Uncovered pitches, no helmets, no protective equipment of any kind. Early test bowlers averaged 10 or 15 in test cricket and, while uncovered pitches hugely favoured spinners, they were pretty helpful to fast bowlers too. Fred Spofforth was obviously one name that springs to mind of the early fast bowlers; but skipping ahead we have to go to the first man to get past the 300 mark - Dennis Lillee. One of the 4 great all-rounders of the 1980s, Richard Hadlee was clearly the best bowler of them and he surpassed Lillee's record. Hadlee, like Murali, had to do it himself much of the time - and he often had to bat too. Then we had so many great West Indian fast bowlers, and probably the best of them was Malcolm Marshall. There have been some good ones since then - Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis to name but 3 - but Marshall just typified fast bowling. Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh all did their bit and then Glenn McGrath has the record for most wickets by a fast bowler. Both McGrath and Marshall were in champion teams but while McGrath was good, he intimidated batsmen out a lot of the time. Marshall was just magnificent. So for me it is Malcolm Marshall.

Best all rounder:

Statistically, this is fairly easy. Garfield Sobers is so far ahead of anyone else to make a mockery of it. But more recently a fellow by the name of Jacques Kallis has come close. Kallis has a better bowling average while his batting average keeps sneaking closer to Sobers's. Another one who had a huge difference between batting and bowling averages was Pakistan's Imran Khan. These 3 are surely the greatest all rounders of all time. But at the end of the day it has been easier to bat in recent times and Kallis is often known as a selfish batsman - who goes for a not out or gets extra runs at the expense of the team cause. Imran Khan was a master tactician as a captain and helped to guide Pakistan to greatness. But Sobers, like Hadlee and Murali, played at a time when his team was pretty ordinary - yet he did amazing things for his team, often winning games single handedly. Sobers started off purely as a bowler and ended up mostly as a batsman. At the end of the day, Garry Sobers wins this category.

Best batsman:

On the surface, Donald Bradman is easily the greatest of all time - he averaged 99.94, more than 30 runs more than anyone else in history - and in a time when batting was difficult, with uncovered pitches, no protective equipment, and on top of that he had to put up with bodyline - designed explicitly to make it hard for him. But Sachin Tendulkar has such a great following, so has to be considered. Sure, so Tendulkar's average isn't anywhere near as good as Bradman's - he isn't 2nd or 3rd or even in the top 10 best averages. But Tendulkar has scored more runs than anyone else - more in tests and more in ODIs too - more centuries - by such a huge margin - and has been playing test cricket since he was 16 and is likely to keep playing until he is 40. But an English player did the same thing - a fellow by the name of Jack Hobbs. Hobbs was incredibly good and Tendulkar is more along his lines. Tendulkar's record isn't yet as good as that of Hobbs either - and Hobbs also played at a time when it was hard for batting. Brian Lara is another one worth considering - who holds the highest test score of 400 and the highest first class score - but the difference between Lara's best and his worst was huge. But perhaps the thing that really makes Bradman's record so amazing is that he scored at a rate well in excess of a run a ball - and holds the record for most runs scored in a day - miles ahead of the next best. Bradman's scoring rate was probably the equivalent of a strike rate of about 120 - in test cricket - while averaging 99.94. And this was a time when there were less test countries - and hence no minnows to boost the average. He also averaged even higher in first class cricket. There were a few South Africans with huge averages over a small period of time, and they may have been up there too, but it is hard to be sure over such a short career. Some, like Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border and Ricky Ponting scored a lot of runs but they were never really at that amazing level. The best, by a mile, is Donald Bradman.

In summary, the best of each category are:

Wicket keepers:

Adam Gilchrist (Australia)

Mark Boucher (South Africa)

Allan Knott (England)

Spin bowlers:

Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)

Shane Warne (Australia)

Lance Gibbs (West Indies)

Fast bowlers:

Malcolm Marshall (West Indies)

Glenn McGrath (Australia)

Dennis Lillee (Australia)

All rounders:

Garfield Sobers (West Indies)

Jacques Kallis (South Africa)

Imran Khan (Pakistan)

Batsmen:

Donald Bradman (Australia)

Jack Hobbs (England)

Sachin Tendulkar (India)

Best overall:

Donald Bradman (Australia)

Garfield Sobers (West Indies)

Adam Gilchrist (Australia)

This is, of course, my opinion, as someone who was born in Australia and have lived in Australia for my entire life. I am only 37 years old so didn't see any cricket before about 1982 or so. I was never particularly good at cricket but always thought of myself as a wicket keeper; so I do focus more heavily on that position than others. I am undoubtedly biased, as everyone is; but I think that this is a reasonable analysis. What is yours?

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Major controversies that shaped cricket

By Adrian Meredith

Over the past so many years, the game of cricket has won many hearts but at the same time a huge number of controversies did hit the game and its reputation but thankfully the game has always managed to rise about these cricket controversies and is all set to take center-stage at a global level. Adrian Meredith takes a look at the most famous or rather infamous cricket controversies that ruled and shaped the Gentlemen's Game.

 

W G Grace and professional cricket:

Cricket had always been known as "the gentleman's game" and as such players were not paid to play. W G Grace changed all of that. In the 1850s, Grace's father, who owned a first class cricket ground, charged more money than other grounds so that a proportion of it could be given to his son, W G. He accepted kick backs from owners of other grounds and administrators, buying him clothes, paying for accommodation, and all sorts of under the table deals. The administrators of the game turned a blind eye to it, largely because W G Grace was known as the greatest player ever to play the game; but eventually they had a stand off. As a result of the stand off, Grace demanded for all first class cricketers to be paid to play. The decision went to a vote, and it was initially decided that players could choose to be professional or not. During the debate that followed, players who chose to be amateurs created nasty rumours and outright lies against the professional players, especially against W G Grace, including the infamous lie that Grace, when clean bowled, neatly replaced the bails, with a comment of either "a bit of wind in the air today" or alternatively "these folks came to watch me bat, not to watch you bowl". This, of course, is a lie; but the fact that it persists in some quarters today just highlights how nasty the campaign was. Ultimately, however, professional cricket was created and, thanks to Grace, English cricketers were paid to play and didn't have to have jobs outside of cricket.

The first test match did not involve W G Grace:

After all that he had done for cricket, W G Grace was widely expected to be the first official English test captain. This was not the case, however, as the 1877 tour, which would later be given test status, had an entirely different captain and indeed an entirely different English side to that which had toured with Grace. There was much anger in England when the series was retrospectively given test status, many arguing that it wasn't a full England side if Grace wasn't taking part. There were many petitions to strip it of international status and instead to grant the first test in England, which Grace took part in and was captain, to be the first official test. But diplomacy won through and the 1877 match remains as the first official test.

Australian Billy Midwinter changes sides mid tour

Billy Midwinter went to England in 1878, in the first ever test series in England, having previously played for Australia in 1877. W G Grace virtually kidnapped Midwinter and forced him to play for the country of his birth, England. This, in spite of Midwinter being named as part of the squad to represent Australia! In 1882, he changed back to Australia and played for Australia again in 1883 and 1884. Midwinter even captained Australia! This was probably the most controversial example of a player changing sides, and certainly the only example of a player changing sides mid tour! Nowadays players have to live in a new country for 5 years before being eligible! All to stop Grace from kidnapping another player!

Don Bradman demands to play professionally

Professional cricket remained solely in England until the 1970s when World Series Cricket emerged to change the game forever; but as one of many battles to get cricket to be played professionally, Australia's greatest ever player and probably the best in world history, Don Bradman, in 1931 demanded to be paid to play, and considered going to England to play county cricket. He was instead offered work as a cricket journalist; but when the Board of Control for Cricket in Australia refused to let him comment on matches he took part in, Bradman went on strike and refused to play in what was supposed to be the 1932/33 test tour to New Zealand. Because Bradman didn't take part, the matches were not given test status. Bradman commentated on the entire tour, both on radio and newspapers. At the completion of the tour, R C Packer, grandfather of Kerry Packer, offered Bradman a job commentating on cricket matches - that did not involve a team he was a part of. The Board of Control accepted and Bradman played for Australia again.

Bodyline is created to stop Bradman

In 1932/33, fresh from his strike, Bradman faced what was at the time called "leg side trap", whereby the English bowlers, led by Douglas Jardine, packed the leg side field and bowled non stop bouncers. By packing the leg side field they cut out the pull shot, meaning that players had little chance to safely play the bouncer. Bradman still topped the averages for the tour, averaging 57, but it was significantly below his normal standard. Soon after this, non stop bouncers were outlawed, and field placings were restricted.

Imran Khan plays first class cricket in England

After Bradman threatened to play first class county cricket in England, Imran Khan actually did it. The Pakistan Cricket Board didn't like it but decided to let him go. Imran Khan didn't even play first class cricket in Pakistan at the time, yet was still selected in the international squad. As a result, Imran Khan was able to make a living from cricket, and, he claims, he was able to instil the virtues of the professional cricketer onto the Pakistan cricket team, improving their play.

World Series Cricket emerges - with ODIs and professional cricket worldwide

Probably the single most important controversy in cricket history emerged obstensibly over the right for a commercial TV channel, Australia's Channel 9, to be able to broadcast cricket matches - then solely owned by Australia's government-owned ABC TV channel. Kerry Packer, the owner of Channel 9, demanded it and was so angry at the refusal that he set up World Series Cricket, based largely on: 1) South African players who wanted to play professional cricket but were banned by apartheid, 2) West Indians cricketers not being paid enough and 3) One Day International cricket being very popular. Packer set up his own rules for ODIs, rules that have largely stayed until today, introducing coloured clothing, and he had 3 main teams: West Indies, Australia and a "World" team, that was largely South African based. The series was much more popular than tests played at the time, when the 3rd best team at the time, England, briefly replaced West Indies and Australia as the dominant test team. The World Series Cricket "super tests" were some of the most popular and well loved matches of all time.

South Africa return to international cricket

South Africa being banned wasn't controversial - apartheid was universally condemned and South Africa were banned from international sports of all kinds for it; but their return, especially when and how they returned, was highly controversial. In 1992 Australia and New Zealand were preparing for an 8 team ODI World Cup and suddenly had to accommodate a 9th team. Australia hosted South Africa in the first match - and lost - which would lead to Australia narrowly missing the semi finals. They got their revenge though, with a controversial and ultimately silly rain reduction system that meant that South Africa went from needing 22 off 7 balls to win to needing 21 off 1 - the first of many times that they would fail in the knockout stages of a world cup - though this time at least it wasn't their fault.

Muralitharan called for throwing

Muttiah Muralitharan wasn't a particularly well known bowler when he was called for throwing. He was the first player of Tamil descent (albeit Indian Tamil) to play for Sri Lanka during a time when Sri Lanka had a great problem, a guerilla war, involving Tamils. His inclusion was largely thought to be token, as a way to broker peace, as his performances were not nearly as good as the other players in the team. But that peace was about to be shattered as he was called for throwing mid match. So horrific was the way that the umpire called him that he was taken off and then, later in the tour, when he was called for throwing mid ODI, during his run up, Sri Lankan's captain led the team off the field. The Sri Lankan team refused to participate in any games involving umpires who were going to call Murali for throwing and threatened to boycott the tour. Murali wasn't called for throwing outside of Australia, or by any umpires that were not Australian. He was tested, proven not to be throwing, new laws were put in about flexion, and he eventually became the greatest ever test wicket taker with 800 wickets - while the umpire that first called him ended up being banned for umpiring after another controversy. Yet still the rumours about him being a chucker persist to this day.

Hansie Cronje forfeits an innings - later proven to be match fixing

Rain had all but forced a draw in a test involving South Africa and England, with 3 full days washed out due to rain, when, with 1 day remaining, Cronje forfeited South Africa's entire 1st innings, leading to South Africa chasing a tough total, which they eventually lost very narrowly. It was at the time seen as excitement plus, and Cronje was praised - until he was later proven, and admitted, to be a match fixer, and this match was the most obvious one. Many matches were later suggested to be tainted by match fixing and Cronje was banned from all forms of cricket - as were many others including Mohammad Azharrudin, left stranded on 99 test matches. Cronje was soon after mysteriously killed in a plane crash, with some suggesting it may have been related to the match fixing.

News of the World sets up 3 Pakistani players as spot fixers

Mid trial, News of the World were forcibly disbanded for lying to such outrageous degrees, involving the English royal family, celebrities and murder victims, in the phone hacking scandal, yet still their evidence was used to lead to 3 Pakistan players - Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt - being banned for 5 years each for spot fixing, in relation to massive no balls that Amir and Asif bowled. There was money found in Salman Butt's rooms, voice messages and texts on phones, and a player agent that widely claimed to be friends with celebrities and to have done impossible things. And yet this implausible story still led to not only them being banned but they even went to jail! Luckily for Pakistan, the other 30 or so Pakistan players that this tabloid lied about being involved were ignored by the ICC, after their stories went from the sublime to the ridiculous with accusations left, right and centre, all based on absolutely nothing. As a result, though, Pakistan were forced to make radical changes, and, with Misbah and Afridi in charge, they have improved significantly.

Chris Gayle complains about the WICB and is banned

The WICB have refused to give the West Indian players a fair take of the earnings, something that has persistently been argued, with strikes galore, for the past 10 years or so. They are probably the most unfair board, in terms of money, in the entire world. Yet Gayle was singled out, not just because he went on strike for more money, but because he dared to speak publicly about the WICB's incompetence to a local radio station. As a result, he was banned from the team. Gayle went on to make bucketloads of money by being the player of the tournament in the IPL and doing very well in T20 tournaments the world over. West Indies, meanwhile, hired effectively a professional captain in Darren Sammy, a player who was on the fringes of national selection, but is a natural leader. Gayle has recently returned and West Indies look better than ever.

Kevin Pietersen forced to retire, then banned after he sides with the opposition:

Kevin Pietersen wanted to retire from ODIs only, but the English Cricket Board has a strict rule about retirements that says that if you retire from ODIs you will be forced to also retire from T20s. And so he did, just before the start of the World T20, which England are the reigning champions of, and were World Number 1 in T20s, with Pietersen their best player, having been player of the tournament in the last World T20. But things got worse when, after the 2nd test against South Africa, in which Pietersen was easily the best player on either side, and saved the match for England and all but won it - Pietersen then complained about the performance of his fellow players - quite rightly too as the rest of the team did very little in spite of Pietersen doing everything. But, crucially, Pietersen sent texts to South African players, saying how bad England had performed. This kind of thing used to be okay going back a few years, when players used to get together in a pub for a drink after the game, but nowadays, or perhaps just because it is Pietersen, it led to him being banned from the team. He may even be gone forever. And this in spite of him tearfully asking to come back, and rescinding his retirement.

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What would Don Bradman be like today?

By Adrian Meredith

VICTORIA, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 28, 2012: There has been a lot of debate, especially in India, as to whether Don Bradman would be any good today - and even suggesting that a player like Sachin Tendulkar, who is indisputably the best player ever to play for India, may have in fact been better than Bradman.

So, based on what we know of him, how would he cope today?

 

First off, let's look at some key differences between cricket today and cricket in Bradman's time:

In Bradman's time, they played on uncovered pitches, meaning that if it rained the night before (they still went off for rain), coming back there were no covers and you would expect to get out very, very cheaply for perhaps 1/4 of your normal score, at least for the next half day; but, depending on how much rain, it could last for as much as 2 days.

In Bradman's time, there was no such thing as a helmet - nor were bowlers in any way prohibited from bowling bouncers.

In Bradman's time, there was a lot more public interest in cricket, especially in Australia and England. While India didn't really care much about cricket, in his own country a lot more people played cricket than they do today.

In Bradman's time there was only 1 serious opponent - England - while today there can be anything up to perhaps 8 or 9 who are competitive and right at this exact moment there are as many as 5 or 6 competing for top spot.

In Bradman's time, players were paid a pittance to play, and had to work full time, taking breaks to play international cricket, in order to afford to play - a great strain on the cricketers.

In Bradman's time, they played a lot more first class cricket than they do today.

In Bradman's time, they didn't play ODIs or T20Is.

In Bradman's time, they didn't play one day domestic or T20 domestic either.

In Bradman's time, there was nowhere near as much international cricket - Bradman, for example, played just 40 tests over a career spanning 20 years, which, even with a break for WW2, was still 13 years worth. Some years they didn't play a single test, others they played 3 or 4 - while today they would play as many as 15.

In Bradman's time, a tour to England could last for up to 6 months, playing virtually non stop the whole time.

In Bradman's time there were no neutral umpires and when you played overseas you would expect a much worse averaged based on biased umpires.

Now, let's look at some qualities about Bradman himself:

He had an unorthodox technique, not based on a coaching manual but based on him teaching himself.

He practised by hitting golf balls against a tin water container - getting used to unpredictable bounce and deviation.

His scoring rate per minute is easily the best of any player, averaging 45 runs per hour, the equivalent of a strike rate of about 120, assuming that both players had equal strike.

His slowest ever century took 225 minutes - still mighty quick - an estimated 150 balls - and that was his slowest!

He vehemently supported professional cricket, siding with Kerry Packer's grandfather to be employed as a journalist and having many great fights and threats - each way - with the Australian Board of Control - including Bradman going on strike and boycotting an important tour to New Zealand that, had Bradman participated, would have led to New Zealand being granted test status.

He vehemently supported one day international cricket and especially Kerry Packer's "world series cricket".

While he wasn't about when T20 cricket was invented, it can be assumed that he would have supported that too.

So what would he be like today?

Bradman loved the idea of professional cricket, and, had he been about today, he would have embraced it and enjoyed it. It would mean that he could have been a full time cricketer. The fact that he could have played one day and T20 cricket, where strike rate is important, would have been very exciting for him.

Bradman had a strike rate of about 120 in test cricket - easily the fastest in history. If we can imagine normal progression, we might expect him to have a strike rate of 140 in one day cricket and perhaps 180 in T20 cricket.

His batting average probably would have gone down from test cricket to ODI to T20s. Assuming the same conditions, etc, we might expect him to average perhaps 60 in one day cricket and only 40 in T20 cricket.

Tests: Average 99.94 S/R 120

ODIs: Average 60 S/R 160

T20s: Average 40 S/R 180

Now, of course, the huge amount of cricket may have been an issue. But we have to remember that while they didn't play a lot of test cricket in Bradman's day they still played a hell of a lot of cricket - it was just first class cricket. For players who went to England for the county circuit they could be playing virtually every day for 8 months of the year. Bradman wouldn't have been tired from playing extra cricket - if anything they played more in those days than they do today - just that less of it was internationals. I hardly expect them to have ended up getting tired. Besides which, in Bradman's time they had to have a full time job on top of that.

The uncovered pitches issue and the helmet issue probably did reduce batting averages overall but for Bradman it is hard to imagine his average being any higher. He simply worked out how to play bouncers and worked out how to handle an uncovered pitch. His experience with the golf ball against the water tank at home, it is claimed, led to him being one of the best wet pitch batsmen. He could handle all kinds of conditions with ease.

No batsman has ever come close to his record, not in terms of average nor in terms of strike rate. They didn't count balls faced in those days and, I guess, it is possible that Bradman simply farmed the strike in every single match he played. But it is highly unlikely. He once scored 309 runs in a single day. That would be off 90 overs, and he would have faced 45 of them, 270 deliveries. 309 off 270 deliveries. And that was far from his fastest strike rate. It just so happened that it was the only time when he batted throughout most of the day. Nobody since has come close.

There is talk that cricket is more competitive now that India, Pakistan and West Indies in particular are involved, and now that South Africa are no longer easy beats. While this might be true in a sense, and certainly during the 1970s and 1980s when West Indies were dominant it seemed relevant but nowadays it doesn't really. For all of the passion that India and Pakistan bring to the game, they are yet to really be dominant on the field.

If Bradman were playing today, I am convinced that he would have still averaged much the same as he did. He may have averaged a bit more. But probably not much more. The difference is that he would have scored a lot more runs and have also had ODI and T20 records as well.

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Know It All About Sir Donald Bradman

Monitoring Desk

SYDNEY, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 27, 2012: The Australian newspaper Herald Sun recently published over a hundred points spanning the whole life and cricket career of legendary cricketer Sir Don Bradman.

 

TheSportsNext.com is publishing the Over 100 Facts About Sir Don Bradman for its valued readers here.

1. The Bradman surname originated when his grandfather was christened as Bradman instead of the more commonly used Bradnam.

2. Don was born at a nursing home at 89 Adams Street, Cootamundra, 320km south-west of Sydney, on August 27th, 1908.

3. He was the youngest of five children to George and Emily Bradman, following sisters Lilian, Islet and May, and brother Victor.

4. He was delivered by midwife 'Grannie' Scholz.

5. When Don was two years of age, the family moved to a weatherboard house in Shepherd St, Bowral.

6. He started kindergarten in September 1913, aged 5.

7. He started at the Bowlral school the following year.

8. His best subject was mathematics.

9. He caught the measles on May, 19, 1915.

10. He sang at the Kangaloon concert on August 24, 1920, three days before his eighth birthday.

11. He first went to the city of Sydney in 1920.

12. He first played competitive tennis aged 10 years and ten months

13. His father first took him to the SCG in 1921.

14. As a teenager he honed his reflexes and developed eye movement and co-ordination by hitting a golf ball with a stump into the brick base of the family water tank.

15. Bradman was taught the piano by his elder sister Lilian.

16. He first met his future wife at the age of 12 when Jessie Menzies lived at the Bradman house and attended the Bowral school in 1920.

17. Bradman's first game of organized cricket was at 11 for his school at Glebe Park, Bowral. He batted at number 4 and scored 55 not out.

18. At the age of 12, Bradman played for the Bowral High School senior XI.  In his second game, he scored his first century (115 of the team total of  156) on the oval that now bears his name. He also took eight wickets.

19. Bradman left school in 1922 at the age of 14. He began work for Percy Westbrook as a clerk in a Bowral real estate agency.

20. In 1926, Bradman scored 234 for Bowral against Wingello. One of the opposition bowlers was Bill "Tiger" O'Reilly.

21. In the final match of that season, Bradman scored his first triple century.

22. On October 5, 1926, at the age of 18, Bradman was invited to attend NSW state training. He also agreed to play Sydney grade cricket for St. George.

23. On 27 November, 1926, Bradman turned out for St George for the first time, against Petersham, and scored 110 in as many minutes.

24. In 1927, Bradman was selected to play Sheffield Shield for NSW. In his first game of first class cricket on December 16, 1927, he scored 118 against South Australia on the Adelaide Oval.

25.He became the 20th Australian to score a century on first class debut.

26. He left home in 1928 to live in Sydney.

27. In November 1928, he scored 87 and 132 not out against the touring MCC side.

28. At the age of 20, he was selected in the Test team to play in the First Test against England in Brisbane.

29. Bradman first heard his name announced in the Australian Test team on radio station 2FC.

30. He scored 18 and one and was made 12th man for the Second Test at the SCG _ the only time he was dropped from the Test XI in a 20 year career.

31. In only his fourth Test innings, he scored 112 in the Third Test against England at the MCG.

32. Bradman's highest score in first class cricket was 452 not out for New South Wales against Queensland at the SCG in January 1930.

33. On the 1930 tour he began with 236 against Worcester, making him the youngest overseas player to score a double century in England.

34.On tour he scored six double-centuries, ten centuries and fifteen half-centuries.

35. In the Test matches Bradman scored 8, 131, 254, 1, 334, 14 and 232 - a total of 974 runs at an amazing average of 139.14.

36. On tour Bradman scored almost 3000 runs at an average of 98.66.

37.His innings of 334 at Headingley included 309 runs in a single day _ an achievement that won the award for the single most outstanding performance by an Australian male athlete in the 1988 Sports Australia Bi-centenary awards.

38. In December 1931 Bradman scored 100 runs in 3 overs at Blackheath in the Blue Mountains. Bradman made 256 comprising 14 sixes and 29 fours.

39. Bradman played only one series against South Africa, finishing with 806 runs at an average of 201.50.

40. Bradman's success in England in 1930 enticed England to adopt new tactics for the 1932-33 series _ leg theory short pitched bowling named Bodyline.

41. Bradman's scoring feast was curtailed, yet he still averaged 56.57.

42. Don and Jessie Menzies were married by Canon E. S. Hughes at St Paul's Burwood, Sydney on April 30, 1932.

43. Bradman met American baseball star ``Babe'' Ruth at Yankee Stadium, New York in 1932. He was on his honeymoon and part of an Arthur Mailey tour of the US and Canada.

44. Bradman accepted a position with a stockbroking company in Adelaide and he and Jessie arrived in Adelaide early in 1934.

45. Bradman scored a century on debut for SA.

46. At the end of the 1934 tour of England, Bradman contracted acute appendicitis and was so gravely ill newspapers prepared obituaries.

47. In 1936, their first child, a son, lived only a day. Three years later, they had another son, John, while daughter Shirley was born in 1941.

48. In his 80 Test innings (10 not out), Bradman scored 6996 runs at an average of 99.94.

49. The next best average is 60.97 by Graeme Pollock of South Africa.

50. He scored 26 per cent of his team?s runs in his Test career.

51. In his first class career, he scored 28,067 runs at an average of 95.14.

52. During his first class career, Bradman scored 200 or more in a single day on 27 occasions.

53. In his 295 first class innings, Bradman made 16 ducks.

54. Bradman bowled 2114 deliveries in first class cricket, capturing 36 wickets at an average of 37.97.

55. His best bowling figures were 3/35 against Oxford University in 1930.

56. Bradman played more games on the Sydney Cricket Ground than any other

venue: a total of 46 matches.

57. The ABC postal address in all capital cities of Australia is Post Office Box 9994, Bradman's Test batting average.

58. Bradman is the only Australian cricketer who has twice scored a century and a duck in the same Test.

59. Bradman was Australia's 21st Test captain.

60. Bradman's last game of cricket was for the Prime Minister's XI against the touring MCC side in Canberra in February, 1963. At the age of 54, The Don was dismissed for 4.

61. Bradman joined the army in 1940 with the rank of Lieutenant. He was discharged in 1941 after 3 spells of fibrositis.

62. Bradman published his book, "Farewell to Cricket" in 1950.

63. Bradman was also a very capable golfer, a pennant player who played at his best off scratch.

64.  In 1979, Bradman was created a Companion of the Order of Australia.

65. In addition to his highest score of 452 not out, Bradman scored 5 triple centuries during his career: 340* NSW v Sth Aust 1928-29, 334 Aust v England 1930, 304 Aust v England 1934, 357 Sth Aust v Vic 1935-36 and 369 Sth Aust v Tas 1935-36.

66. During his first class career, Bradman also scored 31 double centuries.

67. Bradman scored an amazing 117 centuries in 295 innings during his career.

68. This represents a century every 2.8 innings.

69. The next best ratio of hundreds per innings by any other player is 5.8 (Graham Hick, England).

70. Bradman is the only Australian player to have scored more than 100 centuries in first class cricket.

71. Bradman achieved this feat in only 295 innings. The next quickest was Denis Compton who needed 552 innings.

72. Bradman is the only player to have scored 100 centuries in first class cricket, without having played in English County cricket.

73. Bradman scored six centuries in consecutive innings during the 1938-39 season. C.B. Fry (Sussex 1901) and M.J. Proctor (Rhodesia 1970-71) are the only other players to have achieved this feat.

74. Bradman scored four centuries in succession on two occasions, 1931-32 and 1948-49.

75. Bradman scored more double centuries (31) in his career than any other batsman in first class cricket.

76. Bradman also performed the unique feat of scoring 10 successive first class 50s during his career.

77. Bradman scored a century in both innings of a first class game on four

occasions: 131 & 133 in 1928-29, 124 & 225 in 1929-30, 107 & 113 in 1937-38 and 132 & 127* in 1947-48.

78. Bradman scored quickly: in innings of 50 or more he scored at a rate of 42 runs per hour, 100 or more at 44 runs/hour, and in innings over 200 he increased his rate to 49 runs/hour.

79. Bradman's fastest first class century took only 70 minutes. This was in his innings of 369 for South Australia against Tasmania, during the 1935-36 season.

80. His slowest century took 253 minutes when he and Bill Brown successfully saved the Trent Bridge Test in 1938.

81. Bradman managed a slightly higher batting average when he was captain. In Tests, he averaged 101.51 when captain compared with 98.69 as a player.

82. In all first class matches, he averaged 98.78 as captain compared with 91.57 as a player.

83. During his Test career, Bradman was never dismissed in the 90s.

84. He was never stumped in Tests.

85. Bradman played first class cricket in only two countries, Australia and England.

86. Bradman's average in the first innings of Test matches was 97.85. His average in the second innings was 104.50.

87. Bradman's Test centuries were scored at the following grounds: Melbourne 9, Leeds 4, Brisbane 4, Nottingham 3, Adelaide 3, Lords 2, The Oval 2 and Sydney 2.

88. In Tests that resulted in an Australian victory, Bradman averaged 130.08.

In drawn games, his average was 111.90 and in Test losses his average was 43.27.

89. On four occasions, Bradman scored a century in both innings of a first class match.

90. Bradman toured England four times, 1930, 1934, 1938 and 1948: the last two as captain.

91. Bradman is the only Australian cricketer to be knighted (in 1949) for services to cricket.

92. Bradman's father George died aged 85 at Berrima, NSW, on April 18, 1961.

93. His mother Emily died aged 73 at Campbelltown NSW, on December 16, 1944.

94. In 1933 successfully sat his New South Wales Cricket Umpires Exam. After retirement as a player, Bradman would umpire South Australian Grade cricket matches when time permitted.

95. In his debut first class match on tour, Bradman scored 236 against Worcester. This unleashed a furious onslaught against English bowlers that was to shake the English establishment to its very foundations. In the Test matches of 1930, Bradman scored 8, 131, 254, 1, 334, 14 and 232 - a total of 974 runs at an amazing average of 139.14.

96. Bradman's incredible feats in the early 1930s were of such a magnitude that the English team began to think of ways to curb Bradman's brilliance for the up-coming tour to Australia in 1932-33 with Bodyline.

97. Bradman's scoring was restricted but he still managed an average of 56.67.

98. On 13 September 1960, he became the first former Test player to be elected chairman of the Board of Control.

99.In 1958 he was made a life member of the MCC.

100. Height 173cm

101. Blue eyes

102. Other sports: tennis, golf, squash, rugby league and athletics (school).

103. Favourite leisure activities were the piano and billiards.

104. Favourite food was rice pudding.

105. Favourite drink was tea.

106. Bradman captained Australia 24 times, winning 15 matches and losing 3

107. Bradman and Syd Barnes still hold the record 5th wicket partnership for any country - 405 v England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1946-47

108. Bradman scored 28,067 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 95.15, with a top score of 452 not out

109. Bradman was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1931

110. Bradman played for New South Wales from 1927-28 to 1933-34, then moved to Adelaide and played for South Australia from 1935-36 to 1948-49

111. The record for the highest partnership for any wicket by Australia against all countries was established by Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford at The Oval in 1934 (451 for the second wicket)

112. Bradman still holds the record wicket partnerships for Tests against all countries for the second, fourth, fifth and sixth wickets.

113. In Bradman?s 70 Tesy dismissals, 39 were caught (59%) including 10 by the wicketkeeper and 23 bowled (33%). He was LBW 6 times, run out once and hit wicket once

114. Bradman scored 4 centuries in 5 innings against South Africa, including a top score of 299 not out.

115. Bradman took 32 catches in his 52 test matches, and took 2 wickets bowling leg spin (one against England, the other against West Indies

116. Against India, Bradman averaged 178.75 in 6 innings. His average against all countries in 80 innings was 99.94

117. Against India, Bradman scored 4 centuries and 1 half century in 6 innings .

118. Bradman's average in test matches reached 50 with his 3rd innings, and stayed above 50 for the rest of his career.

119. Bradman was voted the greatest male athlete of the past 200 years by the Australian Confederation of Sport in 1988.

120. In 1989, the Bradman Museum opened in Bowral. The first ever museum devoted to an Australian in his or her lifetime.

121. Bradman was selected as one of only two Australians by International Who's Who top 100 people who have done the most to shape the 20th century. The other was Rupert Murdoch. Bradman was one of only 3 athletes selected, the other two were boxer Muhammad Ali and soccer player Pele.

122. He was nominated among the Top Ten sportspeople of the 20th century by the World Confederation of Sport.

123. He was named Male Athlete of the Century in 1999 by the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

124. He was voted sixth, and the highest ranked Australian, in Reuter's Sports Personality of the 20th Century list

125. He was ranked the No.1 Australian Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated magazine.

126. In 2000 he was voted the greatest cricketer of the 20th century by Wisden Cricket Almanack. This decision was unanimous amongst the 100 judges.

127. He was nominated captain of the Australian Cricket Team of the Century.

128. The Sir Donald Bradman Rose was dedicated to him and released in June, 2002.

129. On 5 January 1974, Sir Donald and Lady Bradman attended the opening at the SCG of the Bradman Stand.

130. Bradman was feted at the annual Lord Taverner's dinner in London in March of 1974.

131. In September, 1976, he attended the opening of the Bradman Oval in Bowral.

132. 1989, the Bradman Museum opened in Bowral _ the first ever museum devoted to an Australian in his or her lifetime.

133. On 16 June 1979, he was invested as a Companion of the Order of Australia.

134. Don and Jessie Bradman celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in April 1997. She died four months later on 14 September 1997.

135. On 25 February 2001 he died peacefully at his home in Adelaide aged ninety-two.

136. The ashes of Don and Jessie Bradman were scattered around the gardens and Oval in Bowral.

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