There is only one Don in Cricket!

Statisticians have analysed his career and compared it to other prominent sportsmen like Pele, Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan. The statisticians determined that none of the athletes named above dominated their sport to the same extent as Bradman.

The sheer magnitude of The Dons figures allows that statement to be made, but when you take it back a step, and confine the analysis to his cricket career alone. No one comes within a bulls roar of being comparable to him from a batting sense in any regard.

You could prove this by his career record alone, that from 52 Tests he averaged 99.94 with 29 centuries from his 80 innings.

Everything about his record is remarkable, but one of the key points to show the sheer magnitude of his mastery was the fact in the peak of his career at 31. He missed the following 8 years due to World War 2. In the two years previous, his average was 138.00 in 1937 and 108.50 in 1938, and on his return to the game in 1946. He ‘struggled’ by averaging a measly 210.50

Only God knows, what he would have done in those 8 years away from the game, but it would have been short odds that he would have ended his career with an even more awe inspiring record.

Let us look at a few other factors to support Bradman’s iconic stature

The Effect of Uncovered Pitches:

The key factor of the time he played was the absence of adequate protection highlighted by pitches being uncovered. So the difficulty can not only be emphasised by how hard it was to excel, but then the very real risk of being hurt.

This shown by the change in batsmen’s figures from the days of uncovered pitches to covered pitches. Taking a batting average of over 50 as a testimony of a player being great. This is the comparison between the two eras.

Uncovered Pitch Age- 1887-1970- 15 averaged 50 or above

Covered Pitch Age- Post 1970 Till Present- 25 average 50 or above

Playing in the more difficult uncovered age, Bradman’s average is near on 40 runs superior to any other batsman in the games history.

Bodyline:“England must develop a new type of bowler and fresh ideas and strange tactics to curb his almost uncanny skill.”

Ask yourself this……

Can you think of any time in the game where a tactic that was developed solely for one player. That was so against the traditions of the game, and duly banned later because of the fact that its basis could have conceivably cost a man his life?

That was the reality of Bodyline being designed specifically to counter Bradman’s mastery. A tactic that’s basis was an assault on a man’s body with a stacked in close leg side field in support to catch a man fending.

Career Highlights:

When looking at any figures in cricket, the most compelling figure of all to depict dominance is Bradman’s career average of 99.94. Putting this figure in context is the next closest to his mark in Graeme Pollocks mark of 60.97. A near on 39 points below the Dons average.

The sheer magnitude of his average is given greater weight when you look that in his career he score 29 centuries at a strike rate of one every 2.75 innings. Of the batsmen in the games history that are talked as of being his equal, these are there averages and strike rates.

Wallay Hammond: Career average 58.45, century strike rate of 6.36

Garry Sobers: Career average 57.78, century strike rate of 7.61

Len Hutton: Career average 56.67, century strike rate of 7.26

Graeme Pollock, Career average of 60.97, century strike rate of 5.85

George Headley, Career average of 60.83, century strike rate of 4

Sachin Tendulkar, Career average of 56.25, century strike rate of 5.84

All are nowhere close to Bradman’s marks.

Then when you look at the fact that of The Dons 29 centuries, 12 scores were over 200. For which Brian Lara is the next closest with 9 scores over 200, and Wally Hammond next on 7 with Kumar Sangakkara. It gives his figures even sterner steel.

Due to when he scored a century, which was often, he truly grinded the opposition into the turf by making it a big one. Then he also scored quickly with a career strike rate of 71.40 runs scored per hundred balls.

This in a age when batting was dictated too by conservatism.Defining Innings:

Bradman’s epic 270 in 1937 is widely regarded as the greatest innings scored in Test history by Wisden. This scored on a MCG pitch that was referred to as a ‘sticky dog’ or translated means a pitch that had been rained on, and then baked by the sun. In any language, it was truly lethal, for of the danger it represented through the added pace added to it coupled with its unpredictable bounce.

Greater respect was given to it by the class of the English pace attack of Bill Voce, Gubby Allen supported by the very refined spin of Hedley Verity.

Then it was scored with the Aussies 2 nil down in the series, Bradman stricken with the flu and under immense pressure with Australia being 5/97 in the 2nd innings.

If only we had the benefit of YouTube to bask in its supreme mastery!Looking at his ‘Failure’ To Emphasise his Greatness:

Every great player has a period in his career where he struggles. Though Bradman’s ‘failure’ only served to emphasise how great he was.

This seen by the longest stretch he had to go without a century in Test Cricket was 11 innings. Then his worst record in a complete series was an average of 56.57 in the infamous Bodyline series. A figure that if it was a career average would have him ranked 13th with Len Hutton in the greatest in the games history.

The Era Debate:

The key opponents to viewing Bradman being placed on a pedestal alone of batting greatness are people who view that his age was relatively easy. This due to Bradman playing the large percentage of his career against England, and only ever having to face South Africa, West Indies and briefly India in Tests. So he never had to go to Asia, and deal with its unique set of circumstances and subsequent difficulties.

This has merit, but can be laughed off by the fact, that if it was so easy, then why didn’t all batsmen have the same record as Bradman?

Also contrary to this belief was the fact that the adding of Nations means that there is the teething problems in the game for them. Then with this, an opportunity for batsmen to excel due to the relative weakness of the opposition.

You don’t think Bradman might have enjoyed batting against true minnows in their initial stages in the game like Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh?

To support this, lets look at some of the individual records against them.

Sachin Tendulkar in his 59 innings scored 3733 runs at an average of 63.27 with 17 centuries

Brian Lara in his 16 innings scored 1520 runs at an average of 95.00 with 7 centuriesTechnology/ Advances in the Game:The main point in the modern age against the credibility of Bradman’s greatness is the fact that he didn’t have to contend with how Technology, and other advances have impacted on the game. This has merit for a player as soon as he is thought of being a likely International player is dissected to the bare bones. So with this many players have weakness exposed, and duly victimised. Australia’s Phil Hughes is a key example of this with him dominating in South Africa in 2008, but through his technique being examined through the avenues available now. He was figured out, and has duly struggled since. Countering this is the assistance available to correct flaws in a batsman’s game, and also find the same weakness in bowlers. So though this argument has merit, if it was a football match it would end in a nil all draw because of how it could have aided Bradman’s career as much as be a detriment to it. Also Bradman might have enjoyed batting with the space age bats .The Demands Of The Modern Age Would Have Neutralised Bradman:

There is always voices crying out in the International arena about how players are struggling with the demands of the three styles of the game, and the amount they have to play. Duly they view this as impacting on the respective records of batsmen.What a load of old codswallop!

Think of this, and ask yourself which is more difficult?

Playing in an age when you were an amateur, and had to duly work for a living, and deal with other huge factors like the archaic modes of transport in Bradmans age. Which by boat to England would take about 6 weeks.

OR

The modern age where you are a high paid professional with trainers for everything assisted by Coaches and dieticians. Then if you had to travel, you are often on chartered flights in real comfort.

Also it is an obligation and great honour for an individual to represent his Nation in all forms of the game, but then it is a choice of modern day players to play in Independent Competitions. Like the Indian Premier League. So any players who partake in them, and then complain about demands after. Severely lack any credibility at all.

Away from the question, I think Bradman’s record might have been greatly benefited by receiving a nice massage after every days play. Like the modern day players.Last Words:

Don Bradman was labelled by Wisden as the greatest phenomenon in the history of cricket despite a career that was beset by illness and devoid of any Coaching. Who knows, If he had of had a career aided by better health and the benefit of Coaching his record might have been made more impressive than it already is!