“BRADMAN”

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 63, 16 December 1946, Page 7

“BRADMAN”

Some talk of Rangi Singi, Of Murdock, Jessup, Grace, While- others say of Trumper That none can take his place When the wicket was a glue-pot And the bowlers changing pace.-

Each'decade has its heroes Compare them with the past, Questions “Are they greater”? “Can their glorious records last”? “Are the bowlers faster, Y Than Sopforth in his day? Can' they keep the batsmen, From having too much say On billiard table wickets Beneath a blazing sun, Whilst excited thousands Cheer every run? A

Hobs and Herbert Sutcliffe McCabe, and Ponsford, Woodful too, Have scored their many hundreds Making records new!

Hammond pride of Gloucestershire Outdoes'old Doctor Grace Hitting up his centuries At grand and glorious pace. Household names of Empire Wielders of flashing willow biade Heroes of the Ashes Won and lost but grandly played.

“And then came Bradman!” Someone coined a magic phrase As the wonder boy of Boural Flashed upon the cricket ways, Piling up his centuries Against old England’s best Smashing cricket records With mighty skill and zest, Pasting Voce and Larwood As he raised a mammoth score A record of the Ashes Bradman —three, three, four! Quick of eye with flashing bat By herculean deeds, Amazing crowd at Sydney, Melbourne, The Oval, Lords and Leeds. King of the flashing willow Greatest that the game has known, Modest smiling Don, Supreme on cricket’s throne Champion record breaker Cricket’s history maker Idol ,of the summer game Don Bradman of Australia, In triumph and in failure Worthy of his mighty fame, Once again upon the stage The master reappears, The eager crowds are waiting Soon will come the mounting ch'eers, At the crease a slight built figure, A flashing drive goes past mid-on, Round the ground the grand old chorus, “Don! Don! Dori!” W.'R. Whiteside, Whakatane.