WHAKATANE GIRLS SEE DON BRADMAN IN FINAL MATCH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 34, 17 December 1948, Page 5

WHAKATANE GIRLS SEE DON BRADMAN IN FINAL MATCH

Hero Wor shipping Crowd Goes Mad

’■ Impressions of the Don Bradman testimonial cricket match held recently in Melbourne are described by a former Whakatane girl, Miss Phillippa Winstone, in a letter to her parents, Mr and Mrs A. W. Winstone, Whakatane. With Miss Winstone at the game was another Whakatane girl, Miss Ann Carwardine. Miss Winstone wrote that she and Miss Carwardine attended the match on tickets given them by one of the patients in the hospital, of the staff of which they are members. Both are qualified nurses and left New Zealand in October to take up their present position in the' St. Ives hospital, Melbourne. They intend to further their studies in England and on the Continent and expect to leave Sydney . early next year.

Miss Winstone says in her letter: “I’m not quite sure what the testimonial part of it means, but I gather that at the end of this match Don Bradman is presented with v a cheque, the total amount donated by the spectators; as there was a collection box at each admission gate.”

Miss Winstone describes the thunderous ovati'on given Bradman when he came in to bat, illustrating how tremendously popular he - is.

“Don Bradman came in third. The ovation the crowd of 40,000 gave him as he came on to the field was absolutely tremendous and has to be heard to be believed. They were all on their feet, cheering, clapping, and kept it up for about five minutes. It was really marvellous. “As he approached the pitch the opposing team’s captain called for cheers, which were picked up by the crowd. And, of course, when he reached the century there was more and more cheering.” Miss Winstone’s description of Bradman’s playing for the first hundred shows that even he is not prepared to take chances. He batted carefully, picking his shots for runs just here and there. Of the play, before he reached his century, she writes:

“This 100 mounted slowly; he was playing cautiously and without risking a thing, but once he, had made that, away he went and was sending balls all over the field. His actioh is certainly lovely to watch, and we were really very fortunate having this opportunity to see the famous -Don, as we we’re not likely to be able to see him again.”

Even though they were thrilled to see the match with Bradman in action, Miss -Winstone remarks that what was probably the most stirring thing of the afternoon was the obvious hero worship the crowd had for Bradman. It was a truly remarkable experience.