BRADMAN SCORES CUSTOMARY CENTURY

Chronicle (Levin), 30 November 1946, Page 7

BRADMAN SCORES CUSTOMARY CENTURY

BUT HE IS NOT THE OLD BRADMAN Received Saturday, 12.33 a.m. BRISBANE, Nov. 29. The Test matches have set in again, . and Bradman has scored his customary century. Like thc perforniance of a ritual, it has all come round again near . the Equator todav at Woolloongabba where one end of the ground is named Vulture Street. But this time Bradman 's opponeuts are free to Avear their rue with a difL'ereuce. In the iirst half- ; hour of his innings he committed more miscalculations and streakiness than memory holds of all one's experience of him. It was a resurrection innings! Even ou the doorstep of his hundred he snicked almost fatally through the slips. This strolce made him 101. It was not the niaster's traditional way of celebrating a centenary. Australia had lost two wickets for 47 and a quick overthrow of Bradman might well have brought about ellects and influences not only decisive in this present engagement but also pliyehologically important for the others to come. By experience and concentration Bradman prevailed. Still, the Englishmen have caught another glimpse of a seat of error in him not- even conjecturable eiglit years ago on a good wicket. It is not safe to try to foresee the ways of genius, but for the sako of saying it I will describe him uow as a batsman of ordinary Test matcli staudards of excellence and capable of scoring a hundred every time he gocs to the wicket if he should be detcrmined to score oue. In thc past he got his best Test aggregates by a sort of mechanic inheritauce. He had merely to g o there and "C'ollect his allowance. Little of fortune veered England 's way. Bedser, the spear of the attack, could not bowl after tea becauso of some trouble in his stomach. thc wicket on an Australian turf is good for a Sunday seliool teacher to see but not for a cricketer. Thc probicms arising -from England 's mediocre attack are, we may be sure, as patent to Hammond as to his critics. No doubt he would have been relieved to include Bniith in his team, but at whoso expense 1 Wlien Ihe captains walked 011 to the field to toss, the diminutive Bradmau seemed to me a frail Jonathan against the massivo Goliath of a llummond, but this was a metaphor which 1 dismissed quickly from my niind especially as Bradman won the toss, a considerable advautage on a Brisbane wicket in liot weather. Once the matcli was visited by a spasm and growing pains. In Voce's first over Barnes slicod daiigerously in iroiit of the slips and llien Bedser overran the crease twicc and Barnes hit a four by a short-armed hook very ficrco from \'oce. Bedser had found his rhythm now and compelled strikes which the batsmen prefer not to make. Morris 's bat was drawn to an outswinger which discovered the edge and Hammond held a catch with all the old grace, and possibly Morris was the last to realise what had happened. At a quarter past twelve we looked again 011 Bradman at the wicket in a Test matcli and Ihe erowd sufl'ered liorribiv as he snicked Bedser involuntarily lo the slips and the next ball put a pusii wauly in front of short leg. A no-biill by Bedser enabled Bradman to open his score, and he appeared grateful for it. Two more errors of timing all but ruined hiui, aud the English slips leaped and twitchcd iu eonvulsions of expectalion and chagrin. Momentarily, I again felt a flicker of sadness. This mortal, fallible cricketer wa 5 obviously Bradman to the outer eye. Here were the familiar motions and lineaments but where ,had fled the spirit? A deserted shrine! But I reeollected Doctor Johnson: "Knock a poor devil of a burglar down first and show compassion for him afterwards! " Bradman liung on adhesively and Barnes grew iiupertinent, hooking several times and suddenly once too often. He aimed another punch or hook at Wright and Bedser caught him at the second attempt near forward square leg. Here was an oecasion for rejoicing in the n-anks of England. Barnes was assuming an aspect of much strength and liccntiousness, .though I fancy Ham^nond approved and maybe aided aud abetted Barnes on the side of pugilism. Bedser bowled really well with something of Tate's vitality "and late swing. The English out-ericket "was antagonistic, so much so that lunch came as much as a haven and quiet port after stormy seas to Australia as to England. When Bradman was 28 Ikin at second slip coiifidentlv elaimed a catch from a slice by Bradman at a potential half volley of Voee. The umpire rejected the appeal, so that was that!