BRADMAN’S GREAT RECORD

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1930, Page 7

BRADMAN’S GREAT RECORD

452 NOT OUT

TILS SUNNY NATURE

SYDNEY, January 9. The story of Don Brad man's great cricket record of 452 not out is tilt story of liovv a country lad of 21 years unknown lour yeans ago, burst througl into the great national game, and in a few short seasons emblazoned foi ever his name on the cricket roll o: fame among others whose names have been spoken of tor scores of years past Cricket is undoubtedly Australia’s

national game, so it is not difficult t< understand how it is that Bradman luo become a national hero.

Yvhcn Ponslord made his great score of 437 against Queensland it was generally believed that many years would pass before that world’s record foi lirsf-class cricket would be displaced I here had been nothing better than that store in the same class of eric-kef in all the years that the game had been played, and only the big score of Archie McLaren, England’s famous batsman, approached it. It had stood the scigo of time and the* assaults of wonderful cricket-. Now that quiet, unassuming yoqlh from the countn town oi Powral, on the south coast of New South Wales, has earned for himself a fame that will never die. To know Bradman is to know one of the cleanest types of manhood it is possible to imagine. Full of effervescent fun, Bradman enjoys every moment of his cricketing life. It is a game and not a business with him. There are no furrowed brows when the situation is such as to demand stern measures'for the salvation of his side Bradman goes to his game with a smile on liis sunny face, for lie is called the “Laughing Cavalier” of ernket. Hi style is so unorthodox that many critic; hav-e said that hq is not a great cricketer. But what does it matter wliat the critics say? Bradman doe:not fa,re, and whatever the faults in his style, he certainly gets the runs. He has more than ICOO to his credit tins season, ami there are still some months to run. Four years ago he was brought to the city, for his run-get-ting possibilities had been brought to light in the annual country week cricket matches. Since then he has never looked back, and in his first Sheffield Shield match he scored more than a 100. To date he has appeared in 14 Shield matches for a- total of 2079 runs and an average of 99.

There -was a remarkable demonstration on the Sydney Cricket Ground when Bradman secured his record. The people cheered again and again, and the members of the opposing side crowded around him, shook his hands, patted his back, and cheered and cheered again. One spectator became so excited that lie dashed over the fence and endeavoured to pick up Bradman and carry him on bis shoulders. He found the task too great, and, amid great laughter and more chep"-. cho two collapsed on to the grass. Then the Queenslanders came to his assistance, and Bradman was lifted shoulder high and carried from the ground. Once through the gate he bounded to the seclusion of bn dressing-room, and in peace and quiet be sipped a cup of tea and ate a biscuit. Since the 1825-2 G season Bradman has registered 22 scores of more than a century, including two centuries against the- English Test team and 340 not out against Victoria last year.

Bradman is now packing his bags for his first trip to England.