THE CRICKET WIZARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 May 1938, Page 8

THE CRICKET WIZARD

BRADMAN THE RECORD BREAKER. STARTLING 'FIGURES.' ' To his already amazing list of records, D. G. Bradman, Australia’s wonder batsman, seems certain to add.that of being the first player twice to score 1000 runs in an English season before, the end of May. Only five batsmen have accomplished the feat—W. G. Grace, W. R. Hammond, C. Hallows, T. Hayward, and Bradman himself. Although the Australian captain hasstood down from one match on the present tour, he has already made the remarkable total of 731 runs in four innings—2sB, 58, 137, and 278, giving him an average of 182.75.

To set out Bradman’s list of records would require more space than can be given here, but they are to be found in a notable contribution to the 1938 “Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack” by Mr Justice Herbert V. Evatt. The compilation of these records, alone must have been a big task, but more valuable still are the judge’s comments on the development of Bradman during his 10 years of first-class cricket.

Owing to the limited quantity of first-class cricket, the feat of scoring 1000 runs in an Australian season is rarely performed. Very few Australian cricketers have done it at all and, with the exception of Bradman, not one of them more than twice. Yet Bradman has scored 1000 runs in every season he has played except his first, and in the 1934-35 season when he was out of the game because of illness —that is, on eight occasions. Some of the statistics may be quoted. In his nine seasons’ first-class play in Australia, Bradman has scored 11,605 runs at an average of 92.10 an innings, with 452 not out as his highest, and the world’s record, score. He has played first-class cricket only in Australia and England, and his figures for the two seasons he has played in the latter country are: 63 innings, nine not outs, 334 highest score, total 4980, average 92.22.

He has scored 18 centuries in test cricket and has equalled J. B. Hobbs’s record of 12 centuries in England v. Australia matches. Bradman has also made four centuries against South Africa and two against the West Indies. His record in test matches against England, in five series of which he has played, is amazing:—

Total 40 2 334 3406 89.63 In no fewer than 27 of his 61 threefigure innings, Bradman has scored 200 runs or more. It follows that, provided Bradman has reached 100, it is almost an even chance that he will go on to 200. Averaging his three-figure scores, the result is 194 runs an innings or 242 for each completed innings.

In. N.O. H.S. T’l Av. 1928-29 8 1 123 468 66.85 1930 .... 7 0 334 974 139.14 1932-33 8 1 103 396 56.57 1934 .... 8 0 304 758 94.75 1936-37 9 0 270 810 90.00