BATTING WONDER

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 11, 12 July 1930, Page 11

BATTING WONDER

BRADMAN'S LATEST

OTHER FEATS RECALLED

KECOKD AGGREGATES

(By "Not Out.")

'' Amazing!" " Colossal!" Is it any wonder that such cricket enthusiasts

arc giving vent to such expressions with tho news to-day of Don Bradman's latest achievement? Bradman is, indeed, the cricket sensation of the age. Almost all the individual batting records in first-class cricket have been smashed by this dashing young batsman, and there is no telling when wonders will cease with him. Ho is but i:i colt in the game, and yet his main achievements ■ already place him well ahead of many famous cricketers who had years of experience to aid them in registering their notable performances. In carrying his bat for 309 Bradman yesterday passed the highest mark ever achieved by a batsman in Test cricket —that set by R..E. Foster at Sydney in the 1903-4 season, "When he compiled 257 runs for England. For recognised first-class pricket Bradman has himself set a higher mark, and, still unbeaten yesterday, he has the opportunity today of breaking another of his own records—4s2 not out, made in a Shcfj field Shield match last season. : AHEAD OF TRUMPER. ', I j Another great distinction gained by 'Bradman in tho course, of his big j innings yesterday was that he not only passed the late Victor Trumpor's Australian record for the most runs in a Test rubber, but left it far behind. In. the series of Tests in Australia in 1903-4, Tramper compiled 574 runs at an average of 63.77 runs per innings, that being the highest tally standing to the credit of an Australian in a Test rubber. Bradman's score of 309 not out makes this young player's aggregate 703 for four completed innings, his average at the moment being 175.75 per innings... What will his aggregate be when the Test series is finished? In order to beat the highest aggregate on record for a series he has to increase his present tally by 203, Hammond having made 905 (average 113.12) for England in tho last series of Tests in Australia. ATTACK FROM THE START. One af the most extraordinary features of Bradman's performance yesterday was the manner in which he dealt with the bowling during the period before lunch. AVitb the dismissal of one of the opening batsmen in the first over of 'tho day,' the situation was such that, many a great batsman would have treated it far differently. Bradman, however, jumped right into attack, and before lunch he had compiled 105 runs, thus taking rank with Tramper and Macartney in some of the most notable performances on record for tho first sei3sion of Test match play. In this and other respects t-lio play yesterday was reminiscent of the play in the 1926 Test at Leeds. In that game a sensation was caused by the dismissal of Bardsley off the first ball of the match. Tate was the bowler, and Bardsley flicked at the first ball, Sutcliffe in the slips picking it up off his toes —a beautiful catch. Macartney filled tho vacancy and was associated with Woodfull in a second-wicket partnership which yielded 235 runs —a Tost record. The first hundred, of which Macartney made S3, appeared in seventy-five minutes, Woodfull adopting defensivo tactics while Macartney went for the runs. Macartney reached his century in an hour and 43 minutes, two p minutes before the luncheon adjournment was taken. In subsequent play yuns came freely, and when stumps were drawn at 5.20 p.m.. owing to rain, Australia's score was 36G for three wickets—Bardsley 0, Woodfull 134 not out, Macartney 151, Andrews 4, and A. J. Richardson 70 not out. In that Test, which was drawn, Carr, it will be remembered, came in for a good deal of'adverse criticism for sending Australia in to bat. after ho had won the toss. Woodfull, Grimmett, and Oldfield, of the present Australian team, wore playbig for Australia, and Chapman, llobbs, Sutcliffe, Tate, and Geary for England. Larwood Was dropped, but Woolley and Hendren, who are not included in tho present team, were played. Since 1926, therefore, England1 has been more dependent upon its players of that date than has Australia. BBADMAN'S 2000. Reverting to the registration of centuries in the pro-lunch play of tho first day of Tests, Trumper's feat was accomplished in the 1902 Test at Manchester. The score at the luncheon adjournment iv that' Test was 173 for one wicket — Trumper 103 not out, Duff 54, and Hill 14 not out. Bradman, therefore, lias beaten Trumper to that point by two runs.. Still another achievement made by Bradman yesterday was the completion of "2000 runs for the tour, and here again is a performance which has no equal. Prior to this Test Bradman'a aggregate for the tour -was 1691, so that ho made, just enough runs yesterday to bring it up. to the 2000 mark. He has had twenty-three innings • (five times not out), and his present average is 111.11 runs per innings. His scores in the Tests have been: First 8 and 131; second 254 and 1; third 30!) not out. HE IS INCOMPARABLE! The following tribute to Australia's wonder cricketer was cabled by "Plum' Warner to "The Referee" (Sydney) last week, after the second Test: — "Bradman: I can find no words which adequately describe jhis superb batting. He just made the bowlers dance to his tune, and dictated their length to them, so quick was he on his feet. Ho is, I think, certainly as quick as, even, quicker, perhaps, than Macartney. He did exactly as he liked with the bowling, especially that of White. It seemed impossible to bowl a ball to him which he could not force for runs. He made every concbivable stroke, and hit the ball very hard and" always on the ground. "He is the most amazing young batsman I have ever scon, and seems j destinod to beat all records. It is a j ghastly prospect for the English bowlers, Bradman being but 21 years of age and with so much in front of him. At the end of his innings, hu ran full lilt to the paviliou to a«oid tho crowd, who were streaming across the ground." LEEDS RESULTS. ' There .have been only five Tests between Australia and England at Leed's,! and in none of them has Australia been beaten. The highest score for an innings in Tests at Leed's is 494, made by Australia in 1920, and this is within easy reach of the present Australian team. The list of results of matches at Leed's is as follows:— 1899.—Australia 172 and 224, England 220 and 10 for no wickets; match drawn. 1905. —England 301 and 295 for five wickets (declared), Australia 195 and 22-1 for seven wickets; match drawn. 1909.—Australia JBB and 207, England IS2 and 87; Australia won by 126 runs. I!)LM.—AuHt-ralin 407 and 27.'! fov

seven wickets (declared), England 259 and 202; Australia won by 219 runs. 1926. —Australia 494, England 294 and 254 for three wickets; match drawn.

In those matches the following centuries were scored: —For England: 144 not out, by Hon. F. S. Jackson in 1905; 100, by J. T. Tyldesley in 1905. For Australia: 151, by C. G. Macartney in 1926; 141, by W. M. Woodfull in 1926; 115, by C. G. Macartney in 1921; and 100, by A. J. Richardson in 1926. D. G. Bradman has swept all those performances by the board. Ho is a marvel!