BRADMAN GIVES HIS IDEAS OF ‘THE GREATEST’

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 June 1950, Page 7

BRADMAN GIVES HIS IDEAS OF ‘THE GREATEST’

LONDON, June 20.—Sir Donald Bradman has made his ranking list of the great in cricket. He includes only those he has seen and modestly omits himself.

His votes go to the following:— Jack Hobbs (for a “well-nigh perfect style).

Arthur Morris (the greatest lefthander) .

Len Hutton (the most complete defence of any modern batsman). Don Tallon (the finest wicketkeeper) . Bill O’Reilly (the greatest bowler).

Harold Larwood (the fastest bowler).

Learie Constantine (the greatest all-round fieldsman). Frank Chester wins the choice as umpire. This summing up of the game forms one fascinating chapter of Sir Donald Bradman’s book, “Farewell to Cricket.”

He writes bluntly on many topics and controversies.

“There were those who thought I was unsociable because at the end of the day I did not think it my duty to breast the bar and engage in a beer-drinking contest,” he says. “At least I made no attempt to interfere with the habits of others and if I thought my most important need was a meal and a cup of tea I had as much right to complain of th'eir late entry to the dining-room as they had to complain of my absence from the bar.”

Early in the war after he had enrolled as a member of air crew for the Royal Australian Air Force, Sir Donald Bradman lost feeling in his thumb and in the index finger of his 1 right hand. It never returned and

he played the rest of his cricket, including test matches, under this handicap.