Our cricket world lost its greatest son on Sunday, February 25, 2001, when Sir Donald George Bradman, affectionately known as The Don, died quietly in his sleep at his home in Adelaide.  He was 92.  There has been no cricketer whose performances have so transcended international, cultural or generational divides, writes Wisden. Last year when Wisden asked 100 people to name their 5 cricketers of the century, Sir Donald got all 100 votes.  No other batsman, not even the legendary WG Grace, dominated cricket to such an extent.  The Don was the greatest exponent of the art of batting.  Of the 10 test series in which he played from 1930, he topped the batting averages for either side in five of them; and was second highest in four.  From 1939 to 1946, in what should have been the peak of his career, Bradman did not play any international cricket because of the war.   In his last series in 1948, at the age of 39, for the first and only time, he was third in the batting with an average of 72.57!  In the years after the war, in the twilight of his career, Bradman averaged 105.72 - his nearest rivals were Arthur Morris (average 74.10), and Dennis Compton (average 67.51). 

Like symphony to Mozart, Bradman's batting feats defied description.  He once credited his success to his remarkable powers of concentration.  Bradman felt that there were many batsmen, in his time, who were potentially as good but lost their wicket too easily.  Bradman's powers of concentration were exceeded only by his singleness of purpose and his determination.  In the 4th test at Leeds in 1934, Australia, replying to England's score of 200, were 39 for 3 at close of play.  That evening Sir Donald told his team mates that he needed an early night as he would have to score at least 200 runs the following day to save Australia.  One of them respectfully reminded him that the law of averages was not in his favour since he had already scored 334 on his last outing at Leeds in 1930.  The Don confidently responded: "The law of averages don't apply to me", and promptly scored 304 the next day!   For emphasis, he followed it up with 244 in the next test at the Oval.  

This past week, in mourning his loss, the cricket world is also paying tribute to this man, this virtuoso, who made opposing bowlers rest uneasy the night before a game.  In the West Indies Sir Donald is remembered in a very special way.  West Indian George Headley had the proud distinction of being compared to The Don.  Headley, a back foot player, who was also small in statue and quick on his feet, scored 10 centuries in 22 tests for an average of 60.83.  Headley's figures were nowhere compared to that of Sir Donald's, but that is not an indictment of Headley but rather the incomparability of The Don.  In the 1963 issue of Wisden, Neville Cardus writes that, "Bradman's achievements stagger the imagination."  Between 1927 and 1948 he scored 28,067 runs (he did not play during the war, at the time when he was at the peak of his career.)   His career average of 95.14 is twice that of most other master batsmen.  His highest score was 452 not out for New South Wales versus Queensland at Sydney in the Sheffield Shield in 1929-30.  He made 117 centuries in 234 matches - a century in every two matches he played.  He scored a career six triple centuries and 37 double centuries - the most by any batsman in history.  He scored 1000 runs in May in an English season.  In Australia, he scored 1000 runs in a season 16 times.  He scored a century in each innings on four occasions and in England in the 1938 season he scored 13 centuries - six of them in consecutive innings. 

 In 52 tests Sir Donald scored 6, 996 runs with 29 centuries for a phenomenal average of 99.94.  He batted twice in only 30 of those tests.  In 20 of them he batted only once; and in the remaining two tests he did not bat at all due to injuries.  His 29 test centuries included two triple centuries, 10 double centuries and another six scores over 150.  Sir Donald scored 974 runs in a series against England in seven innings at bat.  He hit a triple test match century - 309 - in one day!  He scored a century in each innings of a test against India. He scored 30 runs in one over.     Batsmen will forever have the misfortune of having to be measured against this genius. The Don is to batting what Sir William Shakespeare is to the English language; Pele to football; Tiger Woods to gulf; Michael Jordan to basketball. We speak of them with reverence and magnificence. Thoughts of them provoke memories of an exalted and stately nature – incomparable, inimitable.

A few years ago, Sir Donald made the comparison between himself and India’s Sachin Tendulkar whose incredible batting style reminded The Don of himself in his prime.  It was the highest accolade that any batsman could ever dream of.  Said Tendulkar: "when somebody like Sir Don says something about your batting, and something which one would like to hear, I was very honoured and proud. It was a very special moment for me."  Today, when asked about that comparison, Tendulkar, with sincere humility said: "I don't think there should be any comparison because he always was in his own league with no one around him."  Truer words were never spoken.

Cricket has known, and will continue to know, great men and fine players but there has been, and can be, only one Bradman.  In a tribute to Sir William Shakespeare, the English poet Samuel Coleridge once wrote: "Shakespeare can never die, and the language in which he wrote must with him live forever."  In paying tribute to Sir Donald Bradman I would like to take a page from Coleridge and say: The Don can never die, and the sport in which he excelled must with him live forever.   

 On Drive's tribute to The Don first appeared on the BBC website

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