Sir Donald Bradman’s Test batting average of 99.94 puts him in a league of his own – yet it seems not everyone is convinced of the great Australian’s unquestioned superiority over all other cricketers through the ages.
“The Don” made almost 40 runs per innings more than his nearest challenger in the all-time batting records, South African Graeme Pollock ‘trailing’ on 60.97 – just ahead of George Headley, the ‘Black Bradman’.
But those who have tried and failed – with great distinction nonetheless – to approach Bradman’s feats, appear to be collectively challenging his status as his and their sport’s unrivalled genius.
It is the passage of time which proves Bradman’s great adversary as 100 of the world’s best Test cricketers, past and present, pick their all-time greatest teams in ‘In a League of Their Own’ – published this month.
Whereas Bradman towers statistically over all-comers, he surprisingly makes only 53 per cent of the teams picked by a century of fantasy ‘selectors’ of combined world-class calibre and standing.
Far from his accustomed position furlongs clear of the field, Bradman is usurped in popularity and relegated to fifth spot – behind Garfield Sobers (73pct), Viv Richards (64), Shane Warne (61) and Sunil Gavaskar (58).
The rationale quoted by those who choose to omit him is that they cannot fairly select someone, even Bradman, if they did not see him play.
Bradman does, of course, take his place in the book’s all-time World XI – at his habitual No.3, in a team populated otherwise by players of more recent vintage.
Wicketkeeper Alan Knott is the only Englishman in that elite line-up, having appeared in 34 of the 100 teams – while Andrew Flintoff, who features in just one XI (chosen by Jacques Kallis), is the only player in the post-Ian Botham era to graduate from England.
The all-conquering West Indies era of the 1970s and `80s is especially well-represented – and it is one of the most feared performers from that time who cites what he perceives as a paucity of English talent as part of his rationale for leaving out both Bradman and Headley.
” … these two played in a time when cricket was limited globally,” said Colin Croft.
“Both have been highly favoured for runs made against England. But I ask you: When have England ever been the world’s best cricket team? Never!
“England may have invented the game, and its scribes may have conjured up a few heroes. But overall, England has been very poor indeed. Bradman and Headley were great in their time – but, for me, not of all time.”
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