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I count myself very fortunate to have seen the two greatest batsmen of all-time in action – Don Bradman, and Sachin Tendulkar.
I was at the SCG on November 15, 1947 when ‘The Don’ cracked his historic 100th first-class century playing for an Australian XI against India, still the only Australian to achieve the feat.
I was eight-years-old, sitting on my father Broughton’s shoulders while he stood on the grass in front of the Sheridan Stand.
The SCG was packed with 32,103 in anticipation. “The Don”, at 39-years-of-age, finished with 172, having scored 90 in the lunch-to-tea session from 11 to 101, batting with Keith Miller who went on to score 83.
Yesterday, at 72, I thought I was watching Tendulkar post his historic 100th international century at the MCG, until Peter Siddle pooped the party by rattling his castle for 73 in the final over of the day.
The MCG was comfortably filled with 52,858 also in anticipation. The 38-year-old ‘Little Master’ was batting with another 38-year-old Rahul Dravid, who is unbeaten on 68.
Sticking to Test matches as ‘The Don’ never played a ODI – Bradman and Tendulkar share three assets – their outstanding strokeplay, their longevity, and their stats.
Both picked up the bowler’s line and length so quickly, they seemed to have “hours” deciding on the right shot, and finding the gaps in the field.
Both worked on the premise if they kept the ball on the ground, they wouldn’t be caught. As a result they hit very few sixes, although both were very capable of clearing the fence.
But it’s the breathtaking strokeplay that stood out, the majestic drives on either side of the wicket struck with power, precision, and timing, the pulls, the glances, and the deft late cuts – both with a full repertoire to make the best of bowlers in their era pay.
Bradman’s Test career from 1928 to 1948 was interrupted by World War II from 1939 to 1946 – seven of his best years lost. So ‘The Don’ only played 52 Tests – 38 before the War and 14 afterwards – batting 80 times, with 10 not outs.
But in those 14 Tests Bradman proved he’d lost none of his powers, scoring 187, 234, 184, 132, 127*, 201, 138, and 173* and five half-centuries in 18 completed innings to average 107.83.
If only he had scored four more runs instead of the infamous duck in his last Test innings at The Oval to end up with a career average of 100.
Tendulkar’s career started in 1989 and is still going strong 22 years later. This is his 184th Test, he’s batted 303 times, with 32 not outs.
And why are they the two greatest batsmen of all time? Undisputed.
No batsman will ever get within a binocular distance of Bradman’s career average of 99.94. The next best Graeme Pollock 60.97, George Headley 60.83, and Herbert Sutcliffe 60.73.
It is beyond comprehension Bradman is 61% or more better than any batsman who ever played Test cricket. Tendulkar’s average is 56.08.
Bradman scored a Test ton every 2.41 completed innings. Next best Tendulkar every 4.84, and Jacques Kallis every 5.3 – Bradman twice as good as Tendulkar converting into three figures which makes one blink.
But then Tendulkar takes over.
No batsman will ever match Tendulkar’s 15,256 Test runs, with many more in store. Next best Dravid with 13,162, and Ricky Ponting’s 12,718.
Daylight.
Nor will any batsman ever reach Tendulkar’s current 51 Test tons – the closest Kallis with 40, and Ponting’s 39, both still current.
More daylight. But that sums up Bradman and Tendulkar as compared to every other Test batsman in the history of the grand old game.
By my reckoning, only Richie Benaud, Bill Lawry, and myself have had the privilege among the current sportscasters-sportswriters to have seen Don Bradman, and Sachin Tendulkar, strut their spectacular stuff in the flesh.
The memories are priceless.