It’s 1978 and I’ve just turned ten years of age. Double digits at last! I’m sitting in front of the old black and white family TV, with the book of score cards I’d been given for Christmas in my lap, watching the third Ashes Test of that summer.
I’m willing Graeme Wood onto his century when, late in the day, an unassuming Charlie Chaplin figure waddles to the centre of the MCG to make his Test debut.
Allan Border starts slowly but begins playing his shots: a cover drive here. A lofted pull short there. Some scampered singles in between. By stumps he’s scored a solid 29. My impressionable young eyes are impressed.
The following week, a family friend takes my brother and me to the SCG to see the third day of the fourth Test. Border is at the wicket and – foreshadowing what was to come – is batting with the tail. I’m enthralled as Border tries to farm the strike.
He looks for boundaries early in the over and either a single or a triple as the over draws to a close. I’m thrilled by his enterprise. By the time the Australian innings ends, my new hero is undefeated on 60.
By now, many kids are already fans of the little Aussie battler who looks like he hasn’t quite got over his baby fat. And I’m one of them.
Allan Border is one of Australia’s greatest ever captains. (Credit: Ben Radford/Allsport via Getty Images)
Sixteen years later, in mid-1994, I’m a young adult, in the second year of my legal career and about to get married. I’m driving home from work when I hear on the car radio that Allan Border has retired from Test cricket.
I knew this day was coming. Most of the nation did. Yet, I’m suddenly overcome by unexpected emotion. I’m not suggesting I had to pull over and weep, but it did feel like something beautiful had ended.
I was reminded, just this week, how much Allan Border meant to me, during my formative years, when I heard him chatting with Mark Howard on the Howie Games podcast. As I listened, a series of entrenched memories swirled within my mind’s eye, competing for my attention.
A night at the SCG in 1982 and Border is working hard to raise the Aussie run-rate with rain threatening and a place in the World Series Cup Finals at stake. A swashbuckling boundary, the rain suddenly teeming down and AB running from the field in celebration.
Sitting in the Noble Stand with my grandfather, in ’83, and seeing Border caress his way to fluid twin-eighties, in a summer when the unforgiving pundits were calling for his removal from the national side.
Watching the Aussies take on the rampant Windies, on the SCG Hill with my uni mates, in 1989. We’re all stunned when AB takes 11 wickets for the match.
And that day in ’94 when I see Border face his last delivery in a Test match in Sydney. Allan Donald flings it down, AB shoulders arms and the ball kisses his off-stump. Border leaves the sun-drenched ground and disappears into the shadows.
Unfortunately – both for Border and me – I never saw my hero score a Test Century at our beloved SCG. I thought he was going to get there against the English, in January ’91, before he was bowled by Eddie Hemmings. I sensed Border’s disappointment as he meandered from the playing arena. The fluency in his batting may have waned. But his cantankerous determination to prevail lived on.
Much more of the Border story unfolded, of course, on TV or on the radio.
Border and Thompson on that epic morning in December 1982. Oh, how I felt for my hero when Thommo chipped the ball to Tavare’s leaden hands, only to be caught by Miller, with just three runs to win.
Lying in bed, on a cold morning in 1984, listening to a crackling radio as Border and Alderman hold on for a draw, when all seemed lost, in the Caribbean.
The World Cup win that nobody expected in 1987.
My Ashes vigils through lonely winter nights in ’81 and ’85, followed by those glorious Ashes triumphs in ’89 and ’93.
Bewdy Border!
From the time I first sensed my abiding passion for the sport as a ten-year-old to the time I marched forward to meet the world as a young man in my mid-20s, Allan Border was a constant presence in my life.
Every hot Australian summer.
Every cold Ashes winter.
Images of him playing a sublime cover drive, a belligerent square cut or a short-arm pull shot are tattooed on my brain, as are the pugnacious challenge embodied by his stance and the piercing determination in his eyes.
When Australian cricket was at its lowest ebb, a nation turned its long-suffering eyes to Border. For while he was still standing, there was always hope. And as the Aussies enjoyed their resurgence into the sun-lit uplands of the 1990s, it was Border’s leadership we had to thank.
For where would we be without AB?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Thanks. I appreciate that.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Don’t thank me – I didn’t write it, but it is brilliant work.
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
It's a fascinating premise and I look forward to reading the book. Good luck!
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
Thanks Ounce Upon a Time...that was a fascinating read. Sorry I missed it when first published. That certainly changes my perspective of Bradman's performance in 32/33.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I don't have the time to do every batsman, but I am doing it between Bradman and Mark Waugh - not to claim that Mark was better but rather to prove Bradman was not two and a half times better because of a shallow average. For example, in the book I am writing called ‘The Magic of the Waughlock’, I compare certain innings: Bradman’s 232 at the Oval in 1930, his 244 at the Oval in 1934 and his 270 at Melbourne in 1936-37, with Mark’s 126 in Kingston 1995, his 116 in Port Elizabeth 1997 and his 117 in Karachi 1998 – among others. I pose questions like, what is the outcome of each match if Bradman at the Oval in 1930 and Mark in Kingston 1995 both make 126 less? What is the outcome at the Oval 1934 if Bradman only makes 116 and Ponsford, proportionately, 126? What is the outcome in Melbourne 1936-37 if Bradman only makes 117? This is only a small portion of the book, Bradman features on only a miniscule number of occasions.
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
It said my analysis was very, very back of the envelope! :stoked: :stoked: :stoked: I admire the thought you’ve put into that, but can’t you say the same of every batsman? If you’re going to scrutinise whether Bradman’s runs were necessary, you’d have to do the same for the batsman you’re comparing him against. Take Steve Smith’s double century at Lord’s in 2015 (which I was lucky enough to see). Australia won that test by 405 runs. In theory, Steve could have got a duck and Australia would have still won by 190. We can’t subject Bradman to an arbitrary, subjective analysis and not do the same to every other leading batsman in history, if we’re going to proceed to compare who scored meaningful runs.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Holding did not play in that test. Daniel was nothing special. Still a great performance though.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
No, Bradman did not do alright against Bodyline – that is a myth we have been brainwashed with. Read the following article below, and bear in mind most of the time between 1979-97 against the West Indies, he would have been up against three Larwoods and a better than Voce in Croft or Walsh. Even in 1995, it would have been a Larwood, a better than Voce and two Gubby Allens actually using intimidatory tactics (Ken and Winston Benjamin. https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/09/06/cricket-myth-one-bradman-best-against-bodyline/
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
It’s both Peter. It’s not a matter of plucking 150 out of thin air, every match needs to be scrutinised. There were innings where he made a big double ton where there was at least one other century for Australia, one or two for the opposition as well as practically every other recognised batsman in both teams passing 50, as well as some 20s and 30s from relative rabbits down the order. Imagine if tests at the Adelaide Oval during the 1980s were timeless … Six of Brian Lara’s scores in excess of 200 were in meaningless draws – imagine if those tests had been timeless … His 270 in Melbourne 1936-37 can be capped at a mere 100, for example, while his 169 two tests later, if he gets a duck, Australia still win by an innings. His 173 not out to chase down 404 in 1948, he could have gotten out at 125, and Australia still probably win. His 144 not out in the 3rd innings at Trent Bridge in 1938, the game was safe by the time he reached 110-115, so there’s 30-35 runs that were not needed.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
— COMMENT DELETED —
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
Okay, Once Upon a Time, I've been partially sucked down this rabbit hole and done some very, very back of the envelope analysis. I can't answer your timeless test point. But on the padding issue...I've gone through Bradman's list of innings totals and cut him off at 150. On my calculations, Bradman scored 1,356 runs across his career in innings north of 150. If you then exclude those runs from his total of 6,996, you get 5,640 runs. Assuming the same number of 70 dismissals and 10 not outs, you arrive at an average of 80.57; which is still well above any other batsman in history. So, whilst Bradman had a penchant - and, by the way, stamina and concentration - for accumulating big totals, it's only one factor in his career average of 99.94. I'd suggest that the frequency of his centuries - one ever 2.7 innings - plays a greater role in boosting his average than does the freakish high scoring once past the ton.
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
Great analysis, Once Upon a Time. But I truly don't know how you could claim certainty that Bradman would have not only failed - but failed miserably - against the Windies pace quartets. He did pretty well against Bodyline after all, albeit not not as well as the rest of his career. If you assume Bradman grew up alongside Chappell or Border - and had the same access to, for example, bat technology, semi-professional coaching and practice conditions as them - how can you be certain we would have failed miserably?
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
I'd encourage you to write that article, Once Upon a Time. I'd love to read a well considered and well researched argument against Bradman being the best batsman of all time. I'll need some convincing. Even taking into account your timeless test point - a point I've never heard before - and "padding", the fact remains that Bradman's contemporaries were faced with the same playing conditions and only did half or two-thirds as well (based on averages). But, seriously, I would love to read a well-prepared counter-argument against the almost universally accepted "truth".
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
Ha, Once Upon a Time, now we know who to blame! I've reported here before that my family is equally to blame for Border and Thommo falling 3 runs short in '82. We had a family trip to Avoca planned that morning and my father - in an act bordering on child abuse ( :silly: :silly: :silly: ) - made us still go. We listened to the drama on the radio during the drive, but arrived at our friend's holiday home with 3 runs to win. We decided to make the dash into the house and got there just in time to see Miller swoop behind Tavare to claim the catch. History, of course, would have been different if we maintained our positions in the car....
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Actually, 252 of Border’s 521 runs that 1984 series were in three innings for only once out in the four innings across the first two tests. Both Holding and Marshall were missing from the first test, and Holding also missed the second. Only in tests 3, 4 and 5 did he face the full strength West Indian attack, and he still did pretty good, but the average gets cut by almost 1/3 back to 52.4. Border was then mediocre in the home series against them in both 1984-85 and 88-89. In 1991 he did ok, without being great. Then in 1992-93 he did really well in the first three tests. Clarke made that 151 in a completed team total of 281 against a South African attack almost as ferocious as the West Indies, and a 22 year old Ricky Ponting made 88 on the opening morning of the 1996-97, coming in at 1 for 2. Ponting would be one of the most likely to have done ok against them. Hard to say with Smith, but I am certain Bradman would have failed miserably against the West Indies attacks of the 1979-97 period.
Micko
Roar Rookie
I was referring to myself questioning Bradman's godlike worship, and undisputed #1 status. But I appreciate the rest of your comment. Border delivered time after time against elite bowlers and under immense pressure, so for mine has to be up high in all-time consideration, despite the fact he mightn't've been the most technically skilled batsman.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Not sure Micko, maybe even number 1, maybe not. I would have to strip away all the padding and there is lots of it. 7 of his 12 double tons were in timeless tests, whereas Lara, his only equal in making the regular colossal scores, was limited to five days. I plan to dissect his 80 innings and come up with a meaningful average when I get time. No teams needs someone to average 100, and Bradman’s strike rate was an excellent 61 runs per 100 balls. For a player to get anywhere near earning the tag of twice as good as everybody else, I am looking for someone to average 50-60 without significant padding and strike at 100. All I am prepared to say is this: among Australian batsmen, Trumper was unrivalled in his era, McCabe exerted as much impact as Bradman in their era, Greg Chappell was the best in his era, the Waughs the best in theirs, Ponting and Gilchrist in theirs, and now Steve Smith. Border was the best in a very weak side for a period of nearly five years. I feel it’s impossible to rank those ten players against each other.
Paul Michel
Guest
you put ponting, smith , or clarke batting against west indies attack in 1984 of Garner , Marshall , Holding and there is no way they would get close to what border did, he averaged 74 over 4 tests in west indies,
Peter Hunt
Roar Guru
Agreed, Paul, I wish I got to see those innings on TV. That was the test where AB and Alderman hung on for a draw a la Mackay and Kline. I have very vivid memories of waking early and listening to the ABC commentary on a very cold morning in Sydney.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Two?