Sunday Read - Test Cricket’s Most Famous Duck
GoFlashback - Test Cricket’s Most Famous Duck
“Two slips, a silly mid-off, and a forward short leg close to him as Hollies pitches the ball up slowly and …he’s bowled…Bradman bowled Hollies … nought …”. The above lines were taken from the commentary by John Arlott, BBC Commentator, during Bradman’s last innings
Many great batsmen got out for a duck in Test cricket, but none of those innings ever being remembered, but Australian cricket legend Sir Don Bradman’s last innings in which he even failed to score a run holds a special place in history. Bradman was undoubtedly the greatest batsmen to have ever graced the game of cricket. An attacking batsman, he had many batting records to his name. His whooping test average of 99.94 is still a challenge for the cricketers. He had played many memorable knocks during his career, but his last test innings often attracts the attention of the cricket fraternity from time to time. What’s surprising about the innings was that Bradman even failed to open his account?
In his entire test cricket career, Bradman was dismissed without troubling the scorers seven times, but it was his last innings zero that turned out to be the most famous ‘DUCK' (Score of Zero) of test cricket. 1948 Ashes Series was held in England, and Australia won the three out of the four tests under the leadership of Bradman. Before the last test at The Oval, Don announced his retirement. A great servant of the game of cricket, Don played some outstanding knocks in over 20 years of his Test career. In his last test, Bradman needed just 4 runs (for once out) to complete 7000 test runs and to leave the game with a career average of 100. Considering his stature, it was a cakewalk for him but destiny has planned something else for him. While going towards the pitch, Bradman received the standing ovation from the crowd of over 20000 fans who came to see their hero in his last test. Entire England Team gave three cheers to the man who dominated the English attack for over two decades and played some memorable knocks against them. Remembering his last innings, Bradman said in an interview, “It was a very emotional occasion because you had all these fielders around who gave me three cheers before I took block.” Bradman survived the first ball but was bowled out on the next ball, which was a googly from the off-spinner Eric Hollies. Later on, Australia won the match by an innings and 149 runs and it turned out to be the last innings for Bradman, and his test career ended with an average of 99.94. “I was not aware that it was going to be my last innings,” Bradman said decades later in an interview. “And neither was I aware at that stage that I wanted four runs to have a Test match average of 100”, he added. Bradman's Speech after the last test match: “No matter what you may read to the contrary, this is my last Test match ever. I am sorry my contribution has been so small. It has been a great pleasure for me to come on this tour and I would like you all to know how much I have appreciated it. We have played against a very lovable opening skipper. It will not be my pleasure to play ever again on this Oval but I hope it will not be the last time I come to England”.
Sahir
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