The 1948 English summer was dedicated to the ‘Bradman’s Invincibles’. They remained unbeaten on the tour, won the Test series 4-0 and the tour ended with one of the greatest of the games biding adieu to the sport with a phenomenal record.
Don Bradman retired from Test cricket after a career spanning 20 years. Although several years were affected by the Second World War, he still had a brilliant record and no other player could get close to his wonderful average. But again, as the game goes he missed reaching a round 100 average in a dramatic fashion.
When Australia won the 4th Test at the Headingley, Leeds they chased down a target of 404 runs with ease. The opener Arthur Morris scored 182 and Bradman scored 173 unbeaten in his favourite ground as Australia won by seven wickets. As the story goes, Australia lost their 3rd wicket with the score on 396. Bradman played out the next over and added four runs. In the next over, new batsman young Neil Harvey hit the first ball he faced for a boundary to win the match. He has recently mentioned that, he thinks himself as responsible for Bradman not reaching the magical 100 average. After the fourth Test, Bradman’s total Test run was 6,996 with an average of 101.39. He required just four runs in the next innings or 104 in two innings so that he could finish with a Test average of 100.
14th August 1948, the final Test match started at the Oval.
England won the toss and decided to bat first. It was a fatal decision as they were blown away for just 52 runs in 42 overs. Except for Len Hutton (30), no other batsmen could pass seven as Ray Lindwall took 6/20. Australian openers Sid Barnes and Morris added 117 runs for the first wicket before Barnes was caught by the wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans in the bowling of Eric Hollies, a leg spinner from Warwickshire.
Bradman came to bat with thunderous applause. The crowd knew that it was his last Test match. The English players also joined the applause as he took guard. He played the first ball cautiously and missed the line of the second ball and the ball broke the stumps. The ground went quite. Even Bradman took a few seconds to realise what happened and then started the long walk back. One of the greatest ever batsmen scored a zero in his last Test. It also meant that his average remained 99.94.
England lost the Test match by an innings and 149 runs and hence Bradman did not get a second inning. It was the most dramatic event in cricket history. But the average of 99.94 probably gives more charm and reminds about the romanticism of cricket.
