Donald Bradman

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Donald Bradman : biography

27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001
The relationship between Bradman and his wider family is less clear, although nine months after Bradman's death, his nephew Paul Bradman criticised him as a "snob" and a "loner" who forgot his connections in Bowral and who failed to attend the funerals of Paul's mother and father.Eason (2004), p 57. 

Statistical summary

Test match performance

  Batting Bowling
Opposition Matches Runs Average High Score 100 / 50 Runs Wickets Average Best (Inns)
England 37 5028 89.78 334 19/12 51 1 51.00 1/23
India 5 715 178.75 201 4/1 4 0  –  –
South Africa 5 806 201.50 299* 4/0 2 0  –  –
West Indies 5 447 74.50 223 2/0 15 1 15.00 1/8
Overall 52 6996 99.94 334 29/13 72 2 36.00 1/8

First-class performance

Innings Not Out Highest Aggregate Average 100s 100s/inns
Ashes Tests 63 7 334 5,028 89.78 19 30.2%
All Tests 80 10 334 6,996 99.94 29 36.3%
Sheffield Shield 96 15 452* 8,926 110.19 36 37.5%
All First Class 338 43 452* 28,067 95.14 117 34.6%
Grade 93 17 303 6,598 86.80 28 30.1%
All Second Class 331 64 320* 22,664 84.80 94 28.4%
Grand Total 669 107 452* 50,731 90.27 211 31.5%
Statistics from Bradman Museum.

Test records

Bradman still holds the following significant records for Test match cricket:

  • Highest career batting average (minimum 20 innings): 99.94 Players with a "Span" end date of 2008 are still playing Test cricket.
  • Highest series batting average (4 or more Test series): 201.50 (1931–32) and second highest 178.75 (1947–48)
  • Highest ratio of centuries per innings played: 36.25% (29 centuries from 80 innings)
  • Highest ratio of double centuries per innings played:  15.0% (next highest is 5%)
  • Highest 5th wicket partnership: 405 (with Sid Barnes, 1946–47)
  • Second highest 6th wicket partnership: 346 (with Jack Fingleton, 1936–37)
  • Second highest score by a number 5 batsman: 304 (1934)
  • Highest score by a number 7 batsman: 270 (1936–37)
  • Most runs against one opponent: 5,028 (v England)
  • Most runs in one series: 974 (1930)
  • Most centuries scored in a single session of play: 6 (1 pre lunch, 2 lunch-tea, 3 tea-stumps)
  • Most runs in one day’s play: 309 (1930)
  • Most double centuries: 12
  • Most double centuries in a series: 3 (1930)
  • Most triple centuries: 2 (equal with Chris Gayle, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag)