Just by a single run, by just one run he missed out on a record which would've easily added another feather to his otherwise an illustrious career.
Just an addition of 4 more runs in the same batsman's career would have given him an 100% career average, a unbelievable feat which is still unthinkable and unreachable despite all the changes came into the international cricket over the years which mostly are in favour of batsmen.
Sir Donald Bradman has played 52 international test matches and in his 80 innings he scored 6996 runs with 29 centuries and 13 half centuries.
Bradman was born on on 27 August 1908 at Cootamundra, New South Wales (NSW), he was the youngest son of George and Emily Bradman his rise from bush cricket to the Australian Test team took just over two years.
Breaking old records and creating new ones were part of Don Bradman's entire cricketing career.
In order to stop Bradman, England's captain. Douglas Jardine devised the infamous strategy known as 'Bodyline'.
In this strategy a pace bowler would ball aiming at a batsman's body and when the batsman defend himself with his bat a resulting deflection could be caught by one of several fielders standing close by on the leg side.
This strategy was used in 1932-33 Ashes test series, England's skipper Jardine was criticized by many because this was considered as a breach of sportsmanship, ultimately England won that Ashes series, despite being troubled by the strategy Bradman still averaged 57 in the series.
Australia vs South Africa 4th test at Adelaide, 1932
South Africa toured Australia in 1931-32 to play a 5 match test series, Australia has defeated Proteas in all the first three test matches and all of their victories being by a huge margin.
In the 4th test match, South Africa batted first and made 308 the top contributors were - Herbie Taylor- 78, Bruce Mitchell - 75 and an important 52 from captain Jock Cameron.
In reply, Australia were 9/1, when Bradman walked in to bat, he single handedly gave Australia a huge lead, when he made an unbeaten 299, Australia were bowled out for 513, the second highest individual score from any other Australian batsman was made by the opener and Aussie captain Bill Woodful (82), Australia got a huge lead of 205 runs.
In their 2nd innings South Africa were bowled out for 274 runs, with the contributions of Bruce Mitchell (95), Herbie Taylor (84) and Jim Christy (51), Australia chased down remainder of 70 runs to win the match by 10 wickets.
The first triple centurion
Andy Sandhame was the first batsman who scored a triple century (325) in an international test match, he achieved this feat against West Indies in the first innings of the 4th test match played at Sabina Park, Kingston on April 03, 1930, this was the highest individual score at that time but on July 11, 1930 in the 3rd match of the Ashes test series at Leeds, Bradman broke the record by scoring 334 runs.
As of now Donald Bradman (Australia), Brian Lara (West Indies), Virender Sehwag (India), and Chris Gayle (West Indies) are the only batsmen to reach 300 more than once.
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