110 years ago today...

[Fuller Pilch]

the greatest was born

27 Aug 1908

 

[Athlai]

Didn't realise Allan Border was so old.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Good point. Border doesn't look a day over 75

 

[ankitj]

There's a Google doodle dedication for Bradman today.

 

[Howe_zat]

I have never heard him referred to as 'Sir Donald George Bradman' before, but that's what the google hover-text says, so there have been a bunch of online articles written today titled 'Who was Sir Donald George Bradman?'

 

[CasMcG24]

I never knew Adam Gilchrist was that old...

Just to make a point, was he that good? I mean the game has changed so much since with more games and don't forget they took weeks to travel everywhere by boat. I'm not suggesting anything but just throwing it out there... I personally feel he is a great player and would thrive in the modern game but I always like to talk about how certain players from one era would fair in another. Always hated comparing modern players as the new Don Bradman I feel players are unique.

 

[GotSpin]

I never knew Adam Gilchrist was that old...

Just to make a point, was he that good? I mean the game has changed so much since with more games and don't forget they took weeks to travel everywhere by boat. I'm not suggesting anything but just throwing it out there... I personally feel he is a great player and would thrive in the modern game but I always like to talk about how certain players from one era would fair in another. Always hated comparing modern players as the new Don Bradman I feel players are unique.

Here we go again...

 

[trundler]

No doubt the greatest of all time.

If we say he'd just be 'great' today then we assume Hammond, Hobbs, Headley, Hutton, etc wouldn't make it past club level. That is simply absurd.

 

[fredfertang]

Bradman batting in T20 is something I'd like to have seen - once he'd overcome the ideological difficulties can you imagine how good he'd have been at the Ramp, Dilscoop, switch hit and reverse sweep?

.... and what other inventions he'd have come up with

 

[trundler]

Bradman batting in T20 is something I'd like to have seen - once he'd overcome the ideological difficulties can you imagine how good he'd have been at the Ramp, Dilscoop, switch hit and reverse sweep?

.... and what other inventions he'd have come up with

Considering he was striking twice as fast as Hammond (if I'm not wrong).. he would be absolutely gun in LOIs. He'd just bat the entire 20 overs most of the time.

 

[fredfertang]

Considering he was striking twice as fast as Hammond (if I'm not wrong).. he would be absolutely gun in LOIs. He'd just bat the entire 20 overs most of the time.

He'd have to work a bit harder at that nowadays - one of his great abilities was the accuracy of his placement, and fielding standards in those days were, with a few honourable exceptions (including Bradman himself), pretty lacklustre

 

[Starfighter]

He'd have to work a bit harder at that nowadays - one of his great abilities was the accuracy of his placement, and fielding standards in those days were, with a few honourable exceptions (including Bradman himself), pretty lacklustre

I'm sure modern outfields would help him a bit though.

 

[trundler]

I'm sure modern outfields would help him a bit though.

And bats.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

He once scored a 22-ball century

 

[fredfertang]

I'm sure modern outfields would help him a bit though.

Not so sure about that - they never used to water them in those days

What would help him now would be the fact that he'd never encounter a sticky wicket - he didn't like them much

 

[mr_mister]

Bradman batting in T20 is something I'd like to have seen - once he'd overcome the ideological difficulties can you imagine how good he'd have been at the Ramp, Dilscoop, switch hit and reverse sweep?

.... and what other inventions he'd have come up with

According to Cricket Crisis by Fingleton Bradman played one very reckless innings during bodyline full of new shots including the ramp/scoop which Fingleton referred to as a 'shovel shot'. He was criticised by some for these reckless shots and a few people considered him cowardly for not standing tall and copping hits to the body like everyone else

 

[Borges]

He would have taken up some sport other than cricket, say baton twirling, and probably be obscenely good at it.
Which would all be to his good. If he had tried to play cricket as a kid, Warner would snatched his lollipop, boxed his ears, and sent him home. Crying.

 

[fredfertang]

According to Cricket Crisis by Fingleton Bradman played one very reckless innings during bodyline full of new shots including the ramp/scoop which Fingleton referred to as a 'shovel shot'. He was criticised by some for these reckless shots and a few people considered him cowardly for not standing tall and copping hits to the body like everyone else

Fingo had a bit of a blind spot where Bradman was concerned - great writer and courageous batsman but that really isn't fair comment

First up Bradman would never have had to stand tall and take hits - what he could have done, had he been playing for his average, was stand tall and sway out of the way - he was far too quick on his feet to get hit - problem with that was he'd have not got out, but he wouldn't have scored many either

What he in fact did was take a step back towards square leg with a view to cutting the ball through the off side field, which consisted of no more than one or two when the Bodyline field was deployed - that he averaged 56 doing that demonstrates it was a good enough strategy

 

[Slifer]

No doubt the greatest of all time.

If we say he'd just be 'great' today then we assume Hammond, Hobbs, Headley, Hutton, etc wouldn't make it past club level. That is simply absurd.

Awta. If the likes of Sachin are better then Carl Hooper = Wally Hammond afaic

 

[Starfighter]

Carl Hooper = Wally Hammond

I really look forward to this thread. Also, that solves the Sobers/Kallis debate in Kallis' favour quite neatly.