Alas! Sir Donald George Bradman has died. He was the most dominant and important Australian of all time. He was certainly the greatest cricketer the world has ever known. Most probably there shall never be another Bradman. His influence on the game is considered to be greater than anyone else, since the days of W.G. Grace, that superb Englishman, whose devotion to the game became proverbial. It is impossible to estimate Don Bradman's influence on Australian, nay cricket the world over. In fact, if all the giants of the past and present were to be collected in a team Bradman would still stand out head and shoulders above the greatest of them all - the brightest star in a glittering constellation of cricketers.

The Australians and lovers of the game all over the world passionately loved him. Such was the love and affection he received in the beginning, of what was to be a fabulous career, that a prayer of Sydney citizens, which gained worldwide circulation in the early 1930's, both verbally and in printed form: "For ours are the harbour the bridge and the Bradman forever and ever" - a reference to Sydney harbour bridge.

This genius of cricket, with almost super human touch, who scored a century at least once in every three first class innings, was born in a small New South Wales country town of Cootmundra on August 27, 1908 but spent most of his early life in the even smaller rural town of Bowral, 80 miles from Sydney, where a museum was built, in his life time to pay tribute to him. He was 92 when he peacefully passed away at his home in Adelaide, on Sunday 25 February 2001, after a short illness. His son John and daughter Shirley survive him. Nearly three and half years before his departure to the worldly abode, his wife Jessie had died of cancer in 1997. His death is widely mourned by the entire World Cricket Community and glowing tributes are pouring in from all over the world.

In Pakistan famous former strike bowler Fazal Mahmood lamented of missing the opportunity of touring Australia in 1947, which would have provided him a chance to play against the greatest batsman in test cricket history. Former test cricketers Hanif Mohammad, Zaheer Abbas and Sadiq Mohammad have also paid glowing tributes to cricket's most revered personality.

Rated as the greatest batsman ever, his record is unsurpassed, indeed unapproached, even though World War II and poor health had taken out six years of his career.

The magician of cricket had a career spanning over two decades and he played in 234 first class matches (338 innings) that yielded a total of 28067 runs including 117 centuries and he was not out 43 times. His record highest score of 425 not out, scored for New South Wales against Queensland at Sydney in 1929-30, remained intact until it was overtaken by Hanif Mohammad's 499 in 1958-59 and later by Brain Lara with his 501 not out in 1994.

Eighty of Bradman's first class centuries ranged between 100 and 199 runs, 31 between 200 and 299 runs, five between 300 and 399 runs, and one exceeded 400 runs.

Bradman played in 52 test matches had 80 innings (10 times not out), which yielded an aggregate of 6996 runs including 29 centuries. His highest test score was 334 and his average fractionally less than 100, remains so far an unbeaten record. Of his 29 test centuries he made 19 against England, four each against South Africa and India and two against the West Indies.

He was the only player in the history of Test Cricket to score two separate triple centuries, and has the world record for registering no less than 12 double centuries. He scored three double centuries in a Test Series (v England in 1930 - 245 at Lords, 334 at Leeds and 232 at the Oval). He only took 214 minutes to hammer a double century at Leeds, a record time for the fastest double century ever. He achieved the unique feat of scoring at least two double centuries in three separate test series (v South Africa in 1931-32, v England in 1934 and 1936-37). His 309 runs on 11th July 1930 during his innings of 334 v England at Leeds, is the highest in a days play in a test match.

His 947 runs (avg 139.14) in the 1930 test series against England is the highest aggregate ever in a test series. This was followed with some more mammoth aggregates of 806 v South Africa (1931-32), 758 v England (1934), 810 v England (1936-37), 680 v England (1946-47) and 715 v India (1947-48). No other batsman in the entire history of test cricket can boast of such consistent heavy scoring.

Sir Donald Bradman captained Australia in 24 test matches and never lost a rubber. The unbeaten record of the great 1948 Australians in England was a perfect climax to end the remarkable career of the champion of champions.

Speaking on the occasion of a re-union dinner of 1948 Australian cricket team, arranged by Primary Club of Australia in 1979, Sir Donald Bradman at the end of his speech paid rich compliments to the noble game of cricket in the words of one of England's greatest sons, Lord Burkett, that "Cricket has imperishable memories and indestructible traditions and the lover of cricket enters in to them and makes them his own."

It is indeed true that the Great Sir Don has left imperishable memories, indestructible traditions and a unique and incomparable record, which the lovers of the game will always be proud of and cherish.

Long live the Spirit of Sir Don - Long live Cricket.

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