Don Bradman — The Greatest Batsman Ever, Average 99.94
Sir Donald Bradman's Test batting average of 99.94 is the most famous statistic in cricket. Learn about the Don's career, his extraordinary 1930 and 1948 Ashes tours, and why he remains cricket's greatest batsman.
Sir Donald George Bradman (1908–2001) is universally acknowledged as the greatest batsman in the history of cricket. In 80 Test innings over a career spanning 1928 to 1948, Bradman scored 6,996 runs at an average of 99.94 — a figure so far beyond any other player that statisticians have calculated he is more exceptional in cricket than any athlete in any other major sport. The next highest Test average (minimum 20 innings) in history is around 61. Bradman's gap to the rest of the field is sui generis.
The famous last innings duck
Bradman needed only 4 runs in his final Test innings at The Oval in 1948 to finish with a Test average of exactly 100. Second ball from Eric Hollies, Bradman was bowled for a duck. His average finished at 99.94. The England crowd gave him a standing ovation as he walked to the crease — and again as he walked off. Bradman later said he had been moved by the reception and may have had tears in his eyes, affecting his sight of the ball. The duck has become one of cricket's most poignant what-ifs.
The 1930 Ashes — England dominated
Bradman's 1930 Ashes tour of England is considered the greatest individual batting performance in a Test series. He scored 974 runs across 7 innings at an average of 139.14 — a record for runs in a single Ashes series that has never been surpassed. His 334 at Headingley was a world Test record at the time. England were so traumatised by Bradman's 1930 performances that they developed Bodyline — a deliberate intimidatory leg-side short-pitched bowling strategy — specifically to combat him in 1932–33.
The Invincibles — 1948
Bradman's final Ashes tour — the 1948 Australian touring party — became known as 'The Invincibles'. Australia went through the entire tour without losing a single match: 34 matches, 0 defeats. They won the Ashes 4-0 with one drawn. Bradman scored 508 Ashes runs at 72.57 — his least dominant series, yet still exceptional. The 1948 Australians are widely rated the greatest touring side in cricket history.
Frequently asked questions
What is Don Bradman's Test batting average?
Don Bradman's Test batting average is 99.94 — the highest in the history of Test cricket by a massive margin. He scored 6,996 runs in 80 innings across 52 Test matches. In his final innings he needed just 4 runs to average 100, but was bowled for a duck by Eric Hollies.
Why is Don Bradman considered the greatest cricketer?
Don Bradman is considered the greatest cricketer — and arguably the greatest athlete in any sport relative to peers — because his Test batting average of 99.94 is so far beyond the next best (around 61) that statisticians calculate the gap is larger than in any other major sport. He dominated Test cricket across 20 years against the best bowling in the world.
What was Bodyline, and why was it used against Bradman?
Bodyline was a bowling strategy devised by England captain Douglas Jardine and fast bowler Harold Larwood for the 1932–33 Ashes, specifically designed to counter Bradman. It involved bowling short-pitched balls aimed at the body with a packed leg-side field, making batting dangerous and scoring extremely difficult. Bradman's average dropped to 56.57 in that series — still excellent, but below his norm. The strategy caused a diplomatic incident between England and Australia.