Bradman Honourees

2006 Bradman Foundation Honouree
Norman Clifford O’Neill, b. 1937, d. 2008

Powerfully built and athletic, right-handed batsman Norm O’Neill burst onto the scene during the 1957-58 Sheffield Shield. In that season he was celebrated by the media as ‘the new Don Bradman’, when he scored 233 against Victoria in 244 minutes. At the conclusion of that summer end he’d tallied 1,005 runs at 83.75, becoming only the third Australian, after Bradman and Bill Ponsford, to top a thousand runs within a season in the Sheffield Shield.

O’Neill played Test cricket from 1958-59 until 1964-65 against England, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and India. In the 1960-61 Tied Test he scored 181 runs while during the 1961 tour of England he amassed the huge aggregate of 1,981 runs at an average of 60.03 which included 7 centuries.

2007 Bradman Foundation Joint Honouree
Robert Neil Harvey, b. 1928.

A left-hand batsman from Victoria, Harvey was just 19 when selected to first play for Australia against India in 1947-48. Precociously talented, he scored centuries in his first grade match, his first first-class game (for Victoria), his second Test appearance and his first Test appearance in England. He is still the youngest Australian to have scored a Test Century at 19 years 121 days (153 v India 1947-48).

He became a hero during the 1948 ‘Invincibles’ Tour when he came to the wicket to join Keith Miller at No. 5 with Australia at 3/68 chasing England’s first innings total of 496. In an innings of 112 runs, which Don Bradman described as ‘one of the greatest innings any batsman, old or young, has ever played’, he helped claw back victory from the jaws of defeat.

Neil Harvey played Test cricket until 1962-63 and aggregated more Test runs at the time than all previous Australian players except Sir Donald Bradman.

2007 Bradman Foundation Joint Honouree
Samuel John Everett Loxton, b. 1921

An effervescent and gregarious man, Sam Loxton is one of only very few cricketers who scored a double-century on debut in first class cricket – 232* for Victoria v Queensland, 1946-47. As a highly capable all-rounder his aggressive batting complemented his fast-medium bowling.

He was a tremendous outfielder with a very strong throwing arm. Loxton played in four Test series; 1947-48 v India, 1948 v England, 1949-50 v South Africa and 1950-51 v England. During the 1948 Invincibles series he played in three Tests scoring 93 runs at Headingley while his sole Test century was made against South Africa at Ellis Park.

Sir Donald Bradman described him as a wonderful ‘utility’ player, strong in all areas of the game and a great asset for team morale.

2008 Bradman Foundation Joint Honouree
William Alfred Brown, b. 1912, d. 2008

Although born in Queensland, Brown broke into first-class cricket playing for N.S.W., his family having moved to Sydney when he was three.  He was selected in the 1934 touring side to England where he made five centuries, including a memorable 105 in his England Test debut at Lord’s. He toured South Africa in 1935-36 and returned to England in 1938 when he was second only to Don Bradman in the tour averages.

After the Second World War he played against India in 1947-48 and was memorably run out for 99 in one of the games. During the 1948 ‘Invincibles’ tour of England he played three innings in two of the five Tests. Retiring from cricket at the age of 37, Bill Brown became a Test selector in 1952/53.

Widely respected and admired, Brown was a mentor and supporter of many young Australian & Queensland players freely giving his advice, experience and numerous humorous stories.

2008 Bradman Foundation Joint Honouree
Arthur Robert Morris, b. 1922

A likeable and gregarious personality, Arthur Morris was regarded by Don Bradman as the finest of all left-handed opening batsmen.

Possessing a relaxed and correct technique that enabled him to adapt to varying conditions, Morris broke into the New South Wales season in 1940-41 in sensational fashion scoring 141 and 111. In 1946-47 he was selected for the Test series against England and made 155 in the 3rd Test and a century in each innings of the 4th Test. At tour’s end his average of 71.86 was second only to Bradman.

As a key member of the ‘Invincibles’ he excelled in the English conditions scoring 696 runs and topping the tour averages with 87.00. He played an absolutely crucial innings of 196 runs (the highest in Tests of the tour) during the 5th Test.

Morris continued to thrill crowds with his batting well after the 1948 tour retiring in 1955.

2009 Bradman Foundation Joint Honouree
Alan Davidson b. 14 June, 1929

I shall always remember the glorious fluency and rhythm of his perfect bowling action, …the deceptive power of his driving especially over mid-off, and the incredible ability to pluck the ball out of the air when to lesser mortals it seemed already past him. – Sir Donald Bradman

Possessing great stamina and a determination to match, Alan Davidson regularly turned the game in favour of New South Wales and Australia with ball, bat and in the field. A true world-class all-rounder he could move the ball in both directions and was unnervingly accurate with his left-arm over the wicket fast-medium deliveries. No batsman in the world during his Test years could claim to play him with any confidence.

His batting was adaptable and he could hit out aggressively or protect his wicket as conditions demanded. And they frequently did. Batting with Graham McKenzie in the crucial Old Trafford Test during the 1961 series the pair scored 98 in a dogged last wicket stand to position Australia for an unlikely win that eventually secured the series. Conversly, in the 1960-61 Tied Test Davidson attacked the West Indian pace attack with impunity very nearly securing victory with his innings of 80 runs.

In the field Davidson moved like a panther taking sublime catches that earned him the nick-name ‘The Claw’ or throwing down the stumps to secure improbable run-outs.

Once retired from matchplay Alan has dedicated himself to supporting his beloved SCG and was an instrumental figure in the establishment of the Bradman Museum.

2009 Bradman Foundation Joint Honouree
Dennis Lillee b. 18 July 1949

Bursting onto the international scene in the final two Tests of the 1970-71 Australia – England series, Lillee’s extreme pace and eight wickets announced a significant talent. He cemented his spot in the Australian side the next summer against the Rest of the World XI that saw him take 8-29 on his home ground at the WACA.

In his early years Lillee’s approach to fast bowling was simple. Bowl as quickly as you can to unsettle the batsman and ensure you can sustain the attack through strength and fitness. His relentless training regimen quickly earned the respect of his colleagues. However, repeated bowling generated painful stress-fractures in his back and he broke-down during the 1972-73 tour to the West Indies.

Returning for the 1974-75 series against England, Lillee, together with fast bowling partner Jeff Thomson, literally terrorized the England batsmen with a barrage of accurate and intimidating fast bowling. Utilizing his natural athleticism, endless stamina, renowned competitiveness, and his unique ability to extract life from ‘dead tracks’, he established himself as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time over the next few seasons.

He defected to World Series Cricket along with many key Australian and overseas players – a decision that vastly improved the appeal of this form of the game and eventually helped secure its success.

Once the feud between WSC and the ACB was mended in 1979, Dennis Lillee remained spearheading the Australian attack, his bowling maturing into flawless control reinforced by his strong mental approach that regularly secured him the wickets of the world’s top batsmen.

He retired in 1984 and has committed himself to coaching young fast bowlers particularly in India.

He is currently the President of the Western Australian Cricket Association.