Don Bradman scored 6,996 runs in 52 Test matches.

Bradman's Career Statistics

Matches	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	H.S.	Average	Centuries
First Class	338	43	28,067	452*	95.14	117
Second Class	331	64	22,664	320*	84.80	94
Test Matches	80	10	6,996	334	99.94	29
Tests v England	63	7	5,028	334	89.78	19
Sheffield Shield	96	15	8,926	452*	110.19	36
Grade Cricket	93	17	6,598	303	86.80	28
All Matches	669	107	50,731	452*	90.27	211

Opponents	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	H.S.	Average	Centuries
England	63	7	5,028	334	89.78	19
West Indies	6	0	447	223	74.50	2
South Africa	5	1	806	299*	201.50	4
India	6	2	715	201	178.75	4
TOTAL	80	10	6,996	334	99.94	29

Some information you may not know...

Q.  How many Sixes did Don Bradman hit in his Test career?

TEST CRICKET: Consistent with Don Bradman's approach to the game, he was not a great hitter of sixes. Preferring to keep the ball safely on the ground, Don hit just six sixes in his Test career, five v. England and one v. India.

He also hit two fives and a staggering 618 fours in Test cricket.

FIRST-CLASS CRICKET: In all First-Class, Don hit just one six in an innings of under 50. In Bradman's 186 innings of 50 and over, his remaining forty-four sixes were mostly scored late in his innings after he was comfortable with his score such as completing a century or double-century, and when his was less concerned with getting out.

Q.  How many Boundaries did Sir Donald hit during his career?

This is an interesting question and one, which we can only answer to a limited degree at present. However, there are statisticians currently researching this issue, dissecting scoresheets, to establish the exact number of boundaries across his First-Class and Test career.

We do have an answer, coming from B J Wakley, Bradman The Great, published in 1959, which isn't statistically complete as it compiles boundaries from Bradman's innings of 50 and over only. (Wakley includes a small number of fives and fours 'all-run', which did not reach the boundary, as well as overthrows).


All First-Class Cricket

In 234 matches; 338 innings, Bradman made 28067 runs. Here, we consider 186 innings of a score greater than 50:

	Innings	Runs	Sixes	Fives	Fours	Total runs in boundaries
Innings of 50 and over	186	25247	44	7	2586	10643

(Wakley also notes Bradman hit just one six in an innings of under 50)


All Test Cricket

In 52 Test matches; 80 innings, Bradman made 6996 runs. Here, we consider 42 innings of a score greater than 50:

	Innings	Runs	Sixes	Fives	Fours	Total runs in boundaries
Innings of 50 and over	42	6297	6	2	618	2518

Q.  Was Bradman ever a cricket umpire?

After 'Bodyline' Bradman felt he should deepen his knowledge on the Laws of Cricket. Studying to become an umpire, he qualified by passing the NSW Cricket Umpires Exam with flying colours on 1/8/1933. Bradman, The Illustrated Biography by Michael Page refers to this on p.191. I am sure you will find other references in most of the biographies.

The Bradman Museum has an image illustrating Bradman umpiring a match in Adelaide circa 1960.


Q.  How many Test wickets did he take?

...TWO

The first was taken in December 1930. A West Indies player, Ivan Barrow, LBW to Bradman for 27 runs, first Test in Adelaide, second innings. The second was when he bowled Walter Hammond for 85 runs in the spiteful third Test in Adelaide, January 1933, second innings.


Q.  When was Don's first century?

Don Bradman's first century (115 n.o.) was played when he was 12 ie. the 1920/21 season. The young Don was playing for Bowral School against Mittagong School. The exact date is unknown.

His first century (234) in the local competition was against Wingello "A" on 9 January 1926. Later that season he scored 105 & 120. On 12 May he scored his famous 300 district record for Bowral against Moss Vale. (After this tremendous achievement Don received his first new cricket bat from his mother. The bat that he scored the District record is on display at the Bradman Museum in Bowral. This bat was formally a full size Bowral cricket Club bat given to him by his adult team mates. His father cut 3 inches off the bat to allow the young Don to use it).

Bradman debut for NSW with 118 v SA at Adelaide on 17 December, 1927.

His first Test Century was in the third Test v England at Melbourne in the 2nd Innings - 112 on 3 January 1929.


Q.  Was Don Bradman nervous in his first Test appearance?

Don Bradman has been recorded as feeling a great ease when playing cricket, and unlike many others, he has described himself as being fortunate not to suffer nerves like so many other batsman;  

"It is a trait in my make-up which it is quite impossible to explain, that I am almost a total stranger to that species of nervousness common to most people whenever involved in an unusual happeneing."

Fellow team mates have also described his confidence and ability to concentrate his performance particularly when rising to dangers and difficulties at the crease.

Walter Hammond, former England Test Captain: "He had a capacity I have never seen equalled in any other cricketer of docketing his cricket in one part of the mind and never letting any other thought even intrude there. That is a quality of concentration on the game that everyone must develop, who is to be successful, but not many of us, I think, have the ruthless capacity of a Bradman to perfect such a power as he did.

I was forced to admire the cool way Don batted. On one or two occasions, when he was well set, and when he saw me move a filedsman, he would raise his gloved hand to me in mock salute, and then hit the next ball exactly over the place from which the man had just been moved. Reluctantly I had to admit once more that he was out of the ordinary run of batsmen - a genius!"

Jack Fingleton, former Australian Test player and author: "Other individuals might have been noted for fast footwork, unerring judgement or brilliant eyesight. Bradman possessed all of these. But if there were one faculty, which made him superior to all others, it was in being able to judge, almost as soon as the ball left the bowler's hand, the length, spin and merit of that particular delivery. Therein lay much of his greatness - a quicker brain, a quicker judgement than any other batsman I have seen... Bradman at the wicket was completely at ease and at rest until the ball began its apologetic advance towards him."

Bill Brown, former Australian Test batsman: "One thing about his batting that always impressed me was that he would stand almost perfectly still while the bowler was approaching the wicket. He didn't shuffle around the crease. Once the ball was bowled he sized it up in a flash and would explode into action. There is no question he brought wonderful physical ability to play the game but he also brought this tremendous mental application and concentration. He could analyse the game much more deeply and quickly that the average player. He controlled the game so much when he was at the wicket".

CB Fry, former England Test cricketer: "This young man owes half his perfection to an outright power of concentration".

Bert Oldfield, former Australian Test wicket keeper: "Granted he has a quick eye, fleetness of foot, uncanny anticipation and unlimited patience, but behind these obvious qualities lie a will and mind that govern all his movements. His development of stroke play and self-control as he progressed in the game was to me amazing. I have seen him, when dismissed for small scores, quietly sitting in the dressing room, like a student pondering the cause of his mistake, and thinking out effective methods of overcoming the error. He has always been a keen critic of his own defects and this, no doubt, is the secret behind all his greatness and success".

Related Links

Fact file
Some key notes that you may not already know about Sir Donald Bradman AC.