How often have you seen a batsman score a triple century on a single day of a Test match? In cricket history that record, fittingly, belongs to only one man – Sir Don Bradman.
Playing just his seventh Test match, which came during the 1930 Ashes, a 21-year-old Bradman walked into bat during the third Test of the series when his side was in trouble.
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With Australia electing to bat, Bradman was at the crease after just 11 balls on the first day at Leeds, soon after opener Archie Jackson had been dismissed for a run. What followed was an assault of unimaginable proportions by young Bradman against the English bowling attack.
Australia lost their next wicket at 194/2, thanks to Bradman, who stitched a 192-run stand with opener Bill Woodfull. Bradman had scored 142 runs out of those, getting to his hundred before lunch.
The youngster showed no signs of slowing down as he ruthlessly went past the 200-run mark by the tea break, scoring 220*. As per the book Great Australian Sporting Moments, this was the fastest-ever century scored before tea.
The right-hander was later offered a lifeline when dropped on 273 by wicket-keeper George Duckworth off George Geary’s bowling. The youngster made the most of the opportunity, achieving a triple century before the end of the day. He broke Reggie Foster’s record of 287 for most runs in a day, scoring an unbeaten 309.
Bradman added another 25 runs on the second day of the Test before nicking one to Duckworth, being dismissed by Maurice Tate for 339, a knock which had 46 boundaries.
Bradman played many more scintillating knocks in his career before cementing his legacy as Australia’s greatest batsman, but this triple century against England against was up there among his finest.
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