Don Bradman walked out to bat in his final Test innings needing just 4 runs to finish with a career average of 100. Eric Hollies bowled him second ball for 0 — leaving cricket's greatest batsman with an immortal average of 99.94.
Don Bradman had dominated Test cricket since 1928. His 1948 Australian side — The Invincibles — had gone unbeaten through the entire England tour. Bradman was 40 years old and had announced this would be his last Test series. He had played 80 Test innings and averaged 101.39 going into his final match.
England gave Bradman a guard of honour as he walked to the wicket — every English fielder applauding him in. The Oval crowd gave him a standing ovation that lasted over a minute. Bradman later admitted he was moved to tears and could barely see the ball when he took guard.
Eric Hollies, the Warwickshire leg-spinner, was bowling. His first ball — a leg-break — Bradman played defensively. His second ball — a googly — Bradman missed, and the ball hit his off stump. Bradman was out for 0.
The walk back to the pavilion was silent in a way The Oval crowd had never been silent. Bradman removed his cap as he reached the boundary. He never batted in a Test match again.
His final average: 99.94. The four runs would have made it 100. The 0 meant it would forever be 99.94 — a number so famous it has its own Wikipedia page, its own merchandise, and its own place in the folklore of numbers. Some argue the imperfect 99.94 is more poetic than 100 would ever have been.
England's guard of honour for Bradman — unprecedented sportsmanship
Eric Hollies' googly — second ball, clean bowled for 0
Bradman's final walk back to the pavilion — career over, average frozen at 99.94
1928
Bradman makes Test debut — begins accumulating what becomes the greatest batting record in history
1948 (tour)
The Invincibles go unbeaten through England — Bradman announces retirement
August 14, 1948
Final Test innings — guard of honour, duck, final average 99.94
Bradman retired from all cricket. Australia won the Test and the series remained unbeaten. The Invincibles returned home as legends. Bradman became a national icon, later knighted, and spent decades as a cricket administrator.
The most poignant moment in cricket history — the greatest batsman ever, undone by a single googly in his last innings, denied a perfect average by four runs. The duck made Bradman human, and the near-100 average made him immortal.
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1960-12-14
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