If you love cricket, you will love this place!
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Based in Bowral, New South Wales, the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame is a must visit for all cricket fans. Why is it at Bowral you may ask? It was where Donald Bradman spent his formative years, a man to have the highest test cricket average of 99.4 with no one else anywhere near this achievement to date. However, the museum is not just about Bradman, it tells the story of Cricket from Anglo-Saxon origins, to King Edward II and beyond. These include events such as the infamous “Bodyline” series of 1932-3, Kerry Packer and World Series Cricket (1977 - 9) and such modern greats as Shane Warne. It includes “BH”, before helmets, when my heroes such as Gary Sobers and Viv Richards would complain to the umpires if they restricted the number of bouncers they faced. Please note, Gary thought that a bouncer was not going to hit his wicket and so, should be thumped over the tallest stand. In the same vein, a story goes that when a fast bowler beat Viv Richards with a couple of balls, he was told it’s red and round and you’re meant to hit it. The next ball went out of the ground with Viv allegedly replying, “You know what it looks like so go and fetch it!” The final section sees women’s cricket taking a prominent part in the world game.
Above a painting of Sir Gary Sobers and below a painting of Sir Vivian Richards. These are amongst 20 cricketers who are honoured in the Cricket Hall of Fame at the museum.
The origins of cricket go a lot further back than you would think!
Above; part of an information board at the museum suggesting that cricket and its terminology dates back over a thousand years.
Above; another section mentions King Edward II of England playing a form of Cricket. He was born in 1284 and died in 1327. His father died in 1307 and so he would have been a prince until that year. If the royal family were playing it, the game must have been enjoyed by other members of society at that time.
In the second paragraph, “Kricket” was accurately named with C and K easily interchangeable. This was dated 1598, 500 years ago.
Above; an original curved bat of oak and not willow. It is not spliced and is very heavy.
Below; a brief history of the bat.
When batsmen started to use bats that were wider than the stumps, a law was introduced to restrict a bat’s width to 4.25 inches. By 1835, the length was also restricted to 38 inches. By 1853 a bat had to be made of willow, have a cane handle that was bound with string and covered with a rubber tube. The weight was set at 2 lbs and 5 ounces.
The original balls were basically stones until they changed to small round pieces of wood. By the 1650s the wood was covered with leather before changing to a cork core wrapped with string and covered in leather. In 1744 a standardised weight was agreed and, in 1775, a company called Dukes made the first 6 seamed balls. Dukes still make England’s teat match balls today. In 1838, a law was introduced stating that the circumference was to be between 9 and 9.5 inches which was later reduced in 1927 to 8 and 13/16th of an inch to 9 inches.
The Star and Garter Club based in London, refined the laws further in 1744 and in 1787, Thomas Lord created the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) which took charge and revised the laws further in 1809.
By 1850, the game was played all over England and across the British Empire. as well as the USA and Italy.
How unfortunate that the game clashed with the French Revolution. What a pity, England love playing Rugby Union against France on an annual basis and it could have been a similar rivalry too, playing cricket for the “Bourbon or Napoleonic trophy”!
In a period when cricket is attempting to be reintroduced in the USA, it is fascinating to read that Abraham Lincoln was a fan.
Above; a collage of old cricketing photos.
Below; A history of the stumps, bails and pitch.
Below; the history of the popping crease ie, the line where the batsman makes his/her crease.
What are the “Ashes”?
For over a hundred years , test match series have been played for a tiny trophy known as “The Ashes”. It is only 4 inches or 6 cm in height and allegedly contains the ashes of some burnt bails. When England lost to Australia at home in 1882, a spoof obituary of English Cricket appeared in the “Sporting Times.”
Above and Below; the creation of The Ashes” is explained in the museum’s information boards.
Above; a replica of the small ashes urn. The trophy has been kept at Lords despite Australia winning it numerous times. The Ashes always brings out great determination in both sides, more so than for any other trophy between cricketing nations. Stadiums are always packed for games and there is huge media coverage for weeks before the matches commence.
Read this and make up your mind whether Don Bradman was the greatest ever Batsman
Don was born in 1908 and legend has it that he finely tuned his batting by regularly hitting a golf ball with a stump against a brick tank stand in his back yard. At the age of 12, his habit of scoring centuries began when playing for Bowral school he hit 115 not out against Mittagong. To show his outstanding ability, he also took 8 wickets.
1n 1925, he became a regular player for Bowral CC and scored 1317 averaging 94.07. Again, batting was only one part of his cricketing talent with him taking 51 wickets and holding 25 catches. Apparently, against Wingello he scored 234 in 165 minutes!
In October 1926 he moved up a level by being invited to practise with the NSW squad and also playing for St George CC in Sydney. In his first game for St George he scored 108 but was invited back to Bowral to play in the final of their local competition where he scored an outstanding 320 not out.
December 1927 saw Don selected for NSW state team in the Sheffield Shield competition against South Australia. This time he had to face the test spinner Clarrie Grimmett but once more he was not to disappoint scoring 118.
In November 1928, he was selected to play for Australia in Brisbane but for once he was disappointing. On a wet wicket, at a time when pitches were not covered if it rained during playing hours, Australia scored a meagre 122 and 66 of which Don scored 18 and 1. To make matters worse, he was made 12th man in the second test but was fortunate to come back in the third. This time at Melbourne, he scored 79 and 112 being the youngest player to score a test century.
In January 1930, he again was in record breaking form by scoring 452 not out for NSW against Queensland. This was, at the time, the highest ever “first class” score. This meant he was automatically put on the team sheet to tour England. Ridiculously, some English Cricket officials thought that Don’s technique would not be up to the challenge of the typical wet and green English pitches and Australia were seen as the “underdogs”. Don, however had a different take on the challenges confronting him. The first match on April 30th at the picturesque Worcester county ground, he scored 236 and followed with 185 v Leicester, 252 v Surrey, 191 v Hampshire, 117 v Somerset and 205 v Kent. By the end of May, he had 1000 first class runs, only the fifth ever player to achieve such a feat. Don’s form then continued into the test matches scoring 131 in the first test, which Australia lost, 134 in the second and 334 in the third, which at the time was the highest ever test score beating the record of 325. The net highest score on the Australian score sheet was 77! Sadly, poor weather prevented a result and again in the fourth test. Not finished however, he scored 232 in the fifth test match at the Oval. Thanks to Don’s outstanding batting, Australia regained the “Ashes”. Don had scored 974 runs with an average of 139.14. In the tour as a whole, Don scored an incredible first class total of 2960 runs with an average of 98.66.
Above; Don in action. Most of the film was done in in black and white but it has now been colourised. Please watch to the end when Jeff Thompson aka “Thommo” tells a great story of Don batting in his seventies.
The Bodyline series
The next Ashes series, 1932-3, was to cause great hostility between Australia and England that even resulted in the respective governments falling out. For this series, Douglas Jardine was chosen to be England’s captain and was charged with developing new tactics against the Australians and in particular, Donald Bradman.
Above; Douglas Jardine who devised the new tactics and below; Harold Larwood who was going to spearhead the new “Bodyline Theory”
Jardine’s new idea was based on his belief that Bradman had found “bouncers” (short balls at head height) a problem and so he decided to instruct his bowlers to bowl very fast and very short balls hoping that he would knock the ball up to a series of fielders on the leg side. He hoped that by placing extra fielders behind square on the leg side as well as just in front of square, numerous catches would come their way as the batsman would be trying to evade being hit and by doing so, would not keep the ball down. Placing extra fielders on the leg side, a plan called “leg theory”, had been done before but without the emphasis on bouncers. The English squad incorporated 5 fast bowlers which was unusual and they were instructed to regularly bowl bouncers. The two main bowlers were Harold Larwood and Bill Voce, both of whom were paid to play ie professionals, whereas Jardine was an amateur, unpaid player, who was considered to be from a higher class of person in those days.
Amateurs even had their own dressing room and entered the field of play from their own separate gate! This meant that Bill Voce and Harold Larwood along with Bill Bowes had to do what their social superior, ie captain, told them. They had no choice, they had to bowl bouncers unlike another fast bowler, an amateur called “Gubby Allen” who was an old Etonian and could, by his social status, refuse. See below.
In an early, pre test series game, England v “An Australian XI, it seemed to the English that Don was having trouble with bouncers and that their plan was working. He only scored 36 and 13! On the other hand, the crowd, the newspaper reporters, the Australian team and their officials all thought the tactics were unsporting, dangerous and purposefully trying to hit each batsmen’s head. In the next game, Jack Singleton scored a century but was hit several times and again Don failed in both innings.
In the first Ashes test, Don was not chosen having had contract problems with his newspaper employers and the Australian management. Bodyline tactics were used but not regularly with England winning the game but a huge margin of 10 wickets. One Australian, Stan McCabe successfully hooking and pulling the bouncers delivered to gain 187 not out in 233 deliveries. Please note, he was not wearing a helmet and nor did anyone else!
In the second test, Don was dismissed for a golden duck but defied the English experts in the second innings by getting a century despite a full blown body line attack against him. To their great delight, Australia won and made the series one all. In the third test, “all hell was let loose”, where in the third over of the Australian Innings, Larwood’s fifth ball narrowly missed captain Bill Woodfull’s head, but the sixth ball hit him above his heart. He was in agony and the large crowd went wild. Worst still, Jardine allegedly called out, “well bowled Harold”. Heroically, Woodfull batted on but undeterred Jardine continued with the body line tactics with the crowd becoming more agitated and getting close to rioting. Woodfull’s courage resulting in him getting 22 and several more bruises. At number three Don scored a lowly 8 runs which included one 4. This was later followed by wicketkeeper Bert Oldfield edging a ball and fracturing his skull. In the process he bravely scored 41 out of a total of 222, a total of 219 runs behind. In the second innings, a brave Bill Woodfull scored 73 not out and Don scored 66 but it was not enough to stop England winning by 338 runs.
Bodyline now became a battle between the boards with the Australian board sending the MCC of England a cable accusing the “bodyline’ tactic being a “menace to the best interests of the game” and “unsportsmanlike”. This last accusation was seen at the time as one of the worst insults that can be used against a team. The MCC denied all the accusations and even asked if the Australians wished to cancel the tour! The situation even got to parliamentary level but by now the Australian government became worried about the effects on their economy if the British public were to boycott Australian trade in retaliation for the Australian accusations. This resulted in the Australian prime minister speaking to the Australian Board who then withdrew their accusation of England being “unsportsmanlike.
In the fourth test, less “Bodyline” tactics were used but England still won by 6 wickets. This time in the first innings of Australia, Vic Richardson scored 83, Bill Woodfull 67, and Don 76. A total of 340 was achieved with England getting a creditable 356. The hero of the innings was Eddie Paynter who came in at number 8 and scored an impressive 86. Amazingly, Eddie had been admitted to hospital with tonsillitis and discharged himself to save England from a rout. Harold Larwood again had a good game taking 7 wickets in total .
In the last test Australia scored 435 in their first innings with Don scoring 48, Bert Oldfield 52 and Len Darling 85. Harold Larwood took 4 wickets for 98 and spinner Hedley Verity taking 3-62. Not to be outdone, Harold Larwood scored an impressive 98 and Wally Hammond 101 out of a total of 454.
This was followed by Australia only getting 182 with Don getting 71 and Bill Woodfull 67. England’s best bowler was spinner Verity getting 5-33 off 19 overs. Unfortunately, Harold Larwood had to leave the field with a bad foot having only bowled 11 overs and gaining 1 wicket. England had won the series 4-1.
Not too many people know that when the West Indies side toured England in 1933, they too employed “Bodyline “tactics in the second test with some success. England’s star, Wally Hammond got hit on the chin but a stubborn Douglas Jardine scored his only ever test century, eventually getting out for 127. After the series, Jardine retired and ‘Bodyline” tactics became out of favour as dangerous, although Bill Voce did employ them playing for Nottinghamshire against the touring Australians in 1934. Voce even asked the wicketkeeper to stand leg side of the stumps! This was too much for most people and in the resultant test series it was agreed that “Bodyline” tactics would not be employed by either side. In 1935, a new law was brought in giving the umpires the power to decide that “direct attack” bowling was unfair and there should be stopped. The laws were further altered in 1957 so that no more than 2 fielders were allowed to be positioned behind square leg on the leg side. This also stopped spinners bowling negatively.
Harold Larwood was asked to apologise for his “Bodyline” bowling but refused, stating that he was simply obeying his captain and as a consequence, he was never picked for England again. Contrary to this, Jardine was never asked to apologise and did play again. Furthermore, Gubby Allen, who didn’t get disciplined for refusing to carry out Jardine’s plan, was selected for England and even became a test selector.
Above, the famous “Invincibles” team with the captain, Don Bradman in the centre. Why were they given such a name? Simply because having spent 5 months touring the UK, having played 5 test matches and 29 other games, they were undefeated. In the “Sport Australia Hall of Fame” website this team has been called; “arguably one of the greatest sporting teams in our nation’s history’.
Above; on the left is a bat with 15 of the 17 Invincibles’ signatures and on the right is Vice Captain Lindsey Hasset’s bat with which he scored 200 against “The Gentlemen of England”, 103 against Somerset and 151 against the “South of England”.
Above Don’s “Baggie Green” from 1936-7 series. He was made the new captain and won the series 3-2. His contribution was two double centuries and one century.
Above; a cabinet full of Bradman memorabilia.
The World Series Cricket “revolution”.
Above some of the memorabilia from the World Series Cricket.
By 1977, players throughout the world believed that they were being very underpaid. They were world entertainers - attracting crowds at stadiums and large tv audiences but believed that they were being exploited and not getting their fair share of the income international cricket was attracting. One determined entrepreneur, an Austrian called Kerry Packer, agreed with them and believed that cricket had a far greater potential revenue than the current tv broadcasting channels were making. Packer’s plan was to get the broadcasting rights for his Nine Network TV channel and harvest that revenue potential for the benefit of the players as well as his shareholders. When the Australian Cricket Board turned down his bid, Packer took his case to the players and quickly signed up the key players from the major cricketing nations to his new independent “World Series Cricket”. Cricket boards banned all of Packer’s players from playing their “First Class Cricket” but this failed to force Packer’s cricketers from cancelling their contracts.This, of course left the major cricket boards with second class players and therefore second class matches that attracted much lower audiences. For example, the West Indies without their top fast bowlers and batsmen such as Viv Richards, was left with a ghost team of unknowns. Packer also introduced “razzmatazz” to the ancient game by introducing such innovations as colourful cricket clothes and night cricket. He now had the new exciting version of the game and a monopoly on high quality cricket.
Above; a bat signed by the Australian, West Indies and World XI “Packer”teams. Note, the Ian Chappell autograph at the top.
Above; A bat signed bat given to Kerry Packer for all of his hard work.
Below; the information board at the museum on the bat.
Above and below; How many of the signatures can you recognise? See if you can make out John Snow, Clive Lloyd and Tony Greig, Collis King, Michael Holding and Asif Iqbal.
Women’s cricket
The last part of the museum will feature women’s cricket. Some photos are already in the various galleries but this section will focus on women’s cricket which in recent times has now become professional, had a world cup T20 world cup before the men, has its own ashes series and has numerous T20 franchise versions all over the world.
Above; the English Women’s team to tour Australia in the summer of 1934-5. It states in the caption that the ladies had to pay their own fares (£80) and for their own equipment. This photo was taken on board the ship, SS Cathay, a voyage which would have taken weeks unlike the 23 hours today.
Above; the first Australian Women’s touring team that toured England in 1937.
Above; some photos of action packed women’s cricket and in the space where a women’s cricket gallery will be created.
Essential Information.
Getting there.
The Bradman Centre is located on St Jude Street Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands.According to Google, it takes 1 hour 40 minutes from Sydney Airport.
Address Jude St, Bowral NSW 2576
Phone: 02 4862 1247
Website https://www.bradman.com.au
Email: admin@bradman.com.au
Opening Hours
9 am – 4 pm Monday to Sunday
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