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Don Bradman’s letters reveals how much he was looking forward to the battle between Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne.
Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne in 1998 (Photo: AFP)
Donald Bradman’s letters to his friend Peter Brough revealed how the cricket legend was looking forward to the battle between Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne during Australia’s tour of India in 1998.
The letters were written between 1984 and 1998 and recently came to light after being donated to the National Library by Brough’s family, a report in the Sydney Morning Herald revealed.
In one of the letters written in 1998, Bradman wrote, “We had an interesting series with South Africa. They were not a great side but they had dedication and great willpower to fight things out to the end. The real difference was Warne. It was really exciting to see him bowl in the Sydney Test where the ball was turning and he gave a wonderful display.
“Our boys go to India this week and they will be sorely [tested] under home conditions. Tendulkar is probably the best bat in the world and his battles with Warne should be fascinating.”
Bradman in his letters lamented the death of the leg-spinner.
“The great tragedy of modern cricket is the demise of the slow leg-spinner. Primarily it seems to be due to the one-day games in which ‘economy’ is the only thing that matters,” he wrote in one of his letters in 1993.
“But thankfully we may at last have produced a good leg spinner in young Warne. He’s only 23 and really spins the ball. I am impressed by his accuracy. In the Test versus New Zealand now being played he is conceding less than two runs an over which is tremendous. He should do well in England.”
And Warne, did as predicted by Bradman, bowled what has since been dubbed the ‘Ball of the Century’, castling Mike Gatting during the Ashes.
Bradman also foresaw the rise of Ricky Ponting as he wrote: “Our cricket season is under way and there have been a couple of interesting happenings. Mercantile Mutual Insurance has erected signs around the grounds and offered prizes for anyone who can hit a sign on the full. In Perth yesterday Steve Waugh hit one and won himself $140,000. Yes you are right Peter – I think I played too soon. Young Ponting of Tasmania played a beautiful innings here yesterday and looks a Test prospect.”
Ponting went on to become Australia’s all-time leading run-scorer.
