DAWN article in Bradman museum (3 December 1998)

3 December 1998

DAWN article in Bradman museum

The Dawn

An article on Sir Donald Bradman's majestic and skilful batting by Ejaz Ahmad, which appeared in Dawn, on Jan 19, 1998, has found a pride of place at the Bradman Museum set up recently as the great willow-wielder of Australia turned 90 in August of this year.

Not only has the article been framed and placed in the museum, officials there released it for publication in Australian newspapers with a notice that it was meant "For readers only in Australia". It was a maiden breakthrough for a Pakistan writer, courtesy Dawn, and an honour for the country's sports writers.

The article is on display at the museum at Bowral, where Sir Donald was born, and not at Adelaide, where he permanently resides. The credit for this goes to Mr Khawar Zaman, Pakistan's High Commissioner in Australia.

The news about the article being displayed at the Bradman museum at Bowral was conveyed to Mr. Ejaz Ahmad by Mr. Zaman in a letter, which said the museum director had asked him to thank the writer "for considering the Bradman Museum as a home for his article."

The High Commissioner said, "Having seen both, I consider the one at Bowral definitely better than its sister museum at Adelaide."

In a communication to Dawn, Mr Ejaz Ahmad said the credit went to Amir Elahi for narrating an incident that went against him "to you for projecting it... and lastly to the High Commissioner for meeting the right people and drawing their attention to this article."

The article gives a close-up of the batting technique of Sir Donald and shows how untroubled he was while facing the shrewd nature of the bowling and the field placings.

Amir Elahi, a reputed spinner, was a member of the 1947 Indian team to Australia. As a witness to his trenchant assault and a 'sufferer' on the field, he narrated the incident or the 'over' to the writer.

According to Amir Elahi, who later represented Pakistan, Bradman came out to bat for New South Wales (actually he was leading South Australia and not New South Wales) in the first fixture against the Indians. Amir Elahi was fielding at mid-on and the bowler was the clever left-arm spinner Vinoo Mankad. Three balls were dispatched forcefully and uppishly towards the place where Amir Elahi was standing but beyond his reach.

Mankad then beckoned Amir to fall back at long-on. "He is driving in your direction," said Mankad. But the fine technician that he was, Bradman sent it some feet above the waiting arms of Amir Elahi.

The next ball, as has been recorded by the writer, soared high and crossed the boundary for a six. The bowler, Mankad, could not contain Bradman's enterprise, and the fielder too was made helpless. Every time Amir Elahi positioned himself for a catch he couldn't make it. As the writer has put it, the hit was 'tantalisingly within reach and yet not within reach!".

The spectators were enchanted by Bradman's onslaught. Mankad may try any trick but Bradman went in the same swift, aggressive way, with the fielder "trying to leap in the air, the hands itching to hold a catch but missing and then retrieving the ball from the boundary."

The crowds rose to applaud the great Don's feat. It was his 99th century - the hundredth came in the next match at Sydney. The Indian players, too, joined in the applause. "I am too good for your team," Bradman said to the Indians. But he was good for bowlers of all cricket-playing countries and all climes!

Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)