Young Bradman

69 New South Wales Don Bradman’, he said). If this story were a film, here could be the happy ending. Or the ending could be that first match on Bowral turf. All the invited men from Sydney came: such as Gordon Morgan, Kippax’s best man the night before, and Alan Fairfax, against 15 of Bowral and district. Alf Stephens bowled the first ball, then Jack Gregory at half pace took five for nine. Turf pitches indeed took some getting used to. After Bowral made 79 all out – Vic Bradman made one – Don Bradman came in first down. ‘Realising that a good score was expected of him, he decided to play his eye in before attempting to open his shoulders,’ the Southern Mail reported. Bradman was learning something else; how fame brought responsibility. Next man in Gordon Morgan hit seven fours in his 34 until Vic Bradman caught him at deep square leg. It was raining for next man Jack Gregory, who ‘didn’t want to stay long, remarking that he only brought one shirt to Bowral and he didn’t want to get it wet’, and was caught in the outfield for three. Bradman drove a straight ball, which the bowler touched on to the stumps when Vic Richardson was out of his crease. No-one appealed, and Richardson missed a straight one on purpose. ‘In the meantime Don was into his stride,’ until he was bowled for a chanceless 86. Bowral paid for the watch and chain to Bradman through subscriptions, too many to publish, the Southern Mail said. In June Bradman was ‘home for the weekend’ and told the newspaper that the watch was keeping ‘wonderfully good time’. He was learning something else; that one of Formal men at the opening of Loseby Park, Bowral. Left to right: Frank Cush, Alf Stephens, Len Adams, Vic Bradman, George Bradman, Don Bradman, Fraser (St George wicket-keeper), RL Jones and Mick Morgan.