These days, rapid scoring is part and parcel of cricket. The expansion of limited-over competitions, culminating in the Twenty20 slogfests has not only elevated strike rates above averages in the statistical pecking order but has also led to quicker accumulation of runs in first-class cricket, too. Friendlier wickets and balls have helped, but batsmen are less circumspect and more adventurous as a matter of course. Virender Sehwag is an obvious example.
However, the record number of first-class runs scored in a single day was achieved not in the last ten years, nor in the last twenty. In fact it predates one-dayers by a country mile. In fact, it was achieved 63 years ago this week at Southchurch. In those days, touring national sides often played more than thirty matches, against counties, universities and Test teams. Very different from today, of course. Back in 1948, Don Bradman brought his Australian side to England and into the record books. It was to be the Don's final series but he and his squad went down in history as the only team to go through an entire tour unbeaten and become known as The Invincibles.
Early in that tour, on 15th May, Australia won the toss and went out to bat against Essex having already thumped four teams by an innings. I don't know what inspired them to go ballistic that day but no fewer than four players, Bill Brown, Bradman himself, Sam Loxton and wicketkeeper Ron Saggers reached three figures as the team compiled no fewer than 721 runs. Remarkably, they were also bowled out on that same day, in 129 overs. Four bowlers each delivered more than 20 overs, a workload that would send half of today's seamers into retirement - or hospital! It could have been worse for the hosts had Keith Miller not deliberately allowed himself to be bowled for 0, allegedly in protest at his captain not letting him goto the races. He never did get to see the gee-gees that weekend but after the Sunday break, Miller, Toshack, Johnston et al raced through the Essex line-up twice in a day, thus ending an amazing match down by the seaside. 30,000 spectators witnessed it, which is also barely credible. I know the ground well, and 3,000 would have trouble fitting around the boundary these days, but maybe it was more than just a park pitch back in 1948!
Poor Essex! It was bad enough to be clumped for 700+ on a single day and losing by an innings and 451, but it was achieved by what was essentially the second string Aussie batting line-up. They were treated - if that's the right word - to a masterclass by Bradman, but there were no Harvey, Hassett, Morris nor Barnes, and Ray Lindwall was also rested. While we have indeed seen more than 721 scored in a single day's play in 50-over matches, it will certainly never be beaten in first-class cricket. For a start, teams are incapable of delivering sufficient overs, but 63 years ago, for Bradman's Invincibles it was just another victory on a gruelling tour.
