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If cricket fans want to witness one of the most ruthless assaults by a batsman, Sir Don Bradman’s legendary innings of 1931 stands unmatched. Known as the greatest batsman of all time, Bradman once scored a century in just 3 overs (22 balls) – a feat that still sounds unbelievable today. And this was an era when T20 cricket didn’t even exist and overs had 8 balls each.

117th birth anniversary of ‘The Don’

August 27, 2025, marks the 117th birth anniversary of Don Bradman, born in 1908. His brilliance has left behind countless stories of batting dominance, but this innings against Lithgow XI for Blackheath XI is remembered as one of his most explosive.

The innings of 256 runs

In that match, Blackheath XI batted first and piled up 357 runs, of which Bradman alone smashed 256 runs. His innings was decorated with 14 sixes and 29 fours, leaving bowlers helpless. Lithgow XI, in reply, could manage only 228, giving Blackheath victory by 129 runs.

Century in 3 overs – ball by ball

Bradman’s century came in a span of just three overs (22 balls), which included merciless hitting:

1st over (Bowler – Will Black):
6, 6, 4, 2, 4, 4, 6, 1 → 33 runs

2nd over (Bowler – Horry Baker):
6, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4, 6, 4 → 40 runs

3rd over (Bowler – Will Black):
6, 6, 1, 4, 4, 6 → 27 runs

In these three overs, Bradman smashed 100 runs – redefining aggressive batting long before modern-day limited-overs cricket.

Bradman: Ahead of his time

What makes this innings even more extraordinary is that it happened nearly a century ago, when cricket was dominated by defensive techniques and stroke play. Bradman not only showed his unmatched consistency in Test cricket but also demonstrated that he could switch gears and destroy bowlers when required.

Even today, when batsmen score quick hundreds in T20 cricket, Bradman’s 3-over century in 1931 remains one of the most jaw-dropping feats in cricket history.

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