Players who 'over-performed' internationally

[Coronis]

yeah sure all well good, but 3 english legends who's career happened roughly around the same time as his, Hobbs-Hammond-Hutton couldn't come close to Bradman. Possibly O'Reilly and Grimmett's influence? who knows

Everyone forgets Sutcliffe

Well, although the different formats complicate things these days, I'd wonder if, for tours at least, the larger number of first-class fixtures played back then could have partially offset the benefits of fewer tests and/or tours. For example, for tours to England (all had five tests), the number of additional (first class and non-first class) fixtures was (assuming I counted correctly):
— 1930: 26
— 1934: 25
— 1938: 24
— 1948: 27 (112 days scheduled play of 144 days on tour)

(Granted, Bradman would not have played all of these)

And the two most recent tours:
— 2013: 4 f.c., 2 T20s, 6 ODIs (and also 5 Champions Trophy-related matches)
— 2015: 4 f.c., 1 T20, 6 ODIs

So, on the fatigue question, what'd be the effect of longer tours then vs. shorter tours today plus multiple O.D. series and T20 tournaments?

Yeah I think people seem to forget this about the past players. Not to mention the trip to England, on which multiple players did get sick.

 

[Daemon]

In 1904 the winner of the olympic marathon couldn't even run all the way,needed peds and drank brandy while doing so. Quality of sport was rubbish back then. Bradman was comparable to maybe Imrul Kayes at best.

 

[Burgey]

He's no Shakib Al Hasan, that's for sure.

 

[Starfighter]

Bradman never had to face quicks like Sharma and Irfan Pathan. He wouldn't of lasted a ball against those 2, not to mention a spinner like Sehwag.

Isn't it just self evident?

 

[Flem274*]

In 1904 the winner of the olympic marathon couldn't even run all the way,needed peds and drank brandy while doing so. Quality of sport was rubbish back then. Bradman was comparable to maybe Imrul Kayes at best.

harsh on imrul kayes

 

[Red]

I know that this might be controversial but I think Bradman was only able to do what he did because of the era in which he played. He was able to focus exclusively on tests and didn't have anywhere near the number of tours that happen today. I think that today he would probably average less (mid 80s perhaps) simply due to exhaustion.

Sort of still doesn't answer the question of why no one in his era, or any other, played a significant amount of tests and ended with an average in the 70s or 80s.

 

[Daemon]

Sort of still doesn't answer the question of why no one in his era, or any other, played a significant amount of tests and ended with an average in the 70s or 80s.

Think of the y axis as difficulty in scoring runs and x axis as batting average

Everyone else couldn't climb the slope and reach the transition state due to the poor training and conditioning back then. Bradman just about climbed over[1] because of his obsession with golf balls and water tanks, following which he simply cruised the rest of the way to 99.94 all alone.

[1] Daemon (2004) Bradman The Myth

 

[OverratedSanity]

I have no idea what you're talking about but I do know that I agree with you.

 

[Starfighter]

Think of the y axis as difficulty in scoring runs and x axis as batting average

Everyone else couldn't climb the slope and reach the transition state due to the poor training and conditioning back then. Bradman just about climbed over[1] because of his obsession with golf balls and water tanks, following which he simply cruised the rest of the way to 99.94 all alone.

[1] Daemon (2004) Bradman The Myth

You sure it's exothermic?

 

[TheJediBrah]

I know that this might be controversial but I think Bradman was only able to do what he did because of the era in which he played. He was able to focus exclusively on tests and didn't have anywhere near the number of tours that happen today. I think that today he would probably average less (mid 80s perhaps) simply due to exhaustion.

Didn't they actually play more cricket back then? Like dozens of tour matches each tour.

Not to mention how exhausting the travelling itself would be compared to nowadays (a day flight and you're across the world compared to months(?) on a ship) then on the road pretty much every day you're not playing.

Not to mention the plethora of sports scientists, physios, doctors etc. they have nowadays to help them recover and prevent exhaustion that they didn't have back then.

Only thing I can think of is maybe they didn't train as much or as vigorously and you could argue they weren't under as much pressure but all I really don't think it's a valid observation to imply things were easy or less "exhausting" back then

 

[Daemon]

Didn't they actually play more cricket back then? Like dozens of tour matches each tour.

Not to mention how exhausting the travelling itself would be compared to nowadays (a day flight and you're across the world compared to months(?) on a ship) then on the road pretty much every day you're not playing.

Not to mention the plethora of sports scientists, physios, doctors etc. they have nowadays to help them recover and prevent exhaustion that they didn't have back then.

Only thing I can think of is maybe they didn't train as much or as vigorously and you could argue they weren't under as much pressure but all I really don't think it's a valid observation to imply things were easy or less "exhausting" back then

They were on the piss every night too, must've taken a lot out of them.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Don't think Bradman was - probably his biggest advantage?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Finally the secret of Bradman's success revealed. He was the only sober cricketer of his time.

 

[Red]

In my experience being extremely hungover is a way to achieve optimal performance on the field *

* hard wicket, lower grade club game

 

[Starfighter]

I think Jeff Thomson thought the same thing as well.

 

[Coronis]

Didn't they actually play more cricket back then? Like dozens of tour matches each tour.

Not to mention how exhausting the travelling itself would be compared to nowadays (a day flight and you're across the world compared to months(?) on a ship) then on the road pretty much every day you're not playing.

Not to mention the plethora of sports scientists, physios, doctors etc. they have nowadays to help them recover and prevent exhaustion that they didn't have back then.

Only thing I can think of is maybe they didn't train as much or as vigorously and you could argue they weren't under as much pressure but all I really don't think it's a valid observation to imply things were easy or less "exhausting" back then

When they weren't playing cricket they were working actual jobs too.

 

[stephen]

They only toured every couple of years. That has to be less mentally fatiguing than going on multiple tours each year like the pros do now.

 

[TheJediBrah]

They only toured every couple of years. That has to be less mentally fatiguing than going on multiple tours each year like the pros do now.

Really? How can you still think that?

I'd repeat my earlier post but you'd probably just ignore it again

 

[NotMcKenzie]

Of course, when the team was playing a test series at home, chances are the test players would have continued playing in their domestic competition, and some of them would also have played in the matches against the touring team; nowadays, they are usually pulled out of the f.c. competition. Would this be more or less fatiguing, both physically and mentally?

On the physical side, shorter formats are regarded as less physically exhausting overall than longer formats. Similarly, a shorter tour would be less physically exhausting than a longer tour simply because players are playing less.

Mentally, some (the worse touring members, as you might say) might find being away from home for long periods enough of a mental toll. And if you happen to be performing poorly and your side is playing 30 matches, it'd be a long tour for you. With shorter tours and the multiple competitions, there'd probably be more of an opportunity between/ after each to try reset your focus or unburden your mind.

 

[Daemon]

The fatigue levels must've been really high back then, playing so many games during the season and then rarely ever building up their fitness in the off season due to work. Bowlers would be so tired all the time. No wonder Bradman piled it on.