Greatest Cricket Moments

Bradman's 100th First-Class Hundred — SCG, 15 November 1947

1947-11-15An Australian XI v IndiaAn Australian XI v India, tour match, Sydney Cricket Ground, 14-18 November 1947 — Bradman 1722 min readSeverity: Serious

Summary

On 15 November 1947 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Don Bradman became the first Australian — and the first non-Englishman — to make 100 first-class centuries. He reached the milestone with a single off the off-spin of Gogumal Kishenchand, a player Lala Amarnath had brought on for that very over despite Kishenchand having bowled barely an over all tour. Bradman went on to 172 in 177 minutes; he would finish his first-class career with 117 hundreds, a figure no Australian has approached since.

Background

Bradman's pre-war first-class hundreds had come at unprecedented frequency — one every 4.4 innings — but war and fibrositis had paused him at 99 from late 1940. By November 1947 he had played a few innings short of fifty since his return.

Build-Up

Australia's selectors were watching this match closely; Bradman had publicly admitted his back might not stand five Tests. A hundred would settle his Test place for the season.

What Happened

An Australian XI led by Bradman hosted Lala Amarnath's Indian tourists in the warm-up to the post-war Test series. Bradman, on 99 first-class hundreds going in, was watched by an SCG crowd that knew exactly what was at stake.

With the score on 99 and the last over before tea, Amarnath — recognising the moment — walked across to Kishenchand and tossed him the ball. Kishenchand, primarily a batsman, had not bowled all tour. Bradman pushed his second ball gently into the leg side for a single, raised his bat to a standing ovation and was congratulated by the Indian fielders before tea was taken.

He went on to 172 in 177 minutes (18 fours, one six) before being bowled by Hazare. The hundred was his only one of the warm-up matches and a sign that he meant to play the Test series, not just appear in it.

Key Moments

1

14 Nov 1947 — match begins, India bat first

2

15 Nov, before tea — Bradman moves to 99

3

Amarnath gives the ball to Kishenchand

4

Bradman pushes a single to bring up his 100th first-class hundred

5

Bradman 172 b Hazare

6

An Australian XI win by an innings

Timeline

14 Nov 1947

Match begins, SCG

15 Nov 1947

Bradman scores 100th first-class century

1948-49

Career ends with 117 hundreds

Notable Quotes

“It was Lala's idea — he wanted Kishen to have the honour of bowling the ball.”

— Vijay Hazare, in My Story (1981)

Aftermath

The hundred locked in Bradman's Test selection and lifted the gloom that had hung over his comeback. He went on to score 715 runs at 178.75 in the four-Test series.

⚖️ The Verdict

A milestone unique in Australian cricket history. Bradman remains, more than 75 years on, the only Australian to score 100 first-class hundreds, and his graciousness toward Kishenchand and Amarnath has often been retold as an example of cricket's manners surviving the war.

Legacy & Impact

Bradman's 100th hundred stands at the top of an exclusive list — only one Australian (Bradman) features among the 25-plus members of the 100-hundreds club. The Kishenchand cameo, replayed in countless documentaries, became a small symbol of the courtesy with which the first Indian tour of Australia was conducted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who bowled the milestone ball?▾
Gogumal Kishenchand, a part-time off-spinner whom Lala Amarnath specifically brought on for the over.
What did Bradman score?▾
172 in 177 minutes before being bowled by Vijay Hazare.
How many first-class hundreds did Bradman finish with?▾
117 — still the Australian record.

Tags

#bradman#100-hundreds#scg#1947#india#first-class#kishenchand#milestone

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