SEVENTY years ago today, all-time Australian cricketing great, Donald Bradman, played his last innings in Britain at Mannofield in Aberdeen. It was in effect his final innings anywhere as afterwards he only played some benefit matches Down Under.

The occasion was a two-day game against Scotland, the last of a 34-match ‘Ashes Tour’ during which Bradman’s men swept all before them. They had clinched the Ashes 4-0 and had sailed through the Tour undefeated, the first team ever to do so in England, earning the nickname of ‘The Invincibles’.

As a result ‘The Don’ was becoming one of the most-recognisable figures in world sport, one whom the public found fascinating. For the skipper the trip had been a great success, except for one fly in the ointment. In the fifth Test at the Oval, he needed four runs to secure an unprecedented Test average of 100, a figure people thought he could notch in his sleep.

Bowler Eric Hollies thought differently and took his wicket for a duck second ball, leaving Bradman’s Test average teetering on 99.94. Although the Aberdeen fixture did not receive first-class status, Bradman, perhaps still smarting from his Oval disappointment, was determined to maintain the tourists’ unbeaten record, however unlikely a win for the Scots was. His majestic knock of 123 not out in 90 minutes nullified any chance of an upset to provide a fitting conclusion to his career.

Earlier that week, Australia had played Scotland at Edinburgh’s Raeburn Place, winning comfortably by over an innings. After relaxing with golf at Bruntsfield, the party made its way north by train in the early afternoon. Their travel plans were largely unknown, only a few fans were present on their arrival at Aberdeen station where they were greeted by Mr. D.C. Kelman, the Aberdeenshire Cricket Club secretary and the Rev. A.R. Shillinglaw, vice-president of the Scottish Cricket Union.

Those hoping for a glimpse of the fabled Bradman were disappointed as he jumped into a taxi for the short trip to the Caledonian Hotel where the party was staying. Immediately on reaching the hotel he went to bed, underlining the seriousness of his intentions regarding the forthcoming match.

His pursuit of success on the tour had been relentless, leading to criticism of his hardline tactics. Outstanding Aussie all-rounder Keith Miller recalled his captain’s instructions regarding the opposition at the outset: “Nail them into the ground when you get in front. Never let them get up.”

Despite such ruthlessness, he was extremely popular wherever he went  and later on an hour-long stroll in the city centre was stopped more than 20 times for autographs.

He said afterwards: “Folk will say that’s a compliment but try it yourself for 20 years and see what it does to your nervous system! It goes on all the time.”

This was Aberdeen’s biggest cricket occasion in 75 years since W.G. Grace and his United South of England team had played the North Eastern Counties of Scotland at the old Holburn ground in 1873. The arrival of the all-conquering tourists was hugely anticipated as cricket fever infected the Granite City.

Aberdeenshire Cricket Club ensured Mannofield was fit for the occasion, installing temporary seating to increase capacity while extra trams and buses were laid on, signed ‘To and from the Cricket’, to ferry spectators. These arrangements were justified when on the first day 8000 attended as Scotland made a decent start, reaching 156 for 5, former Hearts’ goalkeeper Tom Crosskey notching 49, but only adding 22 to total 178.

The visitors’ fielding was described as ‘a delight to watch’. Their batting yielded 96 for 3 with Bradman keeping himself for the second day – and what a treat he provided for those present. He hit 50 in half an hour, his century in 80 minutes, adding 23 in 10 minutes including two successive 6s off Willie Nichol, a Paisley newsagent and former professional footballer who had had the temerity to dismiss ‘The Don’ in Edinburgh on 27.

It was said ‘every stroke was cheered to the echo’ with Bradman commenting: “As a spectacle it must have been my best effort on the trip.” After declaring, Scotland’s second innings fell short despite a worthy 52 by Guy Willatt, a teacher at Edinburgh Academy, giving Australia a comfortable win and leaving the second day’s 10,000 crowd enthralled. The tourists praised their hosts for the state of their wicket and match arrangements.

The next day the Australians and Scots were invited to meet the Royal Family at Balmoral with the tourists particularly enthused by the warmth of their welcome. They were taken aback by the informality of the occasion and their hosts’ genuine interest in cricket. The tourists’ ‘bagman’ Bill Ferguson was enormously impressed the King took time to speak to him, to ask if he needed an adding machine for Bradman’s runs.

One sour note was the publication of a photo of Bradman speaking to the King with his hands in his pockets for which he was criticised, but clearly George VI thought nothing of it, awarding him a knighthood months later. Bradman wrote later on leaving Tilbury to return on the ‘Orontes’: “As I watched the pier gradually recede, I felt here was the end of a mission-without doubt it had been the grandest tour of all.”