Scoring a century in one session? Unbelievable. Scoring three in a day? That’s Bradman for you.
Test cricket is often a slow, strategic grind. But on July 11, 1930, Sir Donald Bradman decided to treat it like a personal highlight reel. Facing England at Headingley, he didn’t just bat—he obliterated. By the end of the day, he had smashed 309 runs, a record that still makes cricket statisticians shake their heads in disbelief.
Let’s put that into perspective. Today, scoring a run-a-ball hundred in Tests is considered aggressive. Bradman? He hit three centuries in a single day. A hundred before lunch. Another before tea. A third before stumps. England’s bowlers weren’t just outplayed—they were embarrassed.
His final score? 334 runs. To put that into context, England’s entire first-innings total was just 391. One man, one bat, one unforgettable day.
The craziest part? Australia didn’t even bat first! England had a solid start, scoring 270, thinking they were in control. And then, Bradman walked in. By the time the day ended, he had single-handedly crushed their spirits. The scoreboard looked like something out of a video game glitch.
Think about it: in an era with uncovered pitches, heavy bats, and no helmets, Bradman played at a tempo modern cricketers can only dream of. Some say T20 cricket is revolutionizing the game—but Bradman was already doing it nearly a century ago.
In a sport obsessed with records, this one remains untouched. Not even the fastest modern-day Test batsmen—think Sehwag, Gilchrist, or Bazball’s finest—have come close to matching this feat.
So here’s the question: will anyone ever break Bradman’s 309-in-a-day record? Or is it cricket’s ultimate, unbreakable flex?
