As we celebrate what would have been 100 years of Bradman it is right to recall just how good was this master of the willow.

Apart for six no scores the late Sir Don also made two ones and a four in the 80 innings he played in just 52 tests where he amassed 6996 runs at the amazing average of 99.94.

A sign of his prowess is seen by the fact that the one to make more runs than him in tests was Greg Chappell with 7110 at 53.46, but in 88 games.

Bradman didn’t figure in many major partnerships although he and Alan Kippax put on 363 for NSW against Queensland in 1933/34, and he bettered this in tests with 405 (Sid Barnes was his partner ) in 1946/47 and 451 with Alan Ponsford at Leeds in 1934.

Described once as “a victim of his own fame” Sir Donald batted 96 times in 62 Sheffield Shield games to score 8926 at an average of 110.19. It took David Hookes 120 matches and 96 innings to better Don’s runs aggregate and yet he could only manage an average of 47.78.

Also described as “most gentlemanly, polite, ruthless and the most effusive sporting dominator who ever lived” for those of us lucky to see him bat the memories will linger for ever.

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Ill fated from the start

Well, well, now the long awaited Southern Gateway Centre atop the mountain before you dip down into Wollongong is set to cost ratepayers an extra million dollars plus.

Ill fated from its origins this potential white elephant situated where it is on a bend on the F6 and unattainable to traffic travelling north has become another yolk around our necks.

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A point well made

Former Shellharbour councillor Helen Stewart made a telling point when she was quoted after a recent public rally as suggesting if ratepayers wanted accountable city councillors then they themselves had to take a more active interest in their communities.

Organised by the recently formed Wollongong Against Corruption (WAC) the rally attracted upwards of 150 people and a majority expressed strong criticism of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) for the time being taken in tabling its findings on investigations into the running of the Wollongong City Council and the roles of local State politicians.

And, so say all of us. But we must remember we live in NSW where hard decisions don’t come easy.

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What a finish

Just when we thought our Gold Medals had dried up in Beijing along came Matthew Mitchum and Steve Hooker to give a further boost to our athletes’ successes at the Olympic Games.

Butcher’s effort in the 10 metres springboard dive, particularly that amazing last leap, had to be seen to be believed, and what about Hooker’s equally incredible pole vault success?

Now we have Olympics guru John Coates suggesting the Federal Government needs to step in and spend more of our taxpayers money on better preparing the athletes for future Games.

Let’s face it we were only three medals down on the previous games and maybe there are many, many taxpayers out there who would suggest enough is enough.

The thought that was expressed over the weekend that maybe the fault lies in the fact we not only have a national sporting institute but all the States have like organisations was an interesting one.

Maybe before we slug the taxpayers again the structure of sports management in Australia should be looked at.

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