Bradman's Greatest Hour: How Australia Came From 2-0 Down to Win the Ashes
Australia rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win the 1936-37 Ashes series 3-2, marking the only time the Australian team has overturned such a series lead. Early in the series, Don Bradman faced personal tragedy with the death of his first-born son, which affected his form in the opening innings.
The pivotal moment came during the third Test at Melbourne, where Bradman employed tactical fielding and declared innings strategically to exploit the conditions. The match drew a crowd of 87,000 spectators and was dominated by a remarkable day in which 13 wickets fell in just three hours.
Bradman and Jack Fingleton forged a crucial 346-run partnership for the sixth wicket, featuring Bradman's remarkable score of 270 runs in 437 minutes. This helped Australia build a 221-run lead, setting a daunting target of 689 for England, who were unable to chase it.
In the fourth Test at Adelaide, Bradman continued his exceptional form with a score of 212, enabling Australia to draw level in the series at 2-2 with a 148-run victory. The final Test saw Bradman score 169 runs, helping Australia secure an innings-and-200-run win to clinch the series 3-2.
Bradman's captaincy during this series is notable for never losing a series under his leadership. Wisden later ranked his innings of 270 at Melbourne as the greatest innings of all time.
