England look to match Bradman’s Headingley heroics

When Don Bradman has been mentioned this Ashes series, it’s usually been in the same sentence as Steve Smith when he has either broken, equalled or come close to one of The Don's many batting records.

While Smith is not playing the third Test, the shadow of Bradman will still be cast over the fourth – and likely final - day of the Leeds Test as England attempt to pull off a stunning run chase that, if successful, would put them alongside the Australian legend in the history books.

England require a further 203 to win having moved to 3-156 from 72 overs at stumps on day three after being set 359 to win by Tim Paine's side.

It’s a target no England team have ever reeled in.

Their highest successful run chase was 91 years ago in Melbourne in the third Ashes Test that spanned eight days, with no play on day two as it fell on a Sunday, as per the playing conditions of the time.

In that match, England batted 159.5 overs to chase down 332 with three wickets in hand. Opening batsman Herbert Sutcliffe made 135 from 462 balls as the backbone of the pursuit, one of six centuries scored in the Test.

One of those six was the first by a 20-year-old Bradman in just his second Test, having been dropped after his debut in the series opener in Brisbane after making 18 and 1.

Twenty years later, Bradman journeyed to England for his last Test tour as captain of the squad that would be known forever as the 'Invincibles', a party that left British shores almost five months later without losing one of the 31 first-class matches they competed.

Bradman's penultimate Test was played at Headingley, a venue he found very much to his liking. In his previous three Tests in Leeds, he’d scored 334 (1930), 304 (1934), and 103 and 16 (1938). 

So when set a mammoth 404 to win on the final day, the Australians would have liked their chances knowing they had Bradman, who was coming off a first innings score of only 33. He was due. 

Bradman promptly scored 173 not out and put on a 301-run second wicket stand with Arthur Morris, who made 182. Australia won by seven wickets to wrap up the series 3-0 with a Test to play. And we all know what happened at The Oval in Bradman's last Test.

Australia's chase of 404 represents the highest successful run chase at Leeds and the fourth-highest in Test history, giving hope to Joe Root's team that 359, on what has become a flat Headingley pitch, is possible.

If England can pull off the stunning win, they will not erase Bradman from the record books but will be mentioned alongside him. 

And get to know what it's like to be Steve Smith this series.

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL TEST RUN CHASES AT HEADINGLEY

3-404 – Australia beat England in 1948

5-322 – West Indies beat England in 2017

4-315 – England beat Australia in 2001

7-219 – England beat Pakistan in 1982

5-186 – England beat South Africa in 1929

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval