Don Bradman still ranks the best

August 26, 2008 16:06 IST

Sir Donald George Bradman, the legendary Australian is considered, without argument, the greatest batsman ever to grace the game.

Bradman retired in 1948 with 6,996 runs in 52 Tests for the stunning average of 99.94 -- which experts say will never be equalled, let alone surpassed.

A look at the batsmen with the highest averages in Test cricket:

Batsman	For	Avg	Mts	Inns	NO	Runs	Hs	100s	50s	0s
DG Bradman	Aus	99.94	52	80	10	6996	334	29	13	7
Desmond Lewis	WI	86.33	3	5	2	259	88	0	3	0
BA Richards	SA	72.57	4	7	0	508	140	2	2	0
MEK Hussey	Aus	68.38	25	42	8	2325	182	8	9	1
CS Dempster	NZ	65.73	10	15	4	723	136	2	5	0
BH Valentine	Eng	64.86	7	9	2	454	136	2	1	0
SG Barnes	Aus	63.06	13	19	2	1072	234	3	5	1
Taslim Arif	Pak	62.63	6	10	2	501	210*	1	2	1
RG Pollock	SA	60.97	23	41	4	2256	274	7	11	1
GA Headley	WI	60.83	22	40	4	2190	270*	10	5	2
H Sutcliffe	Eng	60.73	54	84	9	4555	194	16	23	2
C Bannerman	Aus	59.75	3	6	2	239	165*	1	0	0
E Paynter	Eng	59.23	20	31	5	1540	243	4	7	3
KF Barrington	Eng	58.67	82	131	15	6806	256	20	35	5
EdeC Weekes	WI	58.62	48	81	5	4455	207	15	19	6
KS Duleepsinhji	Eng	58.53	12	19	2	995	173	3	5	0
WR Hammond	Eng	58.46	85	140	16	7249	336*	22	24	4
RT Ponting	Aus	58.38	119	199	26	10099	257	35	40	8
Gary Sobers	WI	57.78	93	160	21	8032	365*	26	30	12
JB Hobbs	Eng	56.95	61	102	7	5410	211	15	28	4
CAG Russell	Eng	56.88	10	18	2	910	140	5	2	2