Don Bradman's name is almost as famous as the game itself. But, for an all-too-brief time at the start of his international career, it appeared likely that Australia would have two brilliant young batsmen from New South Wales in their ranks. It was a brief dream, and one ended cruelly by illness.
As a youngster just getting into cricket, I remember being bought a limited-edition cricket book which remains a treasured part of my collection and still one of my favourites. That it was about a player I had never heard of from an era which, at the time, seemed ancient history was soon forgotten as I became immersed in David Frith's The Archie Jackson Story.
Although he was almost exactly a year younger than Bradman, Jackson was the first of the pair to make his first-class debut by 13 months. His first-grade debut for Balmain came when he was only a month past his 15th birthday; Frith believes this to be a record.
He started the 1926-27 season in outstanding form and was called up by New South Wales for the game against Queensland in Brisbane. He had only just turned 17. He scored 5 and 86 on his debut and 4 and 100 in his second outing a week later. Jackson retained his place until a run of low scores, coupled with a boil on his knee, forced him to miss New South Wales' game against South Australia in December 1927. His place was taken by Bradman, who scored 118 and 33 on his debut. Jackson, returned to the side as an opener, responded with a pair of hundreds. He was rewarded with a post-season tour to New Zealand with an Australian XI; Bradman stayed at home.
It was Bradman, however, who played for Australia first, 11 months after his New South Wales debut. Both men had featured in the Test trial but neither had made runs, although Bradman ensured his selection with three hundreds in his next four innings.
