Following in Don Bradman's footsteps in sunny Aberdeen

Given the state-of-the-art facilities they are used to back at home, the UAE’s leading cricketers might be forgiven for feeling trips away can be something of a comedown.

Certainly, the setting for their Cricket World Cup League 2 series in Scotland this month is a world away from the cavernous grandstands of Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium, and the ring-of-fire floodlights of Dubai.

Aberdeenshire Cricket Club, based in a suburb a leisurely 30-minute walk from the city centre, is situated on a pronounced slope.

On a number of occasions in UAE’s two matches so far, balls have been hit over the stone walls that mark the edge of the ground, and into neighbouring gardens.

On occasions, when they have stayed within the field’s perimeter, time has been spent searching the foliage for balls hit beyond the boundary rope.

If it is different to what the touring players are used to, they need to be aware of something significant: they have been treading historic turf.

Just shy of 74 years ago, the ground in Mannofield was the site of Donald Bradman’s last match in Britain.

It was the last match of the 1948 Ashes tour, during which Bradman’s Australians had established themselves as one of history’s greatest ever teams.

The two-day fixture at Mannofield was the last in a 34-match tour which they went through unbeaten, earning themselves the moniker “The Invincibles”.

They beat England 4-0 in the Test series, although those are not the most memorable digits of that tour.

Famously, Bradman went to the crease for his final Test at The Oval, requiring just four runs to end his career averaging 100.

He was bowled second ball by Eric Hollies, the Warwickshire leg-spinner, leaving him with a career average of 99.94.

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