Usain Bolt finds uncanny resemblance with Don Bradman after finishing with bronze in final 100m race of his career

Reuters, Screengrab (Youtube)

New Delhi: The month is August. The day was sixth. Usain Bolt stood near the starting blocks to run the final 100m race of his career. 56,600 pairs of eyes stayed fixed on the 'fastest man on earth' as he was all geared up to defend his title for one last time, at the IAAF World Championships 2017, in London. But it all ended in dismay and somehow cricket lovers found an uncanny resemblance between Don Bradman and Bolt. Scratching your head...huh?

The gun shot hit, as the sprinters raced off. 21-year-old Christian Coleman started off great, leading the pack right from the start. Bolt was still behind....still behind...and then slowly catching up. Justin Gatlin in lane number seven was trying to take a lead. Tight race...and there goes Gatlin all the way with the gold medal. The American clocked 9.92 seconds, followed by his countrymen and the sprinter he mentored, Coleman timing 9.94 seconds. Bolt finished third clocking 9.95 seconds.

It was indeed a complete heartbreak. For once people had thought and expected and strongly desired that the 30-year-old would bid adieu to his world, to his fans in the classiest way possible. But those happen in fairytales, right? His golden farewell was gate crashed by the 35-year-old American whose first gold medal victory in 12 years at Worlds was cheered with boos. Not just London, all those who were glued to their television sets on early Sunday morning were rather soaked in astonishment.

Now time to turn back the clock. 69 years before. It was August then. The 1948 Ashes series. Australia was in England with the final Test match played at the Oval. The visitors had already wrapped up the series in their favour by then, 4-0 was the lead.

Opting to bat first, England were bundled out for an abysmal 52, with pacer Ray Lindwall scalping a six-fer. Australia, in reply, had taken off to a glorious start. 117-run opening partnership after which Sid Barnes departed. Don Bradman stepped in next as whole of Oval echoed his name. It was the last Test match of his life, and turned out to be his last innings too. Interestingly, he needed just four runs to become the only batsman with a Test average of 100. He was then on 99.94.

English wrist spinner Eric Hollies had bowled a deceptive googly as the ball sneaked through between the bat and the pad and rattled against the stumps. Out! Duck out! The greatest batsman of all time was dismissed on the very second delivery of his batting. Unfortunate for the legend, England were defeated by an innings and he didn't get another opportunity to bat. His average still stood and stands as 99.94.

Two legends, both ended their career in August and in an almost similar way. As for Bolt, he did find himself alongside greatest like Muhammad Ali and Pele, as he had wished for, prior to the Rio Olympics. Well, both had bid adieu to their sports in a similar manner. While Pele failed to score a goal in his very last game for Brazil, Muhammad Ali had lost his final bout. They are also human after all, probably that's how they part.