as the chart (left) reveals. Age did not seem to diminish his abilities; in his last eight Test innings, aged 31–32, he passed 50 five times and scored two of his three Test hundreds. Comparing players from Test cricket is an exercise usually flawed by the different conditions, rules of the day and oppositions faced. However, a useful comparison can be made between Barnes and Bradman because they were contemporaries in the same team. Bradman is generally acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time, fully a third better (statistically) than the next best man in history (see completed career averages chart, right). Barnes and Bradman played together in three series. In those series, Barnes's averages bear comparison to Bradman's, particularly in the more combative Ashes series: Another way of viewing a player's performance without distortion is by using the world rankings, which have been applied retrospectively to assess the careers of past players. However, the ratings employ a measure to "damp down the oscillation of points of new players". Because Barnes played only 19 Test innings, his performances are weighted to just under 85% of their full value. Consequently, even in his own day, he is rated as no better than seventh in the world, at his peak. Test match performance Notes References Preston, Hubert (ed., 1949): Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1949, London: John Wisden. Robinson, Ray (1985): After Stumps Were Drawn—the Best Of Ray Robinson's Cricket Writing'', Collins. . External links 1916 births 1973 suicides New South Wales cricketers Australia Test cricketers The Invincibles (cricket) Drug-related deaths in Australia Barbiturates-related deaths People with bipolar disorder Australian cricketers Cricketers from Sydney Suicides in New South Wales Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army soldiers