▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁pr estig ious ▁jobs ▁in ▁Australian ▁cr icket . ▁The ▁annual ▁sal ary ▁of ▁£ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁would ▁make ▁Brad man ▁finan cially ▁secure ▁while ▁allowing ▁him ▁to ▁retain ▁a ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁game . ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁the ▁club ' s ▁committee , ▁on ▁the ▁casting ▁vote ▁of ▁the ▁chairman , ▁chose ▁former ▁Test ▁b ats man ▁Vern on ▁R ans ford ▁over ▁Brad man . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 3 9 – 4 0 ▁season ▁was ▁Brad man ' s ▁most ▁product ive ▁ever ▁for ▁SA : ▁ 1 , 4 4 8   run s ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁of ▁ 1 4 4 . 8 . ▁He ▁made ▁three ▁double ▁centuries , ▁including ▁ 2 5 1 ▁not ▁out ▁against ▁NS W , ▁the ▁inn ings ▁that ▁he ▁r ated ▁the ▁best ▁he ▁ever ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁She ff ield ▁Sh ield , ▁as ▁he ▁t amed ▁Bill ▁O ' Re illy ▁at ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁his ▁form . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁an ▁era . ▁The ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁in defin ite ▁post pon ement ▁of ▁all ▁cr icket ▁t ours , ▁and ▁the ▁susp ension ▁of ▁the ▁She ff ield ▁Sh ield ▁competition . ▁ ▁Tr ouble d ▁war ▁years ▁ ▁Brad man ▁joined ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Air ▁Force ▁( RA AF ) ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4