MUMBAI - Other than Sachin Tendulkar (he obliged late Don Bradman's request and flew to Australia on his 90th birthday in 1998) one more Asian Test cricketer considers it to be a pride to have met the legendary Australian batsman. "During my trip to play for World Eleven (captain Gary Sobers) against Australia in 1972-73, Sir Don Bradman came specially to meet me at Adelaide Airport. I consider it to be the happiest moment and great honour of my life. I have preserved this picture and shall cherish it throughout my life," former Pakistani batsman Zaheer Abbas said on the birth centenary (August 27) of Don Bradman. "I also had an another occasion to meet Bradman. Once when I was buying an opel (gem stone) for my mother (late Kaning Fatima), Bradman called me and enquired about the opel. He was extremely happy to learn the cause of me buying it for my mother". Zaheer himself was known as Bradman of Asia. "Nobody can ever be greater than him. I respect the greatest batsman world has ever produced", Zaheer added. "I wish his family a good health on this occasion," he said. "Bradman's valedictory appearance in Tests was the anti-climax of his long and brilliant career," says India's noted cricket statistician. He was dismissed on 0 off the second ball. He had announced his desire to retire from Test Cricket, at the commencement of the tour of England in 1948, and hence the fans, knowing that the Oval Test was his valedictory appearance in Tests, gave him a standing ovation from the moment he stepped on the field till he reached the crease", says Vaidya. "England captain Norman Yardley called the English team for three cheers to Bradman and wished Bradman luck. Some of them from the crowd had waited all night on pavements outside the Oval just to see this, his final Test innings," Vaidya further added. Bradman was emotionally overwhelmed by the ovation and hence his eyes were full of water and he could not see the first ball from the leg-spinner Eric Hollies and playing it mechanically, missed it and the second one, pitched further up, a googly, took his wicket, after he came forward to it. The crowd was silent. It was as though they had seen a death," Vaidya describes. "When the match ended, the crowd swarmed around the pavilion calling for Bradman. He told them, "No matter what you may read to the contrary, this is definitely my last Test match ever. I am sorry my personal contribution has been so small. There are two reasons for that. One was the generosity of the reception I received and, secondly, the very fine ball bowled to me".-