Famous Cricketers No 57 - W. M. Woodfull

33. Australian XI v Western Australia, Perth, March 12, 13, 15 (Australian XI won by an innings and 45 runs) run out (M.Inverarity/R.H.Hewson) 0 424 282 97 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Sheffield Shield 4 8 0 597 236 74.62 2 2 2 Other matches 5 6 0 293 148 48.33 1 1 1 Season 9 14 0 890 236 63.57 3 3 3 Career 33 54 12 3163 236 75.30 11 15 22 1926 – Australians in England Last man to be chosen for the tour of England, Woodfull started with 201 against Essex and followed with 118 against Surrey. Thus he became the first Australian to score centuries in his first two innings in England. He headed the Australian batting aggregates and averages and was named as one of Wisden ’s ‘Five Cricketers of the Year’. Wisden said “Woodfull [was] the most dependable and consistent run-getter in the team.” Scoring 1,672 runs at 57.65, Woodfull became the first Australian to average over 50 on his first tour. Woodfull “excelled in placing the ball to the on” and scored many singles in the arc between square leg and mid-on. His 201 against Essex contained only 14 boundaries but was scored in a little over four hours. His 118 against Surrey was made at a slower pace. He reached 100 without hitting a four, the first player to have ever done so at first-class level. His scoring gradually became less prolific. Gilligan thought this was because “initially the English captains stopped him on the on-side. Having few off-side shots he struggled.” He soon improved, because according to Wisden , “He possessed unlimited patience, he watches the ball most carefully, plays with a very straight bat and gets remarkable power in the strokes he makes so late.” He did not bat on his Test debut, the game being almost completely washed out. In the second Test he made 13 and 0. He then went through a bad patch, scoring only 120 runs in ten innings. Things improved thereafter with consecutive Test centuries (141 at Headingley and 117 at Old Trafford). Woodfull batted almost five hours in his first Test century and “if not attractive to watch, [it] was a triumph of sound skilful batting”. He added 253 for the second wicket with McCartney and played a “masterful game all day, offering an impregnable defence and making nothing like a mistake whilst bringing off numerous fine drives.” His second century was “a highly meritorious innings.” He shared a fine partnership with McCartney, adding 192 for the second wicket. The only match with a result was the last Test where Australia gained a first innings lead but were then bowled out for 125 when chasing over 400. Larwood picked up Woodfull for a ‘duck’ in the Fifth Test, something he was to achieve more often than any other first-class bowler. Wisden thought Woodfull’s “batting seemed a little laboured by reason of the fact that he never lifted his bat any noticeable distance from the ground. Blessed with strong forearms, he could drive with great power. He is a very remarkable batsman.” During the tour Woodfull had consecutive innings of 102*, 141, 65, 117 and 156. Against An England XI, Woodfull carried his bat through an innings for the first time, scoring 116* out of 281. He “batted admirably for more than four and a half hours”. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 34. Australians v Essex, Leyton, May (5), 6, 7 (Match drawn) b A.B.Hipkin 201 538-9d 5-2 35. Australians v Surrey, Kennington Oval, May 8, 10 ,11 (Match drawn) c T.F.Shepherd b J.H.Lockton 118 395 265 did not bat - 74-2 36. Australians v M.C.C., Lord’s, May 15, 17, 18 (Match drawn) b N.E.Haig 0 383-9d 199 1 83-4 1 14