William Maldon Woodfull (22 August 1897 – 11 August 1965) was an Australian cricketer of the 1920s and 1930s. He captained both Victoria and Australia, and was best known for his dignified and moral conduct during the tumultuous bodyline series in 1932–33. Trained as a schoolteacher, Woodfull was known for his benevolent attitude towards his players, and his patience and defensive technique as an opening batsman. His opening pairing with fellow Victorian Bill Ponsford for both his state and Australia remains one of the most successful in history. While not known for his tactical skills, Woodfull was widely admired by his players and observers for his sportsmanship and ability to mould a successful and loyal team through the strength of his character.

Woodfull started playing cricket from a young age. He made his professional debut in Melbourne's district competition staying until the age of 19. He made his first-class debut for Victoria at the age of 24 late in 1921–22. After scoring a century in his second match, Woodfull was promoted to open the following season, and he opened for the rest of his career. After scoring three centuries, including a 236, in 1925–26, he was selected for the 1926 tour of England. Woodfull made eight centuries during the tour and topped the Australian averages and was named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year.

Upon returning to Australia, Woodfull established his partnership with Ponsford, and in 1926–27 Shield season, they put on a record-breaking 375-run opening stand, setting up a world record first-class team score of 1107. Woodfull was appointed as vice-captain to Jack Ryder for the 1928–29 home Ashes series. He carried his bat in a record-breaking first Test defeat. Although England easily won 4–1, Woodfull scored three centuries, and added his best first-class score for 275 not out. Woodfull reluctantly became captain in 1930 when Ryder was dropped, and his team was derided as the worst Australian squad to tour England. It was the youngest squad to leave Australia, prompting commentators to label the team "Woodfull's kindegarten". Despite his leaden appearance, he often advanced down the pitch to spin bowling.

As a captain, Woodfull was known for his courage and high moral principles in the face of the bodyline series. Fellow player Stan McCabe described him as "the greatest man I ever met", He added that "Woodfull's unrivalled selflessness won fidelity bordering on devotion". Australian cricket writer Jack Pollard said that "Woodfull had the habit of being where things were tough, and he brought rare dignity to the Australian captaincy". and while O'Reilly and McCabe were full of praise for Woodfull, While Woodfull himself never touched alcohol due to his strict adherence to his religious principles, At the time, cricketers widely regarded beer as a highly effective means of rehydration, and on one occasion Woodfull threatened to halt play when administrators refused his players more ale on the grounds that they had already consumed their quota.

Early years

Born in the central Victorian town of Maldon, Woodfull was the third of four sons of Gertrude Lilian (Abey) Woodfull (1872–1941) and Rev. Thomas Staines Brittingham Woodfull (1863–1941), a Methodist preacher. The Woodfulls moved to Melbourne when Thomas was given a transfer to Collingwood Methodist Mission, in an inner city suburb. Woodfull attended Melbourne High School and his early career was unremarkable. He made his district cricket debut in 1916 for Essendon, at the age of 19, but did not distinguish himself. He played no further cricket at that level before he gained his qualification as a schoolteacher in 1919. At the time, Victoria had so much depth that their Second XI was of comparable strength to the first-choice teams from other states. Woodfull made 47 in the first innings before being dismissed by Test leg spinner Arthur Mailey. After exactly 300 first-class runs, a bowler had dismissed him for the first time. He then made an unbeaten 84 to steer his team to a seven-wicket victory.

He played in each match for the Victorian Sheffield Shield team in the 1923–24 season, when he scored 300 runs at 37.50,

In a match against New South Wales in 1924–25, he compiled 81 and 120 not out as Victoria managed to take a seven-wicket win after their opponents had accumulated 614 in the first innings. As a reward for winning the Sheffield Shield, Victoria embarked on a tour of New Zealand at the end of the season. Woodfull scored 212 not out against Canterbury, before scoring 110, 50 and 150 against New Zealand without being dismissed at all.

During the 1925–26 season, players were vying for selection for the 1926 Ashes tour. The selectors were interested in Woodfull and selected him for an Australian XI to play the Rest of Australia in a Test trial. He made 11 and 42 as The Rest upset the Australian XI. After three matches without passing 53, Woodfull added 97 and 236 in a match against South Australia. He scored 126 in the next match, but was unable to stop an innings defeat to New South Wales for the second time in the season. They were the first of eight centuries during the tour, in which he compiled 1809 runs at 58.35. Woodfull put on a second wicket partnership of 235 with Charlie Macartney to register his maiden Test century of 141. Macartney launched a vicious counterattack and became the second Australian to score a Test century before lunch on the opening day; this bold play helped Woodfull to settle in and the Australians to seize the initiative on a bowler-friendly surface. The tourists made 494 on the sticky wicket and forced England to follow on, but were unable to finish them off. In the closing stages of the tour, Woodfull compiled his eighth and final century of the campaign, an unbeaten 116 against an England XI in a drawn match. which laid the foundation for the world record first-class score of 1107 against New South Wales. The stand eclipsed the Sheffield shield record of 298 for the first wicket by Victor Trumper and Reg Duff in 1902–03.

Woodfull recorded his career best score of 284, compiled in five and a half hours of batting, He scored centuries in the first two matches before adding fifties in the next two. He ended the first-class matches with 781 runs at 130.16. The Australian board had spent a great deal of time arguing over whether Woodfull or Victor Richardson should be Ryder's deputy, before realising that the selectors had omitted the latter. With six members of the team that played in the last Test in 1926 having retired, Australia would field a young and inexperienced team. Woodfull then made 68 to top-score in the first innings of the second Test in Sydney. Australia conceded another mammoth first innings lead, 383. Woodfull made only one and 30 as Australia fell short by 12 runs in the fourth Test in Adelaide, but ended the season on a high. The match was a high-scoring draw.

Woodfull started the 1929–30 Australian season by scoring an unbeaten 100 against the touring MCC, overseeing a successful run-chase.]]

After the heavy 4–1 defeat in the previous Ashes series, captain and fellow Victorian Jack Ryder was omitted altogether from the 1930 Ashes tour, and Woodfull appointed captain. Ryder was one of the three selectors and advocated his own retention, but his two colleagues had voted him off. At first, Woodfull was reluctant to accept the job, feeling that it rightfully belonged to Ryder. When he was informed that Ryder was not even touring, Woodfull only agreed after a ballot was organised. Woodfull had limited leadership experience and in his brief captaincy duties had been the first captain to declare his team's second innings in Shield history.

The tour started with a match against Worcestershire, with Woodfull scoring a century and Don Bradman making 236* in 275 minutes. Woodfull then added consecutive fifties in draws against the MCC and Surrey. After consecutive innings wins of Oxford University and Hampshire, Woodfull completed his Test preparation by striking 216 in an innings win over Cambridge University.

However, Woodfull's Test captaincy started poorly in the first Test at Trent Bridge; he scored two and four as Australia fell to a 93-run defeat, Woodfull then made a 231-run stand with Bradman (254) in only two and a half hours and reached 155. With the series tied at 1–1 the fifth Test at The Oval was a timeless match. Woodfull won the toss and after England made 405, he scored 54 as Australia amassed 695 to win by an innings and regain the Ashes 2–1.

Upon returning to Australia, Woodfull was elected as Victoria's delegate on the five-man national selection panel, replacing Ryder. However, he resigned from the role before the next international series, thereby never participating in the selection of a Test team.

This was followed by home series against the West Indies in 1930–31, the first Test tour of Australia by the Caribbean side. He ended the summer with 477 runs at 47.70. He then managed only 32 and nine as Victoria narrowly lost to South Australia by 21 runs. to help Australia make 554 and set up a 169-run win. but Australia won by an innings and 72 runs in the equivalent of a single day's play on a sticky wicket. and voted the most important Australian moment by a panel of Australian cricket identities.

England's bodyline tactics, which involved bowling at speeds of around 150 km/h at the heads and torsoes of the Australian batsmen—including Woodfull—and employing a close leg-side cordon to catch balls fended away from the upper body, caused great controversy and ill-feeling among Australian players and crowds. However, they also hoped to restrict the other batsmen, Woodfull among them, through such means.

During the season, Woodfull's physical courage, stoic and dignified leadership won him many admirers. He refused to employ retaliatory tactics and did not publicly complain even though he and his men were repeatedly hit— Once the issue was resolved, and practice stopped, Woodfull refused to discuss the matter, fearing that it would disturb the peace.

Woodfull started the season strongly, scoring 74 and 83 in a loss to New South Wales in the second match of the summer, The match was drawn and Woodfull struggled, making 18 and a duck. This caused the toss to be delayed and fomented speculation that the Australian Board of Control were considering the possibility of removing Woodfull because of his absolute refusal to allow his bowlers to use retaliatory tactics. His deputy Victor Richardson had advocated retaliation along with several other players. Richardson recalled Woodfull's private response:

left|thumb|Woodfull (left) walks out to open the batting with Vic Richardson in the final Bodyline Test.

In the meantime, the second innings in Adelaide saw England set Australia a near-impossible 532 for victory; even today, Australia lost its first wicket at three when Jack Fingleton was bowled by Larwood. Woodfull was joined by Bradman, who played in an unorthodox counterattacking method, before being dismissed for 66. Woodfull continued on to score an unbeaten 73, carrying his bat as his teammates capitulated around him. Australia was eventually all out for 193, with Oldfield unable to bat due to his fractured skull.

Woodfull made scores of 67, 19, 14 and 67 in the final two Tests, which Australia lost by six and eight wickets respectively. In the fifth Test in Sydney, Larwood broke a bone in his foot, but Jardine made him complete the over, even though the laws of cricket permit a captain to switch bowlers mid-over in the case of injury. Larwood stood stationary at the wicket and bowled without a run-up, but Woodfull refused to take advantage of the injured bowler. He blocked the five remaining deliveries back down the wicket towards Larwood and refused to take a run.

England reclaimed the Ashes 4–1. Woodfull led Australia back to England on a tour that had been under a cloud after the tempestuous cricket diplomacy of the previous bodyline series. After agreements were put in place so that bodyline would not be used, the tour went ahead. However, there were occasions when the Australians felt that their hosts had crossed the mark with tactics resembling bodyline.

Woodfull started his final English campaign slowly. In his first eight innings, he scored only 161 runs at 20.12 with one half-century. his men went on to win by 238 runs,

He then scored 73 run out, his only fifty in the Tests, as Australia made 491 and ceded a 136-run lead in the third Test at Old Trafford. However, they held on for a draw. Woodfull made a duck in the fourth Test at Headingley,

In the lead-up to the decider, Woodfull ran into form. In consecutive innings, he scored 131 and 228 not out against Gloucestershire and Glamorgan respectively. Already angered by the absence of Larwood, the Nottinghamshire faithful heckled the Australians all day.

Retirement

thumb|Life-size bronze statue of Bill Woodfull outside Melbourne High School, by Linda Klarfeld

Woodfull spent several years as headmaster at Box Hill High School then principal at Upwey High School for four years. He was active in local cricket, being elected a senior vice-president of the Mountain District Cricket Association, representing the Upwey Cricket Club. In 1948 he embarked on a successful career as a mathematics teacher at Melbourne Boys High School, and was headmaster for six years. He was known for his stern discipline throughout his career. Miller was a mediocre student, as he did little study and focused his energy on sport. This disappointed Woodfull, a disciplined man who invoked the school motto, which meant Honour the Work and exhorted his students to work hard as Australia was attempting to emerge from the depths of the Great Depression. and was forced to repeat the year. Despite his credentials, Woodfull refused to involve himself in coaching the school's cricket teams, feeling that it would intrude on the responsibilities of the sports teachers. Despite this, Woodfull watched the students at cricket training and quickly noticed Miller's skills, writing in the school magazine that "Miller has Test possibilities". Other notable students included Doug Ring, a leg spinner who was a member of Bradman's Invincibles, left arm orthodox spinner Jack Wilson and world record breaking Olympic distance runner Ron Clarke. His two sons Jack and Bill Jr, played for Upwey cricket club and later at Melbourne University Cricket Club and became successful dentists. The citation made a veiled reference to Woodfull's actions during the bodyline episode. Woodfull always considered his contributions to education more important than anything he ever did on the cricket field, and declined the honour. Woodfull was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2001, one of the first 15 inductees.

!colspan=4| Bowling

|-

! style="text-align:left;" | Opposition

!| Matches

!| Runs

!| Average

!| High Score

!| 100 / 50

!| Runs

!| Wickets

!| Average

!| Best (Inns)

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="text-align:left;" |

|| 25

|| 1675

|| 44.07

|| 155

|| 6/8

|| –

|| –

|| –

|| –

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="text-align:left;" |

|| 5

|| 421

|| 70.16

|| 161

|| 1/3

|| –

|| –

|| –

|| –

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="text-align:left;" |

|| 5

|| 204

|| 34.00

|| 83

|| 0/2

|| –

|| –

|| –

|| –

|- style="text-align:right; border-top:solid 2px gray;"

| style="text-align:left;" | Overall

|| 35

|| 2300

|| 46.00

|| 161

|| 7/13

|| –

|| –

|| –

|| –

|}

References

Citations

Bibliography

<!--*Haigh, Gideon. "Sir Donald Bradman at 100." The Monthly, August 2008.-->

  • Donald Bradman, "Woodfull, William Maldon" Australian Dictionary of Biography