page_title: Bill Woodfull
section_title: Captaincy
hierarchical_section_title: Bill Woodfull / Captaincy
caption_attribution_description: English: Test batting chart of Bill Woodfull. Red columns are the runs in the innings. Blue dots indicate not outs. Blue line is average in the last ten innings. Thanks to Raven4x4x for providing the template.
context_page_description: William Maldon Woodfull OBE 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. Woodfull was not a flamboyant player, but was known for his calm, unruffled style and his reliability in difficult situations. 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 without distinction. 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.
context_section_description: 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. He was unanimously selected by the board. 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.
  After winning the vote, Woodfull led the youngest fifteen-man squad to ever tour England, with eleven never having played on English soil. Commentators expected Australia to be easily defeated, being described as "the weakest squad ever to come to these shores". In some quarters, the team was dubbed "Woodfull's kindergarten".
  The tour started with a match against Worcestershire, with Woodfull scoring a century and Don Bradman making 236* in 275 minutes. Woodfull's first game in command ended with a resounding innings victory. He added 54 in a win over Essex and scored 121 a drawn match against Yorkshire, the dominant county of the era with many leading Test players. 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. Heading into the Tests, Woodfull had amassed 662 runs at 66.20. However, concerns over the Australian bowling attack prompted Woodfull and the senior players to ask the board to send another spinner. This was refused.
  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, after losing their last seven wickets for 104. Immediately after, he scored 141 against Surrey.
  He set the tone with an opening stand of 162 with fellow Victorian Ponsford in the second Test at Lord's. Ponsford was dismissed immediately after the teams had an audience with King George V. Woodfull then made a 231-run stand with Bradman (254) in only two and a half hours and reached 155. Australia put themselves in control with 6/729 declared. Woodfull was unbeaten on 26 in the second innings as Australia reached 72 to complete a seven-wicket triumph. Woodfull then won the toss for the first time and contributed 50 to a stand of 192 with Bradman in the third Test at Headingley (the match in which Bradman scored 309 in a day). Australia reached 566 but rain helped England to a draw after being forced to follow on. Woodfull scored 54 as the fourth Test was rained out before the second innings. 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. During the Tests, Woodfull had contributed 345 runs at 57.50, second only to Bradman. In all first-class matches, he compiled 1,435 runs at 57.36 including six centuries. Woodfull and his fellow Victorian Ponsford played a significant part by making three century opening stands—162 at Lord's, 159 at The Oval and 106 at Old Trafford to help Australia take the initiative in three Tests. The Times commented that "No praise is too high for Woodfull" and commended the Australian captain's encouragement of his young team.
  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. Ahead of the Tests, Victoria defeated the tourists by an innings and 254, but Woodfull wa
caption: Woodfull's Test career batting performance. The red bars indicate the runs that he scored in an innings, with the blue line indicating the batting average in his last ten innings. The blue dots indicate an innings where he remained not out.[29]
exif: {}