Name:

Woodfull, William M

Nickname:

Bill, Mutt

Date of Birth:

22-08-1897

Place of Birth:

Maldon, VIC

Career:

Test: 1926 - 1934

Teams:

Australia (Country)
VIC (Regional)

1930: Jack Ryder replaced as skipper by Woodfull

Bill Woodful: Skipper who regained the Ashes twice in England

Bill Woodfull was born in the small Victorian town of Maldon, from which he inherited his middle name. He did not play cricket in a regular team until he was 22 and first played against Englishmen at Ballarat in 1920‐21.

Woodfull always considered himself as a schoolteacher first. In 1919, he gained qualification as a schoolteacher and later had a successful career as a mathematics teacher with Melbourne High School and was a headmaster there for six years. He was qualified as a Bachelor of Arts with a Diploma of Education.

Woodful made a late Test debut at Trent Bridge at the age of 28 on the 1926 tour of England. He opened and scored 141 in the third Test of that series, better known for Macartney's century before lunch after Bardsley had been dismissed first ball. Woodfull followed this with a 117 in the fourth Test, and over the next 8 years he did not miss a Test in his seven series.

Aged 33, Woodfull was named as the Australian captain for the tour of England in 1930. He was successful in regaining the Ashes thanks to Bradman's brilliance. Then he repeated the performance in England in 1934, after England had won the Ashes in 1932‐33 Bodyline series.

Woodfull was offered a knighthood for his services to cricket and for his actions during the Bodyline series, but he declined the honour stating that he considered his work as a teacher more important than cricket. Later in life, he admitted, “Had I been awarded it for being an educationalist, then I would have accepted it. But under no circumstances would I accept it for playing cricket.”. He later accepted an OBE for services to Education in 1963.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter