Captaincy
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 was unable to score any runs against his Test opponents, making a duck.
In the Tests, Woodfull unselfishly broke up his opening combination with Ponsford by dropping down to No. 6 to accommodate the prodigiously talented young batsman Archie Jackson. Woodfull was uncomfortable batting out of position, scoring six, 58 and 17 in the first three Tests. Woodfull batted only once in each Test, as Australia easily won the first Test by ten wickets, and the next two by an innings. Woodfull was restored to the top of the order for the fourth Test in Melbourne after Jackson's illness became too much, forcing the young batsman to withdraw from competition. Woodfull struck 83 run out as Australia took a third consecutive innings victory. He then scored his first century for the season, making 177 and 27 not out in a state match against South Australia.
However, Australia's winning run came to an end with a 30-run loss in the fifth Test, with Woodfull scoring 22 and 18. He ended the series with a modest 204 runs at 34.00 as Australia won 4–1. He ended the summer with 477 runs at 47.70.
The following season saw a tour to Australia by the South Africans for the first time in two decades. Woodfull started the season by scoring 121 and leading his state to an 88-run win over the tourists ahead of the Tests. It was a signal of what was to follow in the Tests. He then managed only 32 and nine as Victoria narrowly lost to South Australia by 21 runs.
Woodfull scored 74 and 58 as Australia took innings victories in the first two Tests over the South Africans in Brisbane and Sydney. He then scored 147 to script a three-wicket win over arch-rivals New South Wales, after Victoria had been forced to chase 434 for victory.
In the third Test in Melbourne, Australia found themselves on the back foot for the first time in the series. Woodfull scored only seven in the first innings, as Australia made only 198 and South Africa took a 160-run lead. He then compiled his Test best of 161 in the second innings, adding 274 in partnership with Bradman in only three hours, to help Australia make 554 and set up a 169-run win. It was the second successive Test season in which Woodfull had saved his highest Test score of the series for his home crowd. He continued his run with 82 and 37 not out in the fourth Test, which was won by ten wickets.
Woodfull had an opportunity to inflict more blows on the tourists as Victoria played them for the second time ahead of the final Test. While his state was unable to force a result, Woodfull continued his strong form with 44 and 73 not out. The Australian captain finished the season with a duck from the opening ball of the fifth Test, bowled after failing to offer a shot, but Australia won by an innings an 72 runs in the equivalent of a single day's play on a sticky wicket.
Woodfull opened for the entire series, and returned his best ever series figures of 421 at 70.17, second only to Bradman. The 5–0 result remains the only time that Australia has clean-swept South Africa over five Tests. He ended the season with 849 runs at 65.31.
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