Bill Woodfull - Early Years

Early Years

Born in the central Victorian town of Maldon, Woodfull was the third of four sons of Reverend Thomas Staines Brittingham Woodfull, a Methodist preacher. The Woodfulls moved to Melbourne when Thomas was given a transfer to Collingwood Methodist Mission, in an inner city suburb. The religious traditionalism stayed with the younger Woodfull throughout his life. He once refused to play an interstate match that was scheduled for Christmas Day. Woodfull's father installed a net in the backyard and taught him the emphasis on defensive technique and patience that were to become his hallmark. 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 the level before he gained his qualification as a schoolteacher in 1919. Because of a bout of rheumatoid fever in childhood, Woodfull had stiff muscles and as a result was rejected when he tried to join the First Australian Imperial Force to fight in World War I. He was posted to Maryborough High School, and it was in the rural cricket competition that he began to gain attention. In 1920 and 1921, he accumulated 1,335 runs at average of 225.83 in the local competition.

When the England cricket team toured Australia in 1920–21, Woodfull played for a Ballarat XV, and scored 50 and 1. A teaching transfer in 1921 saw him return to Melbourne, where the Victorian selectors trialled him in Second XI fixtures during the 1921–22 season. In two matches against South Australia and New South Wales, he registered unbeaten scores of 186 and 227 respectively. At the time, Victoria had so much depth that their Second XI was of comparable strength to the first-choice teams from other states.

In early-1922, he made his Sheffield Shield debut against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval. He batted at No. 8 and made an unbeaten 22. Batting at No. 7 in his second match against Western Australia, Woodfull registered his maiden first-class century with 153. He was run out in his second and final innings of his debut first-class season, so he was yet to be dismissed by a bowler. Both matches were won by an innings, part of a dominant summer for the Victorians. During this time, he also studied for an arts degree at night in addition to his post at Williamstown High School.

The following season, Woodfull was promoted to open and his consistent performances in all conditions meant that he was to play there for the rest of his career. Between 1922 and 1926, he accumulated over 3,000 first-class runs at an average of 67.

In the first match of the 1922–23 season, Woodfull scored 74 run out and four not out as Victoria scraped past the Marylebone Cricket Club by two wickets. The next match against New South Wales was Woodfull's first against Victoria's arch-rivals. 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 showed a liking for the South Australian bowlers, scoring 0, 115, 123 and 94 not out as Victoria won both of their matches against the aforementioned team. He ended his first full season with 598 runs at 74.75. Despite this, Victoria lost the Sheffield Shield to New South Wales on scoring difference; both teams had finished equal on points.

He played in each match for the Victorian Sheffield Shield team in the 1923–24 season, when he scored 300 runs at 37.50, including a 117 against New South Wales. Victoria won all five of their matches and took the title.

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. He scored fifties in each of the four other matches, three of which were won. Woodfull ended the Australian season with 494 runs at 61.75. Woodfull was nevertheless omitted for selection in the Tests against the touring England team. 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. The unbeaten 150 was achieved on a sticky wicket. He ended the tour with 706 runs at 176.50. In one two-year period, Woodfull's defence was so solid that he was never bowled.

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.

As a result of consistent performances for Victoria, Woodfull was selected for Herbie Collins' Test team for the 1926 Ashes tour. He scored 148 and 64 as the Australians defeated Tasmania by an innings in consecutive matches before sailing for England. He ended the Australian season with 890 runs at 63.57.