Emerson Rodwell - First-class Career

First-class Career

Despite the interruption of more than six years to his cricketing career due to the war, Rodwell returned to Glenorchy Cricket Club after being demobbed, and set about where he had left off by terrorising the competition in the 1946-47 season. He immediately caught the attention of the state selectors, who finally gave him his long-awaited first-class debut against Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in January 1948. On debut he made 14 and 23, but performed much better with the ball, taking 3/67 in the first innings, but not getting to bowl in the second, as Victoria won by 10 wickets within 9 overs.

Rodwell made the only first-class century of his career on 25 January 1950. Going into the second day of a three-day game against Victoria, the Tasmanians were trailing by 12 runs on the first innings. They began their second innings with an excellent partnership between Ronald Thomas and Rodwell, taking the score past 100 without loss. Thomas soon departed, but Rodwell was in the finest form of his career, soon passing 100 himself. However, once he reached the milestone, he was dismissed soon after for 104, caught behind by Bert Wright off the bowling of Bernard Considine. His century had given Tasmania a lead of 297, but Victoria chased down the runs, winning by 4 wickets.

By 1950 Rodwell had been appointed as state captain, and enjoyed reasonable success, winning one and drawing two of the five matches he led the side for. It was an astute piece of captaincy on the part of Rodwell that led to the victory. After winning the toss and putting Victoria in to bat first, Tasmania skittled the Victorians for 119, setting up the victory. In 1956, Rodwell, at the age of 35 decided to retire from first-class cricket having scored 709 runs and taken 8 wickets in 18 matches, and then returned to concentrating on his career at Glenorchy Cricket Club.