Tasmanian Grade Cricket Career
Rodwell was one of the premier club cricket players of the immediate post-war period in Tasmania. He dominated the Tasmanian Grade Cricket competition as both a batsman and as a captain. Playing as an aggressive opening batsman for his beloved Glenorchy Cricket Club, whom he represented for his whole club career, Rodwell amassed 11,542 first grade runs from 337 innings at an average of 38.47. He also had the competition's highest season average on six occasions, and was the leading run-scorer five times. During the 1949-50 season he compiled 1071 runs for the season, still the competition's second highest tally behind Ronald Morrisby who made 1099 runs in 1950-51. His club career total of 11,542 is the third highest total in the competition's history behind Ronald Morrisby who made a remarkable 16,000 runs exactly, and Kenneth Burn who made 12,100 runs in his career. In the 1950-51 season Rodwell made his highest score of 215 against Kingborough Cricket Club at their home ground of Kingston Beach Oval.
Rodwell's prolific run-scoring as an opening batsman leads people to forget he was a talented all-rounder. Although only a medium pace bowler, he was able to move the ball quite dramatically off the pitch, and claimed 331 wickets during his club career. He also once claimed a wicket with a legitimate underarm delivery, as he had realised the technique had not been outlawed in the Tasmanian Grade Cricket Competition. His career best return was 7/44.
Rodwell was equally effective as Glenorchy's club captain. During his captaincy, the club dominated the TCA competition, winning seven titles, and being runner-up three times. They won the competition every season of the 1950s except for two (1954–55 and 1958–59). In all, Glenorchy won eight of their 14 TCA First Grade titles during his time as a player with the club. Rodwell's eight titles is still the most by a single player in TCA history.
Read more about this topic: Emerson Rodwell
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