Ashes Legends: Bill Woodfull - Dignity personified

Bill Woodfull (left) walks out to bat with Don Bradman

However, the Kangaroos won the series 2-1 to regain the Ashes; Woodfull hammered 155 in the second Test, sharing stands of 162 with Ponsford and 231 with Bradman (254). In total, he and Ponsford added three century opening stands – a feat that was decisive in Australia’s winning campaign.

Later in the season, he led his side to a commanding 5-0 sweep of South Africa, scoring 421 runs and second only to the Don.

Then came the acrimonious return series of the Ashes – and Australia was battered black and blue by the relentless barrage of fast, short-pitched bowling dished out by the English quicker bowlers. But what sent thousands of Australian fans into a fury was the agonizing blow that Harold Larwood struck Woodfull with a short ball directly above his heart.

Jardine’s reaction of praising his bowler, and re-organization of the field placements to Bodyline settings with the Aussie skipper clearly in discomfort was the last straw for them.

Though Bill recovered to continue his innings, albeit under a lot of pain, he refused to employ retaliatory tactics as advocated by vice-captain Vic Richardson and some of the other players. The fact that he bore no ill-will towards the English players (at least in public) despite seeing his teammates getting hurt frequently (wicket-keeper Bert Oldfield was left with a fractured skull) spoke volumes of his character.

But even the most stoic of leaders has a limit to what he can tolerate. His abrupt response to England manager Pelham Warner left the latter in tears: “There are two teams out there. One is playing cricket. The other is making no attempt to do so.“

Woodfull was furious when this statement was leaked to the press, as he had intended it to be private. Nevertheless, he refused to take advantage of Larwood’s broken foot in the fifth Test at Sydney, blocking five deliveries and made no attempt to steal a run.

England took the series, but Woodfull’s Australians received widespread praise for their captain’s steadfast refusal to retaliate in kind.

The Aussie captain had some measure of revenge in the 1934 tour, however, which was his last at the international stage. During a warm-up game against Nottinghamshire, he let his displeasure over fast bowler Bill Voce’s repeated use of Bodyline bowling known to the umpires – prompting the county to drop Voce and angering the Nottinghamshire faithful.

With the Test series tied at 1-1, the sides headed into the final game determined to win. Australia put up 701 in the first innings, with the skipper scoring 49.

England made 321, and the Kangaroos replied with 327 with Woodfull making 13 in his final Test innings. The Aussie bowlers then ripped through the English batting, destroying them for 145 to win by 562 runs and sealing the series 2-1.

Woodfull thus became the only Australian captain to regain the Ashes twice, and that too on his birthday.

At the end of a solid international career, Woodfull went on to have a much rewarding one as a mathematics teacher at Melbourne High School.

He was the first one to identify future Australian all-rounder Keith Miller’s talents, despite Miller scoring zero in his final exam for Woodfull’s geometry class. A disciplinarian as well, Woodfull made Miller repeat the year, and after the youngster played a match-winning innings for South Melbourne against Bill’s Carlton side, presented him with a silver eggcup during an algebra class.

Curiously, Woodfull refused to coach the school cricket teams despite his international exploits – just another example of a man who remained humble throughout his life.

Australia gave the cricketing world a true gentleman in William Maldon Woodfull, and he gave them their greatest triumphs in the face of adversity.