Wilfred Rhodes

Wilfred Rhodes (born October 29, 1877, North Moor, Kirkheaton, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire; died July 8, 1973, Branksome Park, Bournemouth) was one of the greatest cricketers of the twentieth century. Whilst his career evolved through a great many distinct stages, his record for Yorkshire and England is sufficient to place him as one of the very greatest all-round cricketers of all time. Unusually, he batted right-handed but bowled left arm. Some remarkable achievements of his career include:

Developing into a consummate all-rounder

In 1902, Rhodes participated in probably the greatest Test series of all time against the touring Australians. Aided by a bad wicket, he took 7 for 17 in the first Test, and helped Hirst win the last Test by one wicket after a hurricane innings by Jessop. Despite taking 213 wickets for 13 each, Rhodes had set such a high standard that, helped by the wettest season of his career so far, it was thought he should have done better! This line was repeated after the equally wet summer of 1903, but that was the year Rhodes first showed the ability as a batsman noticed before he joined Yorkshire. On soft pitches in both matches with Nottinghamshire, Rhodes gave the best displays of his career so far, and as a makeshift opener, he carried his bat against the MCC. Touring Australia with the MCC in 1903/1904, Rhodes had a memorable tour. Aided by a record wet summer in Melbourne, he took 15 for 124 (despite eight dropped catches), and despite still going in last, added 130 with Tip Foster for the last wicket in Sydney. Between 1904 and 1906, though overshadowed by the astonishing Hirst, Rhodes continued to develop as a batsman and did the "double" in each of these years. He rapidly moved up the order for Yorkshire and scored a maiden double century against Somerset in 1905. By this time his batting was truly solid and dependable, and he could be courageous, as shown when facing the Lancashire fast bowlers during 1905: in the second game his batting virtually decided the Championship. From 1906, with Yorkshire having problems in batting due to the loss of F.S. Jackson, Rhodes regularly opened that batting, and despite being no longer the bowler he was on the rock-hard wickets of southern England that summer, he remained deadly when pitches helped him despite trying to develop a higher flight.

Related Topics:
Tip Foster - F.S. Jackson

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Rhodes toured Australia in 1907/1908, but it was a disappointing tour in often appallingly hot weather, especially as a bowler.

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