bill august august australian cricketer 1920s 1930s captained victoria australia best known moral conduct tumultuous series saw end anglo australian ties trained known attitude players patience defensive technique opening batsman flamboyant player known calm style reliability difficult situations opening pairing fellow victorian state australia remains successful history known tactical skills widely admired players observers ability mould successful loyal team strength character started playing cricket young age distinguish youth debut melbourne district competition age progress interrupted posting country town returning melbourne came attention state class debut victoria age late scoring century second match promoted open following season opened rest career seasons class level accumulated class runs average end season scored runs innings including centuries scoring centuries including selected tour england regarded players selected scored double century century innings england earn debut test played test scoring centuries centuries tour topped australian averages named year returning australia established partnership shield season record breaking run opening stand setting world record class team score averaged season averaged following summer overwhelming opposition helping victoria win easily appointed vice captain home ashes series following carried bat record breaking test defeat england easily won stood firm score centuries tests added best class score tour match following season campaign truncated hand injury reluctantly captain dropped team derided worst australian squad tour england youngest squad leave australia players prior experience england prompting commentators label team losing test scored century australia series won fifth test regain ashes ended tour class centuries broke combination dropped order accommodate tests west_indies australian captain struggled unfamiliar role scoring runs series australia won following season restored customary position successful test series career south_africa scoring runs including test highest score australia won tests great controversy erupted england tour australia visitors captained tactics aiming upper bodies heads australian batsmen hope hosts strong batting line australian public cricket community tactic refused complain publicly despite players wanting test australia lost heavily confirmed captain start match prompting speculation remove refusing controversy peaked test adelaide oval blow heart provoking riot dismissed english manager came privately express sympathy famously replied want warner teams playing cricket comment leaked media caused teammate suffered fractured skull australian board formally complained english administrators sporting prompted threats trade boycott tour cancellation australian board retracted england completed convincing victory praised public behaviour australian captain batted hours series bowling longer time led australians england tour relations assurances given repeated australians won remains captain regain ashes twice criticised adopting excessively cautious tactics advent retired tour family claimed controversy passion cricket british king offered services cricket reference actions series declined stating work teacher far important cricket mathematics teacher went alma mater style batted manner little aesthetic pleasure grace describing stating sight gave impression clumsy affected bout fever childhood stiff style played little noticeable gave impression playing style despite scored consistently good placement powerful drives generated strong despite appearance advanced pitch spin bowling known playing straight bat close watch ball core features strong defensive ability typically took block leg cover stumps defensive prowess yielded names reference fact rarely bowled result missing ball epithet given english said small worms raised heads ground level known reliability crisis match situations leading rock old formed opening partnership state international level yielded century opening stands dubbed jeff team mates famous comic strip duo regarded finest opening partnerships test history victorian teammates faith pair batting wicket keeper batted low order leave ground work captain known courage high moral principles face series fellow player described greatest man met wicket keeper said met character said psychologist humanitarian addition captain attributed success ability command intense loyalty players convert team spirit said men held memories personal touch courage said thought cat qualities pre eminent leader men added won fidelity bordering devotion australian cricket writer said habit things tough brought rare dignity australian compared respect commanded players english writer said calm cricketer seen reminded master gets school picnic losing reason boy protagonists controversy came reputation heightened personal friendships increased concealed exaggerated difficulty known nature adherence spirit game aside refusing refused exploit dismiss batsmen occasion run wandering inspect intending run teammate broke wicket umpire upheld appeal called led team understated way preferring broad objectives players choose methods task hand known organise team tightly tour ensure things proceeded smoothly devout methodist deep concern personal welfare players extended finding location nearest catholic_church teammates followed religion time australian society large divided catholic protestant lines reilly praise later accused leading catholic revolt leadership protestant divisive period touched alcohol strict adherence religious principles impose beliefs team buy drinks players ask administrators provide alcohol teammates exhausted time widely regarded beer highly effective means occasion threatened halt play administrators refused players grounds consumed early years born central victorian town sons reverend methodist preacher moved melbourne thomas given transfer inner city suburb religious stayed younger life refused play interstate match scheduled christmas day father installed net backyard taught emphasis defensive technique patience attended early career district cricket debut age distinguish played cricket level gained qualification bout fever childhood stiff muscles result rejected tried join fight world war posted rural cricket competition began gain attention accumulated runs average local competition england cricket team toured australia played scored teaching transfer saw return melbourne victorian fixtures season matches south_australia new_south_wales registered unbeaten scores respectively time victoria depth comparable strength choice teams states debut south_australia adelaide oval batted unbeaten batting second match western_australia registered maiden class century run second final innings debut class season dismissed bowler matches won innings dominant summer time studied arts degree night addition post following season promoted open consistent performances conditions meant play rest career accumulated class runs average match season scored run victoria past wickets match new_south_wales victoria arch rivals innings dismissed test leg spinner exactly class runs bowler dismissed time unbeaten steer team seven wicket victory showed liking south australian scoring victoria won matches aforementioned team ended season runs despite victoria lost new_south_wales scoring difference teams finished equal points played match team season scored runs including new_south_wales victoria won matches took title match new_south_wales compiled victoria managed seven wicket win opponents accumulated innings scored fifties matches won ended australian season runs omitted selection tests touring england team reward winning victoria embarked tour new_zealand end season scored canterbury scoring new_zealand dismissed unbeaten achieved sticky wicket ended tour runs year period defence solid bowled season players selection ashes tour interested selected australian play rest australia test trial rest upset australian matches passing added match south_australia scored match unable stop innings defeat new_south_wales second time season result consistent performances victoria selected team ashes tour scored australians defeated tasmania innings consecutive matches sailing england ended australian season runs test debut despite regarded man picked tour headed batting averages class matches tests class innings tour struck essex surrey oval damp pitches double century coming hours batting effort double century australian tour centuries tour compiled runs making duck dress rehearsal tests fielded virtual england team scored unbeaten cambridge_university running partners added middlesex entered tests runs tour average debut test trent bridge anti climax australia bat washed match england reached rain ended play failed impression second test lord scoring duck drawn match capped unhappy june scored runs month rain frequent regained form striking innings win established test opener test australia sent bat sticky wicket erratic bounce opening partner dismissed scoring ball second wicket partnership register maiden test century launched vicious counterattack second australian score test century lunch opening day bold play helped settle australians seize initiative bowler friendly surface tourists sticky wicket forced england follow unable finish scoring lancashire test centuries fourth test old highest score innings rain affected draw wet summer followed weather curtailed match surrey tests drawn fate ashes depended fifth test timeless manage duck australia lost test runs ashes runs tests placed closing stages tour compiled eighth final century campaign unbeaten england drawn match return australia established partnership shield season run opening stand hours laid foundation world record class score new_south_wales stand eclipsed sheffield shield record wicket won innings runs ended season scoring australian defeated rest seven wickets scored fifties ended season runs matches toured malaya singapore team season scoring centuries matches class australian season played matches highly productive scored victory new_south_wales adding innings triumph south_australia rounded season draw return match new_south_wales ended australian campaign runs runs victoria usually got strong start bat won shield easily recorded career best score compiled half hours batting brief tour new_zealand australian end season added wicket fourth scored centuries matches adding fifties ended class matches runs appointed vice captain home ashes series australian board spent great deal time arguing deputy realising omitted members team played test having retired australia field young inexperienced team prepared tests unbeaten victoria drawn tour match touring played test australian soil test brisbane duck innings australia fell run innings lead australia forced chase victory carried bat unbeaten australia sticky wicket brisbane test lose record runs score innings second test sydney australia conceded innings lead scored test century australia second innings force tourists bat despite england scored win match test home ground melbourne despite scoring second innings tourists won wickets test world record crowd australia fell short runs fourth test adelaide ended season high tour match victoria highest score state match captain agreed english captain vary rules laid men agreed cover pitch match bowl overs balls instead reacted match high scoring draw teams returned melbourne fifth test scored home crowd australia won wickets time played winning test matches hit centuries series runs despite australia lost ashes ended entire season runs started australian season scoring unbeaten touring overseeing successful run chase season cut short match suffered broken hand hit short ball match queensland forced retired hurt recovered time warm matches tasmania national team headed england scored runs matches season heavy defeat previous ashes series captain fellow victorian omitted altogether ashes tour appointed captain advocated retention colleagues voted reluctant accept job feeling belonged informed touring agreed ballot organised unanimously selected board limited leadership experience brief duties captain declare team second innings shield history winning vote led youngest man squad tour england having played english soil commentators expected australia easily defeated described weakest squad come shores quarters team dubbed tour started match scoring century making minutes game command ended innings victory added win essex scored drawn match yorkshire dominant county era leading test players added consecutive fifties draws surrey consecutive innings wins oxford_university hampshire completed test preparation striking innings win cambridge_university heading tests amassed runs concerns australian bowling attack prompted senior players ask board send spinner refused started poorly test trent bridge scored australia fell run defeat losing seven wickets immediately scored surrey set tone opening stand fellow victorian second test lord dismissed immediately teams audience king run stand half hours reached australia control declared unbeaten second innings australia reached complete seven wicket triumph won toss time contributed stand test match scored day australia reached rain helped england draw forced follow scored fourth test second innings series tied fifth test oval timeless match won toss england scored australia amassed win innings regain ashes tests contributed runs second class matches compiled runs including centuries fellow victorian played significant making century opening stands lord oval old help australia initiative tests times commented praise high commended australian captain encouragement young team returning australia elected victoria delegate man national selection panel replacing resigned role international series participating selection test team followed home series west_indies test tour australia caribbean ahead tests victoria defeated tourists innings unable score runs test opponents making duck tests broke opening combination dropping accommodate talented young batsman uncomfortable batting position scoring tests batted test australia easily won test wickets innings restored order fourth test melbourne jackson illness forcing young batsman withdraw competition struck run australia took consecutive innings victory scored century season making state match south_australia australia winning run came end run loss fifth test scoring ended series modest runs australia won ended summer runs following season saw tour australia south time decades started season scoring leading state run win tourists ahead tests signal follow tests managed victoria narrowly lost south_australia runs scored australia took innings victories tests brisbane sydney scored script wicket win arch rivals new_south_wales victoria forced chase victory test melbourne australia found foot time series scored seven innings australia south_africa took run lead compiled test best second innings adding partnership hours help australia set run win second successive test season saved highest test score series home crowd continued run fourth test won wickets opportunity inflict blows tourists victoria played second time ahead final test state unable force result continued strong form australian captain finished season duck opening ball fifth test bowled failing offer shot australia won innings runs equivalent single day play sticky wicket opened entire series returned best series figures second result remains time australia clean swept south_africa tests ended season runs english team led toured australia won ashes series described controversial period australian cricket history voted important australian moment panel australian cricket identities england tactics involved bowling speeds heads australian batsmen including employing close leg catch balls away upper body caused great controversy ill feeling australian players crowds england devised tactics attempt curb australia star batsman average twice world class batsman hoped restrict batsmen means season physical courage leadership won refused employ tactics publicly complain men repeatedly hit according times issue resolved practice stopped refused discuss matter fearing peace started season strongly scoring loss new_south_wales second match summer soon confronted england crushed victoria innings england aim batsmen body enforce second half structure packing leg changed match led australian tourists melbourne effectively test rehearsal rested match deputy tactics time match drawn struggled making duck technique attempting play unorthodox shots resembling overhead tennis failed impact england ahead tests australia lost heavily wickets test sydney took wickets managed seven duck second test melbourne wait minutes game confirmed captain caused toss delayed speculation considering possibility removing absolute refusal allow use tactics deputy advocated retaliation players richardson recalled private response way influenced adopt tactics bring discredit game know tim going participate actions hurt game led australia dramatic victory runs form problem managed hit bowling controversy reached peak second day test time record adelaide oval crowd watched australia finish england innings opened australia batting dismissed straight away duck minutes later bowling conventional field setting struck blow heart short lifting delivery bent bat pain minutes image defining symbols series huge crowd began verbally english team social standards era reacted saying bowled play resumed england bowled entire prepared bowl changed field setting capacity saturday afternoon crowd viewed hitting man journalist cricketer wrote actions seen crime australian eyes certainly cricket mass occurred ball noted umpire believes followed occurred melbourne crowd fence english captain possibly entire english players later expressed fears large scale riot police able stop home crowd worried killed attacking immigrated australia decades later remained fearful safety rising delivery knocked bat hands battled minutes collecting allen bowled later day english team manager visited australian dressing room express sympathies remained calm public refusing complain tactics abrupt response meant private leaked press famous quotation tumultuous period cricket history want warner teams playing cricket reportedly added game good time people got withdraw team competition protest australia later reported warner close tears following meantime second innings near impossible victory today highest successful test run chase australia lost wicket bowled joined played unorthodox method dismissed continued score unbeaten carrying bat teammates australia eventually unable bat fractured skull scores final tests australia lost wickets respectively fifth test sydney broke bone foot complete laws cricket permit captain switch mid case injury stood stationary wicket bowled run refused advantage injured bowler blocked remaining deliveries wicket refused run england reclaimed ashes overall scored runs moderate average slowest scoring rate career significantly defied english bowling hours total australian amid high drama season struggles spread test arena scored runs matches outside tests cricket returned departure men scored match richardson ended draw scored run chase narrowly defeated new_south_wales wickets scored fifties interstate matches new_south_wales added consecutive centuries national team tasmania departing final tour england ended season runs returning form previous summer international farewell having position selection panel led australia england tour cloud cricket diplomacy previous series agreements place tour went ahead occasions australians felt hosts crossed mark tactics resembling started final english campaign slowly innings scored runs half century players cheerful following series offered drop following run poor form fellow disagreed traditional test rehearsal australia reduced hosts second innings match ended draw final innings tests struck form lancashire test trent bridge struck australia led innings concerned batting england match declared hours remaining final day men went win runs albeit minutes play remaining england struck second test lord australia replied england hosts enforced follow rain life pitch australia innings defeat scored run tests australia ceded run lead held draw duck fourth test triple century control rain shortened match england needed runs australia bat wickets hand match ended draw meant series heading final test oval timeless lead ran form consecutive innings scored gloucestershire respectively controversy followed match innings scored australia batted practitioners employed wicket keeper standing leg took second innings repeated tactic late day fading light balls lower head height told administrators leg bowling repeated men leave field return london said australia return county future following day absent ostensibly leg injury angered absence faithful australians day australia previously privately complained past agreement tests teams took field deciding test won toss elected bat scored australia amassed timeless match england replied final test innings tourists set england target victory dismissed hosts seal decisive win runs series august second time years australia won ashes birthday victory captain regain ashes twice scored runs tour centuries tally tests captain world record remained quarter century performed poorly tests runs sufficient australian triumph averaged took wickets criticised robinson relatively defensive tending bat opponents match instead going directly victory relied reilly specialist sought reinforce batting line effective leading english batsmen australia hammond averaged half player australia retired immediately tour awarded joint return victoria match raised total pounds match richardson scored final innings men reply took wicket class level second innings team reached target seven wickets hand having bat early lost position victorian delegate national selection panel defeated vote retirement outside cricket successful career mathematics teacher years known stern discipline career students future australian test taught year miller mediocre student little study focused energy sport disappointed disciplined man invoked school motto meant honour work students work hard australia attempting emerge depths great depression miller scored zero final exam geometry class forced repeat year despite credentials refused involve coaching school cricket teams feeling responsibilities sports teachers despite watched students cricket training quickly noticed miller skills writing school magazine miller test possibilities notable students included leg spinner member left arm orthodox spinner world record breaking olympic distance runner school oval later named miller oval oval home town renamed bill recreation reserve constructed entrances named bill gate married met singing choir father church married return england tour children sons jack played successful november governor general informed king offered services cricket citation reference actions episode considered contributions education important cricket field declined honour later life said awarded accepted circumstances accept playing cricket invested officer order british empire services education holiday wife daughter collapsed died playing golf new_south_wales family remained adamant attack permanently damaged health curtailed life inducted australian cricket hall fame test match performance
Bill Woodfull