Allrounder, No. 18 - Wilfred Rhodes

Primus inter pares

Martin Williamson

March 23, 2007

It is unlikely the game will ever throw up another Wilfred Rhodes © The Cricketer International

He started as a bowler, developed into a batsman, and then, after the First World War, at an age that would make him a fossil by today's standards, he returned to bowling, at the behest of his beloved county, as if he had never been away. For more than another decade he whirled away with devastating effect.

Rhodes was a left-arm spinner, Yorkshire's greatest, who almost ended up playing for Warwickshire. He was awaiting a trial at Edgbaston when Bobby Peel was sacked by Yorkshire, creating a vacancy. Rhodes filled it, and some, finishing with 154 wickets in his first season. Off a short run, he bowled at a brisk pace, varying his flight and speed, all with a metronomic accuracy, so much so that he maintained he was never hooked or cut.

His batting was learned rather than instinctive, and as such was solid rather than spectacular, limited, as Sir Pelham Warner noted, to two or three strokes. But, as with his bowling, what he did, he did very well. "He made himself into a batsman by practice and hard thinking," wrote Neville Cardus. "He was one of the first batsmen to adopt the full-fronted stance, left shoulder pointing to forward leg."

Achievements
In purely statistical terms alone, Rhodes ranks as one of the game's greats. No cricketer has taken more wickets than his 4204 at 16.72. He also weighed in with 39,969 runs at 30.81. He took 100 wickets in a season 23 times, and recorded the double of 100 wickets and 1000 runs 16 times, both records. In all, he made 1100 first-class appearances, including 723 in the Championship, again both records.

For England, he made his debut as a 21-year-old in WG Grace's last Test in 1899. His career ended 31 years and 58 Tests later when, aged 52, he took part in the 10-day timeless draw in Kingston, as the oldest Test cricketer of all time. In between he batted at every position from No. 1 to No. 11. In 1903-04, as last man in, he helped RE Foster add a then-record 130 for the tenth wicket against Australia. Eight years and two Ashes tours later, he was the partner of Jack Hobbs in the record first-wicket stand of 323.

What made him special
Many bowlers have, through sheer hard work, turned themselves into half-decent batsmen. None have managed to become so adept that they were, for a time, chosen as an out-and-out specialist opener. He did nothing half-heartedly. EW Swanton described him as "dedicated, combative and tenacious". He worked hard at every aspect of his game, and he lived and breathed cricket. " I doubt anyone every talked with him or watched him without learning something," wrote Bill Bowes.

'Dedicated, combative and tenacious' © The Cricketer International

Life after cricket
He retired from professional cricket at 52, an age when many people are giving up full-time work, but he was so immersed in the game that it was inconceivable that he would not remain involved, He took over as coach at Harrow School, remaining there until the outbreak of war in 1939. By 1945 he was blind, but he continued to watch the game with his ears for almost three decades, and it was said that he could still pick shots and tell how someone was bowling by sound alone. "I see they've taken the new ball," he once remarked as he sat sightless at a Test. "You see?" said his companion in surprise. "Aye," replied Rhodes. "It makes a different noise on t'bat."

Martin Williamson is managing editor of Cricinfo

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Wilfred Rhodes