SPLENDID RECORDS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20476, 30 November 1934, Page 11

SPLENDID RECORDS.

Batting Feats of Woodfull and Ponsford. A PROLIFIC PAIR. It was particularly appropriate that W. M. Woodfull and W. H. Ponsford in their testimonial match in Melbourne this month, which marked their farewell appearances in first-class cricket, should have been associated in a century partnership. It was the twentysecond time that these two batsmen had scored over 100 runs as partners. On seventeen of these occasions they opened an innings. These partnerships have been:— First Wicket. 375—Victoria v. N.S.W. (Melb.) .. 1926 236—Victoria v. South Australia (Melb.) 1927 227—Victoria v. N.S.W. (Melb.) . . 1927 223—Australia v. The Rest (Syd.) 1927 214—Australia v. Otago (Dunedin) 1928 184—Australia v. N.Z. (Auckland) 1928 183—Australia v. Gloucestershire (Bristol) 1934 162—Australia v. England (Lord’s) 1930 *ls9—Australia v. Eng. (The Oval) 1930 138—Victoria v. N.S.W. (Sydney) 1932 122—Australia v. Wellington (Wellington) 1928 118—-Australia v. South of England (Folkestone) 1930 117—Australia v. Warwickshire (Birmingham) 1930 115—Victoria v. Queensland (Melb.) 1926 106—Australia v. England (Manchester) 1930 104—Victoria v. South Australia (Melbourne) 1927 104—Australia v. The Rest (Melb.) 1933 Second Wicket. 109—Victoria v. South Australia (Adelaide) 1926 133—Victoria v. South Australia (Adelaide) 1923 132—Australia v. The Rest (Melb.) 1934 Fifth Wicket. 183—Australia v. the West Indies (Sydney) 1931 •Signifies unfinished. Woodfull's Career. W. M. Woodfull has retired from first-class cricket with a wonderful record. It is thirteen years since he played his first game for Victoria, and since then he has played 235 innings, and has made 12.692 runs. He has been 35 times not out. and his average altogether is 63.45 runs for each completed innings. He has played in each of the Australian States, in England, Scotland and New Zealand, and in the Malay States, though in that country the matches are not regarded as firstclass. He has made 49 centuries in firstclass cricket. Some statisticians credit him with more centuries, but include some made din matches not regarded as first-class. His full record is:— 5> o <£ v • f .5 ■= t es g z £ Sm £ < For’Australio! ~ v. England .. . 41 3 155 17575 43.9 v. South Africa 7 1 161 421 70.17. v. West Indies 6 Total ... 54 4 161 2.300 46 Other Matches. In England . . 68 8 228 3,632 60.53 In New Z'land 3 1 284 344 172 Total 71 9 284 3,976 64.12 For Victoria. V. N.S.W. 7. .29 4 191 * '1,855 " ?T.20 v.^South Aust. 28 5 236 1.577 68.57 v. Queensland 8 2 66 234 39 v. West Aust. 2- 153 181 90.5 v. England . . 13 4 275* 693 77 v. Sth. Africa 4 1 121 238 79.3 j v. New Z’land 3 3 150* 310 310 v. West Indies 1 - - Total .... 88 19 275* 5,088 73.74 For Combined Teams. Grand Total 235 35 284 12,69.2 63.45 Ponsford’s Figures. W. H. Ponsford in first-class cricket made an aggregate of 13,798 runs with an average of 65.39. He has made 48 centuries. In Test matches against England. Ponsford has scored 1568 runs and has an average of 47.21. He is the only batsman in the world who has twice scored over 400 runs in an innings. On two other occasions he has scored 300 and he made 200 or more on twelve occasions. A marvellous feat by Ponsford came at the start of his career when, in eleven successive matches he made eleven centuries, his scores being:—lo2, 214. 54, 151, 352, 108, 84, 12, 116, 131. 7. 133, 437. 202, 38 and 336—2427 runs in 16 innings.