Mr Thomas W. Wills: A Biographical Sketch

, 8 May, 1869.

"The man I speak of cannot in the world (colony) be simply counterpoised; He proved best man in the field, and for his meed was brow-bound with the oak." - SHAKESPEARE. As the above-named celebrated cricketer has, in a characteristic letter addressed to a contemporary, signified his intention to give up the game, it is due to the readers of The Australasian that he should not be permitted to do so without a sketch or resume of his career being presented to them. That task, from recent circumstances rather a delicate and distasteful one, has been asigned to me. Certainly no one should be better qualified for it, as I have known Mr. Wills in the old country, and may say have watched him through his whole colonial career. I will try, then, to do justice to one of whom, as a cricketer, it may with truth be asserted that it will be long ere we look upon his like again. Fortunately, I have by me some notes furnished by Mr. Wills himself, so my authority is undoubtedly first hand. Before entering into particulars, I cannot refrain from here calling attention to the fickle nature of everything colonial. A few years ago the fact that the most noted cricketer in all the colonies intended to retire on his laurels, would have been the theme of general conversation, at least amongst cricketers. He would have been feted by our leading club, and other clubs would also have joined in a parting demonstration of esteem. Testimonials, so cheap and easily got up now-a-days, would have been presented by the dozen, and most probably some more valuable souvenir of public regard would have accompanied them. But how different is the reality. Before this article is read, I daresay Tommy Wills will be quite, or almost, forgotten. No doubt, recent circumstances, to which I need not more fully now allude, have a good deal to do with this public apathy; still, I am sure that with the general public no one could have been a greater favourite than Mr. Wills, and on reviewing his career, it must be owned that to him in a very great measure is the colony indebted for that cricketing supremacy she has so long enjoyed. Possibly the colony does not now value it as it once did, and at any rate it only bears out the old saying, that a man who studies the public good, or any one else's good, before himself is a fool for his pains. But there was a time when things were very different; and whoever remembers Melbourne eight or ten years ago, and from a cricket point of view, contrasts it then with what is now, may well be astonished at the change. I wish I could say of Mr. Wills's career that nothing became him so well as the close of it. In the position he filled, undoubtedly, he committed a very grave error in his refusal to play, except as captain, in the late Intercolonial Match. As a gentleman in England, a man can do this kind of thing; and he can, moreover, walk off the field if he likes, and no one can question his acts, although they may his good taste; but when a man accepts public pay, as all the eleven here did, to represent the colony, the case is different, and it is then incumbent on him to bow to the will of the eleven, and in any capacity to play and do his best. It was Mr. Wills's misfortune, but still entirely one of his own making, that he was so circumstanced that he could not assume a right to which, as a gentleman cricketer of the colony and of England, he would have been fully entitled. I have never heard any one dispute that, as far as ability and fitness for the post of captain, he was facile princeps. Having thus got rid of a disagreeable subject, and for ever, I trust, let me state that my first remembrance of Tommy Wills was in a match at Kennington Oval, where we were on opposite sides. He was pointed out to me as "that young fellow from Rugby, who plays with a 4lb. bat, and hits terrific." I forget which of the professionals it was who thus described Tommy Wills. He played for Kent, and I did not then know he was Victorian born, and little I anticipated that he and I would play together in the Sydney Domain, or that I should be writing this resume of his career. He was after my time at Cambridge, and I was just giving up cricket when he came on the scene; and, after the above mentioned match I never met him again until we shook hands in the pavilion on the M.C.C. ground. He had just arrived, in the same steamer with Sir Henry Barkly, in time to play in a trial match, and, of course, was selected to go to Sydney. For in those days, hundreds, I might almost say thousands, congregated of an evening to watch the practice, and the new chum very soon passed favourably the critical ordeal and became a favourite - the observed of all observers, with his Zingari stripe and somewhat flashy get up, fresh from Rugby and college, with the polish of the old country upon him. He was then a model of muscular Christianity, and although his style at the wicket was not the neatest to look at, he soon proved that it was a good one to go, as the saying is, to get runs. How the first match at Sydney was lost is still to me a mystery, unless it is to be accounted for by the Sydney grubbers, so fatal to men used to round-arm and taught to despise the underhand. However, we need not speculate on this matter now. We have had our revenges, so I may as well here introduce some memoranda furnished me by Mr. Wills, which, no doubt, will in some future time, when we are all bowled out and cricket is being played in a more scientific style than now, be turned to by some future reader of The Australasian, inquisitive as to times bygone - when all the cricket guides are out of print and a new race of batsmen and bowlers is flourishing, and Tommy, and a great-grandfather, is referred to settle some "question to correspondents" as to who did or did not take part in the first Intercolonial Match between the two colonies. Mr. Thomas Wentworth Wills was born at Molonglo, in the Queanbeyan district of New South Wales, on the 19th of August, 1835, and came overland to this colony in 1840. Five years later his young ideas were being taught to shoot at a school situated where The Argus office now is. I should fancy that the young Tommy took very kindly to the classics, as, like a once famed Yankee orator, he is fond of a bit of Latin, and it can never be forgotten that his now famous - or foolish, rather - letter wound up with a mixture of Edgar Poe and Livy, "Nevermore; vae victis." He tells me that his first match was played where Batman's-hill once stood, and that he got "a pair of spectacles," and a pair of black eyes also - the latter catastrophe through missing a catch. Thus, like many another man afterwards famous, Tommy Wills was at first a failure. However, he soon quitted Victoria for England, and was entered at Rugby in 1852. The first week he was there he was chosen to play in his "house" eleven, and was put on to bowl. He tried underhand, no doubt a veritable Sydney grubber, but was told that style would not do for Rugby, so at once assumed a roundhand delivery. He bowled his man down the first ball, and from that moment, writes Tommy Wills, "I felt I was a bowler." He was quickly chosen in the eleven, and in the first innings he got five wickets in five successive balls. His first match of any note was at Vincent-square, Westminster, against that public school, and amongst his opponents was another boy, afterwards a renowned cricketer, and now a reverend divine not far from Toorak. I may quote Mr. Wills's words - "We got them out for nineteen and eleven; such a licking; I got ten wickets and twenty-two runs." He next played on that classic ground at St. John's Wood, called after Lord, against the M.C.C. and ground, and got five wickets in the first innings and seven in the second. He is very proud, evidently, of having bowled out old Jemmy Dean, "the dean of Duncton," as he was called, and undoubtedly it was something for a young bowler to achieve, as old Jemmy's was a very hard wicket to get in those days. In May, 1853, our hero played for the first time against the All-England at Rugby, scored twenty-two and twenty-nine, and saw a great many wickets fall while in. He was spoken of in Bell's Life as one of the most promising rising gentlemen players of the day. In '54 he first played for Kent at Gravesend, in the match Gentlemen of Kent v Gentlemen of Sussex, got nine wickets in the first innings, and went on as change (slows) when eighty were on. The great Alfred Mynn was bowling with him at the other end. Mr. Wills alludes to the good feeling and kind-heartedness of "the Lion of Kent," who appeared to take great pride in the young cricketer, called him his "lad," and gave him every encouragement. In 1855 the first match between Rugby and Marlborough was played, and T. W. W. was captain. Rugby won in an innings, and "got them all with slows" is the explanation given. It was old Clarke who first advised him to try slow bowling, and the veteran asked Mr. Wills "to go round with him with his team in 1854," which, I presume, meant to form one of the A.E.E. of that year - a great compliment from such a judge of cricket to so young a player. But Mr. Wills had other engagements. During the Canterbury week of 1855, we find the young Rugbean at work again in Gentlemen of Kent v. England. During this match Mr. Wills says that "Old Lilly" had his printing-tent on the ground, and that during luncheon-time the old man specially requested him to take the bat and he would bowl him a few, which he did for some twenty minutes. The old man then said he felt unwell, and during the afternoon got worse, returned to London, and died on the Sunday morning of English cholera. If this is correct, Mr. Wills is the last man to whom "Old Lilly" bowled, but I have noticed a discussion on this subject in the Sporting Life. However, if Mr. Wills's dates are right, and old Lilly was taken ill on the Friday at Canterbury, and died on the Sunday, he has good reason to believe he was the last man to whom the nonpariel ever bowled a ball. Lilly's opinion of Mr. Wills's play was as follows, and a very good one too: - "You've got no style, but can keep the bat very straight, and give the bowler a dd smack when he least expects it." After the Canterbury week he went to the Emerald Isle, and had a busy time. He there, by permission of Laurence, played for the Liverpool Club against the Phoenix-park, and bowled them all out against a strong headwind, and won the match, which was the first time the Phoenix were beaten by an English team. He was one of the first Ireland eleven got together by Laurence, and among the company were R. Hankey (Ox.), J. M'Cormick (Cam.). They played twenty-two of Mallow and district, and won in one innings, T. W. W. getting the top score. He then returned to England, and sailed for Australia on the 20th October, and arrived at Melbourne on the 23rd of December, 1856, just in time to play in the trial match on 1st January - P. O. Kington's eleven v. the eleven chosen to play against New South Wales, and got top score, thirteen and fifty-seven not out. "From this time," writes Mr. Wills, "you know pretty well." I should say I do, and few who take much interest in cricket but can remember his colonial career. Before briefly sketching it, I may here state that in January, 1861, Mr. Wills accompanied his father to Queensland, and was eight months on the road with stock, suffering considerable hardships. He returned 4th January, 1864, in time to play against the second English team, and I well recollect the cheer that greeted his appearance on the field on that occasion. When he left for Queensland it was generally supposed he had done with cricket, though he did not write a characteristic letter to the papers winding up with "Nevermore vae victis," but in the Guide of that date compiled by Mr. J. B. Thompson, his departure is thus gracefully alluded to: - "As we are losing Wills (I fear for ever), I take this opportunity of expressing my unqualified admiration of his almost universal ability as a cricketer and a captain. Bon voyage, Tom, to your new home, and may you live to lead to victory as many gallant little bands of Queenslanders as you have done of Victorians! Or if Bucolics delight, as they will doubtless profit thee more, may the increase of thy flocks and herds be as numerous as thy runs (cricket, not quatting), and tend as much to triumph in the battle of life as they have heretofore done in the mimic encounters of the bat and ball." Everyone must endorse the above sentiments, but little did J. B. T. anticipate that the parting was but temporary. Space, or want of it, rather, will prevent my doing full justice to Mr. Wills's colonial career. I can but briefly glance at it. In the following table I have given the Intercolonial matches between this colony and New South Wales in which he played. It will be seen he was captain in six of them, of which Victoria won five. It was in 1863 that the memorable Jones dispute occurred, but for which, it is generally suppoed, Victoria would have won that match also, and it was the only mistake Mr. Wills, as captain, made, as the Victorians were winning "hands down" when the game was stopped; still, no doubt on principle he was right, and in law. Greaves and Marshall returned next day to Melbourne, and the Intercolonial matches were broken off in consequence of the ill feeling which arose: - ... An average of twenty-one and nine over in such matches speaks for itself. As a bowler, his special quality has been that he has invariably been found the right man in the right place whenever a stand has been made. When others have failed he has generally been able to undo the knot, either with his round-arm or slows, and his quickness in detecting a batsman's weak point and tempting him to his fate is well known. In the last match at Sydney, where would this colony have been but for his bowling having been effective just at the right moment? Some people affirm that as he gew older his delivery became more and more doubtful, and that it often verged on, if it was not, an actual throw. I certainly think it was very questionable at times, but I never saw any one who could disguise a throw better. Sixty-seven wickets gives an average of eight per match with three over, which is, undoubtedly, a first-class degree in bowling honours. Mr. Wills did not take part in any of the matches which the first England eleven played, as he was at Queensland during the time, but when Parr's eleven came out he arrived here from Queensland just in time, not to play, but to field as substitute in the first match. In the remaining matches he took a conspicuous part. He became quite a peripatetic cricketer, playing for any place that would accept his service. Thus we find him at Ballarat, Geelong, Ararat, Bendigo, Maryborough, Otago, and Canterbury, and in the final matches on the M.C.C. ground. In that of George Parr's eleven v. Anderson's eleven he created a sensation by bowling out Kelly, and then flooring the timbers of Julius Ceaser and Carpenter for a pair of spectacles with successive balls. In that second innings he caught out Caffyn and Parr, and bowled Caeser, Carpenter, Kelly, and Tait. He did not go to New South Wales with the eleven, but he played at and for Ballarat in that memorable match when Carpenter scored 121, and the A.E.E. made a total of 310. He captained Victoria int he farewell match when the twenty-two headed England in the first innings, and nine bowlers were put on - that was the match in which E. A'Beckett shot out Parr with an under-hand grubber. His highest score against the eleven was thirty-two, which he got at Ballarat. His bowling average was 1392 balls for 461 runs, 147 maidens, 35 wickets, which, considering the batsmen, was excellent. The club matches he has taken part in are so numerous that a volume would be necessary to give a tithe of them. He began his cricket life here as a member of the M.C.C., but he has been "to one club constant never," unless that one be Corio, to which he was always staunch. M.C.C., Richmond, Corio, Ballarat, Collingwood, Emerald-hill, Zingari, and others have all in turn shared his favours. He helped, and mainly helped, the make Richmond what it once was, famous; but when he deserted it for his first love, it rapidly sickened and died, especially when Jack Huddlestone retired also. The last two or three years he has been associated with the M.C.C., and that club is undoubtedly greatly indebted to him for the practice he has given its members. It may be truly said of him, that whatever side has the benefit of his judgment as a captain, his skill and endurance as a bowler, and his determination and petience as a batsman, has an advantage at starting in a match which no other player in the colony can equalise. Therefore, it will not be surprising in the records of matches to find that in nine cases out of ten he has, except when played against the A.E.E., been on the winning side, and has mainly contributed to that result. Records of past matches with the scores are, after all, but dry reading to the generality of people, and I need not occupy space by going fully into the minor matches in which he has distinguished himself. I will content myself, and probably most of my readers, with a brief description of Mr. Wills as a cricketer. In Lillywhite's Biographies his height is given as 5ft. 10in., and his weight 11st. 2lb. I should say he is a stone heavier now, and, when in cricket costume, few athletes can boast of a more muscular and well-developed frame. As an all round cricketer he is even now the best in Australia. With no style but an obstinate defence, he could in his prime hit as hard as most men, and was a very fast run-getter and runner. A good judge of a run, and with as much patience as judgment, he was never flurried himself, though he often stole a march on the field and flurried it. He could play a waiting game and a fast one equally well, and with excessive confidence to back him up, he never despaired of the fortunes of his side, even when fortune seemed much against him. His best hit was, I think, an off drive, but he could place a ball very cleverly, and could hit to bother a field as well as a bowler. No one knew better when it was dangerous to take a liberty and when it could be done with impunity. As a bowler - medium round, fast round, or slow lobs, with twist either way - he was always on the spot, and he could gauge a batsman's strong and weak points, and suit his bowling to them accordingly. At times he could send the ball down as fast as Conway, and then he could put in a modest insinuator that would tempt rashness to its doom. As a field, he was good anywhere, especially at short slip, but you could never put him out, and if he lately grew a trifle stiff in picking up, his fingers never lost their "holding" powers, and he was always a dangerous one to try with a chance. As a captain he was decisive in his judgment, and had that great recommendation, the courage of his own opinions; what he thought right he did, seldom asking opinions, and when he did, always preferring his own. He said little but thought the more, and when put out, as all captains are at times, and must expect to be, his usual way of venting his temper was not by abuse, but by twisting a pet curl in his beard or biting his thumb nail to the quick. If he had any jealousy towards a rival, it was as a bowler, but, as a rule, he was quick to recognise nascent talent and the first to encourage it. Such, from an intimate acquaintance with Mr. Wills, is the estimate I have formed of his cricketing abilities, and if he is really going away to Queensland, and has finally quitted a stage on which he has played so conspicuous a part, I am sure the best wishes of his friends and enemies, if he has any, will follow him, and it will be a long time I imagine, take him all in all, before Victoria will look upon another all round cricketer such as "Tommy Wills." P.S. - I find in looking over Lilly's big book of biographies, it is stated there that Mr. Wills played for Cambridge and Oxford in 1856, but was never entered at Cambridge. The score of the match is in the 5th vol., which I have not got. Curiously, Mr. Wills in his memoranda makes no mention of it; he merely says he played for Cambridge. I gathered once from him in the course of conversation, that he was entered at Magdalen College, and, after keeping one term, changed his mind, and gave up his intention of taking a degree, and accordingly returned to his native land, as above mentioned, in 1856, so he must have played in the June of that year at Lord's.