Wilfred Rhodes Moved Up the Order — From No. 11 to England's Opener, 1910-1912

Rhodes had been picked initially for his bowling. By 1907-08 he had developed a careful, defensive batting technique built on a high left elbow and watchful defence.

On the 1911-12 voyage to Australia, the management discussed who should open with Hobbs. Rhodes was eventually given the job for the second Test.

Rhodes was originally selected for England as a slow left-arm bowler — he made his Test debut in W.G. Grace's last Test at Trent Bridge in 1899, batting at eleven. Over the next decade his batting improved steadily for Yorkshire; he scored his maiden first-class century in 1907. By 1909 he was batting at six for England. The decisive promotion came on the 1911-12 tour of Australia, when Plum Warner (or, after Warner fell ill, Johnny Douglas) opened with him alongside Hobbs. The decision was brave — Rhodes was 34 and had never opened in a Test — but the pair averaged 61 runs per opening partnership in their 36 Test innings together over the next decade. The 323 at Melbourne in February 1912 was the high point but was no fluke. Rhodes' shift from tailender to opener is one of the most extreme position changes in Test history.

“He climbed the order on his own. We just made room for him.”

Rhodes opened for England intermittently until 1921. He returned as a bowler for the 1926 Ashes at the age of 48 — the oldest Test cricketer of all time at that point.