Richard Wardill

This article is about the Australian cricketer. For the Australian rules footballer, see Dick Wardill.

Richard Wardill

Personal information
Full name	Richard Wilson Wardill
Born	(1840-11-03)3 November 1840 Everton, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Died	Melbourne, Australia
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right arm medium pace (roundarm)
Role	Batsman
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1861–73	Victoria
1864	G. Anderson's XI
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 10 Runs scored 381 Batting average 25.40 100s/50s 1/1 Top score 110 Balls bowled 202 Wickets 8 Bowling average 10.50 5 wickets in innings 0 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 3/23 Catches/stumpings
Source: CricketArchive

Richard Wilson Wardill (3 November 1840 – 17 August 1873) was an Australian cricketer who played in ten first-class cricket matches, eight of which were for Victoria. He is noted as the first cricketer to score a century in Australian first-class cricket. Wardill was also an influential player and administrator in the early years of Australian rules football. On Boxing Day 1866 he captained the Melbourne Cricket Club against the Western District Aboriginal cricket team, led by Tom Wills.

Wardill was a prolific gambler, and to nurture his habit he defrauded his employer, the Victorian Sugar Company, of £7000. He confessed to his crime in August 1873 and soon after committed suicide by drowning himself in the Yarra River. He was survived by his wife, Eliza Helma Lovett (née Cameron), and a son.

Cricket writer Gideon Haigh published an article on Wardill in 1992 titled "The Drowned Bradman". His brother Benjamin also played cricket for Victoria.

See also

• List of Victoria first-class cricketers