while batting together, to the point where they could score runs without having to call to each other. This degree of understanding was unusual at the time. After the Test series ended, several amateur members of the team wanted to extend the tour into Rhodesia, but the professionals refused to take part as their contracts did not cover this and they would have effectively played for no wages. Rhodes, although not the ring-leader, was influential in this strike, and a sports newspaper, Winning Post, singled him out as responsible in an article highly critical of him and the other professionals. In the 1910 domestic season Rhodes was less productive in batting and bowling, and Yorkshire finished only eighth in the County Championship, a result considered very poor within the county. Rhodes scored 1,465 runs at an average of 26.63, and took 88 wickets at an average of 18.98, the first time since the start of his career that he had taken less than 100 wickets in an English season. In 1911, when Yorkshire finished seventh in the County Championship, it was a fine, dry summer, which meant generally good batting wickets. Rhodes was more productive with 2,261 runs, the second and final time that he passed 2,000 runs in an English summer, and the highest season's total of his career. He averaged 38.32 with the bat, and took 117 wickets. Rhodes was given a benefit match against Lancashire from which he received £750. After Yorkshire launched an appeal, the total was boosted to £2,200, still considerably less than the record benefit total of £3,703 raised for George Hirst in 1904. Batting success in Australia In September 1911 Rhodes made his third visit to Australia, this time as the opening partner of Jack Hobbs. The tour proved to be the "absolute pinnacle of his success as a batsman", according to Rogerson. Under the captaincy of Johnny Douglas, England won the 1911–12 Test series against Australia 4–1, after losing the first Test. While the success of the tourists was attributed to their powerful bowling attack, C. B. Fry described the English victories as "a succession of triumphs for Jack Hobbs and Rhodes as first wicket batsmen." Pelham Warner, who was nominally captain but missed the entire series due to illness, said that in "innings after innings they [Hobbs and Rhodes] gave us a wonderful start", adding that he had run out of