B. Fry, K. S. Ranjitsinhji, and George Hirst. Rhodes opened the English bowling and took four wickets for 58 in an Australian total of 252; his first Test wicket was Monty Noble (whose wicket he took again in the second innings). He was described by Wisden as bowling "steady and well" on the first day. Rhodes took three wickets in the second Test, but the selectors omitted him from the third match, a decision Wisden believed was mistaken. He did not play again until the final Test, and he finished with 13 wickets in the series, equal with J. T. Hearne as England's leading Test wicket-taker for the summer. Rhodes was also selected to represent the Players against the Gentlemen at Lord's for the first time that season, although W. G. Grace and C. B. Fry scored heavily against him. Rhodes's most successful seasons in terms of wickets were the three seasons from 1900 to 1902. In these years, Rhodes took 725 wickets at an average of 14.07, taking five or more wickets in an innings 68 times and taking ten or more wickets in a match 21 times, assisting Yorkshire to three consecutive County Championships. In 1900, Rhodes took 261 wickets as bad weather made pitches helpful to his bowling. In 1901, the weather was much better, leading to pitches that were good for batting, but Rhodes took 251 wickets, an achievement described by Wisden as astonishing. Against MCC that year, Rhodes scored his maiden first-class century, batting at number nine. In the 1902 season, Rhodes took 213 wickets, fewer than 1901 despite a greater number of favourable pitches in a wet summer. This attracted unfavourable comment from some critics who had expected more. The main cricket event of 1902 was the Australian tour of England. Rhodes played in all five Tests and was England's leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets at an average of 15.27. He took seven for 17 in the first innings of the first Test, out of an Australian total of 36, in conditions that the umpires considered reasonable for batting; Wisden noted that Rhodes and Hirst bowled very well. However, C. B. Fry believed that Hirst was more difficult to play and that while Rhodes bowled well, the Australian batsmen got themselves out as they "hurried to the other end and tried to hit Rhodes, without success". Rain meant the game was drawn and washed