Matthew Wood, the former Yorkshire batter, played for Glamorgan in 2008. The opener had started his Yorkshire career with a flourish, as in 1998 he scored a century in his second Championship match, against Derbyshire, and ended his first season with over 1,000 runs under his belt. In 2001 he played a number of impressive innings and struck four centuries, as Yorkshire won the County Championship.
He was amongst the first intake into the ECB National Academy in 2001/02, before enjoying a hugely productive season in 2003 as he scored 1,423 runs in the Championship including a career best score of 207 against Somerset at Taunton. He was an ever-present member of the Yorkshire side in 2005 when they won promotion to the first division, but he lost his place during 2006 and, at the end of 2007, Matthew agreed to join Glamorgan on a two-year contract.
He duly made his Glamorgan debut in 2008, and struck two half-centuries in the Friends Provident Trophy matches during the first half of the season. However, he met with less success in the four-day matches, averaging 19.00 in 7 first-class matches and, after playing in the Championship match against Warwickshire at Cardiff in early June, he also lost his place in the county’s four-day side. Despite still having a year to run on his contract, Matthew decided in February 2009 to retire from first-class cricket and has subsequently worked for the PCA as a Lifestyle Manager.
WOOD, Matthew James
Born – Huddersfield, 6th May 1977.
Best performances for Glamorgan:
In First-class cricket – 83* v Gloucestershire at Bristol, 2008.
In List A cricket – 91* v Gloucestershire at Bristol, 2008.
| M | I | NO | RUNS | AV | 100 | 50 | CT | ST | |
| First-class | 7 | 12 | 1 | 212 | 19.27 | – | 1 | 5 | – |
| List A | 6 | 6 | 1 | 193 | 38.60 | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Balls | M | R | W | AV | 5wI | 10wM | |
| First-class | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – |
| List A | 25 | 0 | 22 | 0 | – | – | – |