Matthew James Wood (born 6 April 1977, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England) is a former English first-class cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club[1] and Glamorgan in a career lasting eleven years. He was a right-handed batsman and very occasional off spinner, who made his debut in first-class cricket in 1997. He played 136 first-class matches, scoring 7,052 runs with a highest score of 207, at an average of 32.80. He compiled sixteen first class centuries, took 118 catches and snared two wickets at 21.50.
Wood played Second XI cricket for three years before notching a century in his second first-class match, against Derbyshire in 1998, and completing the year with three more first-class tons. Two years of failure followed but, converted to an opening batsman, he starred in Yorkshire's County Championship winning side in 2001, scoring four more centuries at the top of the order.
Wood was rewarded with two tours of Australia with the England Academy, but another slump in 2002, saw him lose his first team place. He recovered in 2003, helping himself to 1,400 runs, five centuries and the club and players player awards at Headingley, but was left out of England's plans.
Wood deputised as captain on several occasions in 2003 and 2004, but his hopes of promotion to Yorkshire's helm were skittled by poor seasons in 2004 and 2005, and he was dropped back to the Second XI in 2006 after another run of low scores. He began 2007 as captain of Yorkshire Second XI, but was released in mid-season.[1] Wood joined Glamorgan in October 2007. In the 2008 season, he averaged 19.00 and was dropped from the first team after seven matches and, in February 2009, he announced his retirement from the game.[2]