For Mr. Wills to no-ball Mr. Wardill for throwing is like Satan reproving sin.

— Hammersley, writing for The Australasian on Wills' umpiring of an intercolonial match
Hardly a year had passed since Wills' return to Australia in 1856 without public comment on his suspect bowling action.
Such comments grew in frequency and severity as he aged and turned professional, and by 1870, many former allies that had once colluded to protect him, including Victorian newspapers and cricket authorities, accused him of deliberately throwing.
Wills' fame and influence helped make him a "convenient caricature" of the cricketing cheat and villain, one that, critics urged, ought to be no-balled out of top-class cricket for the good of the game in the colonies.

In February 1870, Wills captained Victoria to a 265-run win over New South Wales at the MCG.
The New South Wales side featured Twopenny (Jarrawuk), an Aboriginal paceman allegedly recruited by Lawrence as a foil to Wills' "chucks".
Comparing the two, the Melbourne press surmised: "Undoubtedly Wills throws sometimes, but there is some decency about it, some disguise."
In March, Victoria trounced a Tasmanian XVI in Launceston under Wills' leadership, though not without criticism of his bowling action.
Amid accusations that Wills had incited a "plague" of throwing among Australia's younger bowlers, one-time ally Hammersley, now Melbourne's foremost sportswriter, emerged as his most vocal critic.
He accused Wills of resorting to throwing to maintain pace as he aged, and criticised him for introducing a type of bouncer designed to injure and intimidate batsmen.
The Australasian, Hammersley's newspaper, summarised Wills' modus operandi: "If I cannot hit your wicket or make you give a chance soon, I'll hit you and hurt you if I can.
I'll frighten you out."

In the face of a looming crisis in his career, Wills admitted to throwing in his 1870–71 Australian Cricketers' Guide, and in so doing taunted his enemies to stop him.
Nonetheless, he went on to captain Victoria in the March 1871 intercolonial against New South Wales, held at the Albert Ground.
Wills' first innings top score of 39* was offset by his drunken behaviour in the field, and he seemed reluctant to bowl for fear of being called.
Victoria won by 48 runs.
Not long after, Wills was no-balled for throwing for the first time in a club match.
Rumour soon spread that the opposing club's owner had conspired against Wills with the umpire.

A series of superb club cricket performances removed any doubt that Wills would play for Victoria in the next intercolonial against New South Wales, scheduled for March 1872 on the MCG.
Before the game, representatives from both colonies met and entered into a bilateral agreement designed to call Wills.
When he opened the bowling, Wills became the first cricketer to be called for throwing in a top-class Australian match.
The umpire called him two more times in two overs, and he did not bowl again.
He was again no-balled when a Victorian side under his captaincy lost to a combined XIII from New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia late in 1872.

Hammersley had seemingly triumphed in his campaign to have Wills banned from intercolonial cricket.
In an exchange of personal attacks in the press, Wills implied that Hammersley was an architect of the no-ball plot, and protested that he and other English colonists were out to oppress native-born Australians.
Wills went on to threaten him with legal action.
Hammersley closed:
You are played out now, the cricketing machine is rusty and useless, all respect for it is gone.
You will never be captain of a Victorian Eleven again, ... Eschew colonial beer, and take the pledge, and in time your failings may be forgotten, and only your talents as a cricketer remembered.
Farewell, Tommy Wills.
For Mr. Wills to no-ball Mr. Wardill for throwing is like Satan reproving sin.
— Hammersley, writing for The Australasian on Wills' umpiring of an intercolonial match
Hardly a year had passed since Wills' return to Australia in 1856 without public comment on his suspect bowling action. Such comments grew in frequency and severity as he aged and turned professional, and by 1870, many former allies that had once colluded to protect him, including Victorian newspapers and cricket authorities, accused him of deliberately throwing. Wills' fame and influence helped make him a "convenient caricature" of the cricketing cheat and villain, one that, critics urged, ought to be no-balled out of top-class cricket for the good of the game in the colonies.
In February 1870, Wills captained Victoria to a 265-run win over New South Wales at the MCG. The New South Wales side featured Twopenny (Jarrawuk), an Aboriginal paceman allegedly recruited by Lawrence as a foil to Wills' "chucks". Comparing the two, the Melbourne press surmised: "Undoubtedly Wills throws sometimes, but there is some decency about it, some disguise." In March, Victoria trounced a Tasmanian XVI in Launceston under Wills' leadership, though not without criticism of his bowling action. Amid accusations that Wills had incited a "plague" of throwing among Australia's younger bowlers, one-time ally Hammersley, now Melbourne's foremost sportswriter, emerged as his most vocal critic. He accused Wills of resorting to throwing to maintain pace as he aged, and criticised him for introducing a type of bouncer designed to injure and intimidate batsmen. The Australasian, Hammersley's newspaper, summarised Wills' modus operandi: "If I cannot hit your wicket or make you give a chance soon, I'll hit you and hurt you if I can. I'll frighten you out."
In the face of a looming crisis in his career, Wills admitted to throwing in his 1870–71 Australian Cricketers' Guide, and in so doing taunted his enemies to stop him. Nonetheless, he went on to captain Victoria in the March 1871 intercolonial against New South Wales, held at the Albert Ground. Wills' first innings top score of 39* was offset by his drunken behaviour in the field, and he seemed reluctant to bowl for fear of being called. Victoria won by 48 runs. Not long after, Wills was no-balled for throwing for the first time in a club match. Rumour soon spread that the opposing club's owner had conspired against Wills with the umpire.
A series of superb club cricket performances removed any doubt that Wills would play for Victoria in the next intercolonial against New South Wales, scheduled for March 1872 on the MCG. Before the game, representatives from both colonies met and entered into a bilateral agreement designed to call Wills. When he opened the bowling, Wills became the first cricketer to be called for throwing in a top-class Australian match. The umpire called him two more times in two overs, and he did not bowl again. He was again no-balled when a Victorian side under his captaincy lost to a combined XIII from New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia late in 1872.
Hammersley had seemingly triumphed in his campaign to have Wills banned from intercolonial cricket. In an exchange of personal attacks in the press, Wills implied that Hammersley was an architect of the no-ball plot, and protested that he and other English colonists were out to oppress native-born Australians. Wills went on to threaten him with legal action. Hammersley closed:
You are played out now, the cricketing machine is rusty and useless, all respect for it is gone. You will never be captain of a Victorian Eleven again, ... Eschew colonial beer, and take the pledge, and in time your failings may be forgotten, and only your talents as a cricketer remembered. Farewell, Tommy Wills.
Tom Wills