Peter Richardson (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Edward Richardson (born 4 July 1931, Hereford
, England
) is an English
former cricket
er, who played for Worcestershire
, Kent
and, in thirty four Tests
, for England
.
Colin Bateman, the one-time Daily Express
cricket correspondent, noted, "Peter Richardson was one of cricket's great characters although you would never have guessed it watching him bat". Bateman added "yet off the field he was a one-man entertainment show, particularly when the troops were stuck in some up-country billet in India
. His sense of humour and sharp mind enlivened many a dull official function to the delight of his team-mates. His love of a prank continued after his playing days with outrageous letters from ficitious Colonel Blimps to The Daily Telegraph
."
series, the 1956 Ashes series
, scoring 81 and 73 in his first match, and following it up with 104 at Old Trafford
in a match famous for Jim Laker
's 19 wickets. He went on to score 491 Test runs that year, the most in the world. He was first choice opener for England for a further two home series, but then had a poor series in Australia in 1958-59, when England lost the Ashes
comprehensively.
Richardson's relative failure in Australia was influenced by a dispute with Worcestershire over the captaincy
, which he had taken over in 1956, and his amateur status. In the summer of 1958, Richardson announced that he wanted to become a professional and to move to Kent; Worcestershire opposed the move, and Richardson was effectively barred from competitive cricket in the batsman's summer of 1959, losing his Test place too while he waited to qualify for his new county. By the time he resumed his county career in 1960, other left-handed opening batsmen, such as Geoff Pullar
and Raman Subba Row
, had moved ahead of him in the competition for England places.
Richardson played on for Kent until 1965, when he drifted out of cricket. He toured Pakistan and India in 1961-62, batting mostly down the order
, but played only one further Test match in England, in 1963 against the West Indies, when he made only 2 and 14 against a bowling attack spearheaded by Wes Hall
and Charlie Griffith
.
Richardson's two brothers also played first-class cricket
. Dick Richardson
was a middle-order batsman for Worcestershire and played one Test, alongside Peter Richardson, for England in 1957. The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted "Dick Richardson's Test career was brief but historic. When he played in the same team as his more famous brother, Peter, at Trent Bridge in 1957 against the West Indies, it was the first time... [in the 20th century] of siblings appearing in the same team for England".
Brian Richardson was an occasional player for Warwickshire
.
Peter Richardson was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
in 1957.
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, who played for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
, Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
and, in thirty four Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
, for England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
.
Colin Bateman, the one-time Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
cricket correspondent, noted, "Peter Richardson was one of cricket's great characters although you would never have guessed it watching him bat". Bateman added "yet off the field he was a one-man entertainment show, particularly when the troops were stuck in some up-country billet in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. His sense of humour and sharp mind enlivened many a dull official function to the delight of his team-mates. His love of a prank continued after his playing days with outrageous letters from ficitious Colonel Blimps to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
."
Life and career
A tall left-handed opening batsman, Richardson played as an amateur for Worcestershire and was a near-instant success on his arrival as a regular in the side in 1952. Four years later, he had a similarly quick impact in his first TestTest cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
series, the 1956 Ashes series
Australian cricket team in England in 1956
The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1956 season to play a five-match Test series against England for The Ashes.England won the series 2-1 with 2 matches drawn and therefore retained The Ashes....
, scoring 81 and 73 in his first match, and following it up with 104 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (cricket)
Old Trafford is a cricket ground situated on Talbot Road in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. It has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since its foundation in 1864, having been the ground of Manchester Cricket Club from 1857...
in a match famous for Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
's 19 wickets. He went on to score 491 Test runs that year, the most in the world. He was first choice opener for England for a further two home series, but then had a poor series in Australia in 1958-59, when England lost the Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
comprehensively.
Richardson's relative failure in Australia was influenced by a dispute with Worcestershire over the captaincy
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
, which he had taken over in 1956, and his amateur status. In the summer of 1958, Richardson announced that he wanted to become a professional and to move to Kent; Worcestershire opposed the move, and Richardson was effectively barred from competitive cricket in the batsman's summer of 1959, losing his Test place too while he waited to qualify for his new county. By the time he resumed his county career in 1960, other left-handed opening batsmen, such as Geoff Pullar
Geoff Pullar
Geoffrey Pullar was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire, Gloucestershire and in twenty eight Tests for England....
and Raman Subba Row
Raman Subba Row
Raman Subba Row is an English former cricketer who played for England, Cambridge University, Surrey and Northamptonshire.-Life and career:...
, had moved ahead of him in the competition for England places.
Richardson played on for Kent until 1965, when he drifted out of cricket. He toured Pakistan and India in 1961-62, batting mostly down the order
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
, but played only one further Test match in England, in 1963 against the West Indies, when he made only 2 and 14 against a bowling attack spearheaded by Wes Hall
Wes Hall
Wesley Winfield Hall is a Barbadian former cricketer and politician. A tall, strong and powerfully built man, Hall was a genuine fast bowler and despite his very long run up, he was renowned for his ability to bowl long spells. Hall played 48 Test matches for the West Indies from 1958 to 1969...
and Charlie Griffith
Charlie Griffith
Charles Christopher Griffith is a former West Indian cricketer who played in 28 Tests from 1960 to 1969. He formed a lethal fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall during the 1960s...
.
Richardson's two brothers also played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
. Dick Richardson
Dick Richardson
For the Welsh boxer see Dick Richardson Dick Richardson is an English former cricketer, who played in one Test for England in 1957. His county cricket career was spent entirely with Worcestershire.The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted "Richardson's Test career was brief but historic...
was a middle-order batsman for Worcestershire and played one Test, alongside Peter Richardson, for England in 1957. The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted "Dick Richardson's Test career was brief but historic. When he played in the same team as his more famous brother, Peter, at Trent Bridge in 1957 against the West Indies, it was the first time... [in the 20th century] of siblings appearing in the same team for England".
Brian Richardson was an occasional player for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
.
Peter Richardson was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
in 1957.