Peter Walker (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Michael Walker MBE
(born 17 February 1936, Clifton, Bristol
, England
) is an English former cricket
er, who played in three Tests
for England in 1960.
. A tall right-handed middle-order batsman, a left-arm bowler who varied his pace between medium-paced seamers and slow spinners, and a spectacularly good close catcher, specialising in fielding at short-leg, he played all his county cricket for Glamorgan
.
For a few years at the beginning of his cricket career, he also played during the English winters for the South African provincial sides, Transvaal
and Western Province
.
As a batsman, Walker made 1,000 runs in a season eleven times, often seeming to do well when his colleagues faltered. Nevertheless, in seventeen years of first-class cricket
he made only thirteen centuries, and his career average of 26 reflected soundness rather than flair, on the unpredictable surfaces that applied in the days of uncovered pitches. His bowling was effective more than penetrating, but, in 1961, he took 101 wickets to achieve the double
of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets, and he was not far short in 1959 and 1962. As a fielder, he ranks among the best of all time: he took 697 catches in 469 career matches, and his 73 catches in 1961 – to go alongside his 1,000 runs and 100 wickets – is the third highest figure for a fielder in a single English cricket season, after Walter Hammond and Mickey Stewart; and the best 'treble' - runs, wickets and catches ever recorded in the history of the first-class game.
Walker was picked for three Tests against South Africa who toured England in 1960; he batted well down the order in all three games and hardly bowled at all, but probably did well enough to have expected further chances. But at a time of batting riches for England and spin
competition from David Allen
, Ray Illingworth
and Fred Titmus
. He never got back into contention after playing in the first three Tests, all of which England won.
He, along with M.J.K. Smith and Fred Trueman
, remains the only hat-trick
bowlers in a Lord's
Test match.
He stayed with Glamorgan until 1972 when, after being passed over for the captaincy
, he retired to become a cricket writer
and broadcaster. For many years, he introduced the BBC Television
's coverage of the Sunday League.
In 1985, Walker was the founder and Managing Director of Merlin Television, which became the largest independent production company in Wales, and after selling out in 1996, became the first Chief Executive of the newly formed Cricket Board of Wales
. He was also largely responsible for the development of the National Cricket Centre for Wales at Glamorgan's home ground at Sophia Gardens
in Cardiff
.
In 2009, he was elected President of Glamorgan County Cricket Club
.
Walker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), in the 2011 New Year Honours, for services to cricket.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 17 February 1936, Clifton, Bristol
Clifton, Bristol
Clifton is a suburb of the City of Bristol in England, and the name of both one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells...
, 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 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 in three 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 in 1960.
Life and career
Walker was born in Bristol, but educated partly in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. A tall right-handed middle-order batsman, a left-arm bowler who varied his pace between medium-paced seamers and slow spinners, and a spectacularly good close catcher, specialising in fielding at short-leg, he played all his county cricket for Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
.
For a few years at the beginning of his cricket career, he also played during the English winters for the South African provincial sides, Transvaal
Transvaal cricket team
Gauteng cricket team is the first-class cricket team of the province of Gauteng in South Africa....
and Western Province
Western Province cricket team
Western Province cricket team is the team representing Western Cape province in domestic first-class cricket in South Africa. The team began playing in January 1890 and its main venue has always been Newlands in Cape Town.-Honours:...
.
As a batsman, Walker made 1,000 runs in a season eleven times, often seeming to do well when his colleagues faltered. Nevertheless, in seventeen years of 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...
he made only thirteen centuries, and his career average of 26 reflected soundness rather than flair, on the unpredictable surfaces that applied in the days of uncovered pitches. His bowling was effective more than penetrating, but, in 1961, he took 101 wickets to achieve the double
Double (cricket)
A cricketer is said to achieve the double if he scores a thousand or more runs and also takes a hundred or more wickets in first-class matches during the course of a single season. The feat is extremely rare outside England because of the smaller number of first-class matches played in most other...
of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets, and he was not far short in 1959 and 1962. As a fielder, he ranks among the best of all time: he took 697 catches in 469 career matches, and his 73 catches in 1961 – to go alongside his 1,000 runs and 100 wickets – is the third highest figure for a fielder in a single English cricket season, after Walter Hammond and Mickey Stewart; and the best 'treble' - runs, wickets and catches ever recorded in the history of the first-class game.
Walker was picked for three Tests against South Africa who toured England in 1960; he batted well down the order in all three games and hardly bowled at all, but probably did well enough to have expected further chances. But at a time of batting riches for England and spin
Spin bowling
Spin bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as spinners or spin bowlers.-Purpose:The main aim of spin bowling is to bowl the cricket ball with rapid rotation so that when it bounces on the pitch it will deviate, thus making it difficult for the...
competition from David Allen
David Allen (cricketer)
David Arthur Allen is a former English cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire between 1953 and 1972. He also played 39 Test matches for England.-Life and career:...
, Ray Illingworth
Ray Illingworth
Raymond Illingworth, CBE is a former English cricketer, cricket commentator and cricket administrator. He was one of only nine players to have taken 2,000 wickets and made 20,000 runs in First class cricket, and the last one to do so...
and Fred Titmus
Fred Titmus
Frederick John Titmus MBE was an English cricketer, whose first-class career spanned five decades. Although he was best known for his off spin , he was an accomplished lower-order batsman who deserved to be called an all-rounder, even opening the batting for England on six occasions...
. He never got back into contention after playing in the first three Tests, all of which England won.
He, along with M.J.K. Smith and Fred Trueman
Fred Trueman
Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968...
, remains the only hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
bowlers in a Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
Test match.
He stayed with Glamorgan until 1972 when, after being passed over for 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...
, he retired to become a cricket writer
Sports journalism
Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and events.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports...
and broadcaster. For many years, he introduced the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
's coverage of the Sunday League.
In 1985, Walker was the founder and Managing Director of Merlin Television, which became the largest independent production company in Wales, and after selling out in 1996, became the first Chief Executive of the newly formed Cricket Board of Wales
Cricket Board of Wales
The Cricket Board of Wales is the national governing body of cricket in Wales. It is an umbrella partnership body comprising the Welsh Cricket Association, Glamorgan Cricket, Wales Minor Counties, the Welsh Schools Cricket Association and Sport Wales...
. He was also largely responsible for the development of the National Cricket Centre for Wales at Glamorgan's home ground at Sophia Gardens
Sophia Gardens
Sophia Gardens , currently known as SWALEC Stadium under a naming rights deal, is a cricket stadium on the west bank of the River Taff in Cardiff, 1.6 kilometres north of Cardiff Arms Park. It was named after Lady Sophia Rawdon-Hastings...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
In 2009, he was elected President of Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
.
Walker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), in the 2011 New Year Honours, for services to cricket.