Peter Richardson (cricketer)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peter Richardson England (ENG)
Batting style	Left-hand bat
Bowling type	Right-arm bowler
	Tests	First-class
Matches	34	454
Runs scored	2061	26055
Batting average	37.47	34.60
100s/50s	5/9	44/140
Top score	126	185
Balls bowled	120	763
Wickets	3	11
Bowling average	16.00	45.36
5 wickets in innings	-	-
10 wickets in match	-	-
Best bowling	2/10	2/10
Catches/stumpings	6/-	220/-
Test debut: 7 June 1956 Last Test: 4 July 1963 Source: [1]

Peter Edward Richardson, born July 4, 1931, was a cricketer who played for Worcestershire, Kent and England.

A tall, fair-haired, left-handed opening batsman, Richardson played as an amateur for Worcestershire and was pretty much an 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 Test match series against the 1956 Australian touring team, scoring 81 and 73 in his first match, and following it up with a century at Old Trafford. 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 undoubtedly 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 batsmen'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 – 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 just 2 and 14 against the might of Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith.

Richardson's two brothers also played first-class cricket. Derek Walter "Dick" Richardson was a middle-order batsman for Worcestershire and played one Test, alongside Peter Richardson, for England in 1957. Brian Richardson was an occasional player for Warwickshire.

Peter Richardson was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1957.