Born in Heaton Park, Manchester on 29 September 1951, Peter George Wood was a right-hand batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler. A stalwart and long-serving captain of Rawtenstall CC, playing 513 matches over 29 seasons (1968-1996) of Lancashire League cricket amassing 14,951 runs @33.97 and 27 wickets @30.18, Wood is currently the fourth highest run scorer in the long history of the League which commenced in 1892.
He hit 14951 runs at 34.0 with twelve centuries and 99 half centuries, making his debut at the age of sixteen in 1968 and retiring in 1996. Wood's 1227 runs at 53.3, including an amateur record thirteen half centuries, in 1991 remains the most in a season by an amateur batsman. He won the Lancashire League Senior Batting Award six times between 1974 and 1991 and later became club chairman.
Peter Wood represented the Lancashire League on many occasions between 1974 and 1994 and he also appeared for the League Cricket Conference and Lancashire Cricket Association
His prowess in the League seemed destined to earn him at least a chance and county level and he was invited to Trent Bridge. With Notts very much concentrating their efforts in gaining what was to become their first County Championship title in 52 years, Wood was given two John Player League matches in 1981 on a trial basis. The first one on 23 August at Edgbaston, saw him come in at first wicket down and make three, a caught behind victim of England and Warwickshire legend Bob Willis. Three weeks later at Trent Bridge, Glamorgan were the opposition and Wood opened with Derek Randall and was run out for 15.
In 1982 and 1983, Wood played five Minor Counties Championship matches for Cumberland, scoring 115 runs @12.77. He later became an owner of a number of restaurants in the East Lancashire area.
Earlier in his playing career, Wood spent two years in South Africa - being named Natal’s ‘Most Promising Young Cricketer’ in 1969 before resuming his Lancashire League career in 1971. Although he did not flourish outside club cricket, during his career Wood faced some of the best bowlers in the world, taking on the likes of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Allan Donald and Kapil Dev.
Peter Wood died suddenly on 26 January 2002 in Australia.
February 2022
See Peter Wood's career stats here
photo Courtesy of Rawtenstall CC