Vale Peter Ferguson
Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney | October 01, 2024
Peter Ferguson, Western Suburbs Player #423, passed away on Saturday, September 28th, at the same time that Wests were hosting a T20 double header at Peter’s beloved Pratten Park.
Ferguson made his debut in the Firsts on December 3, 1967, at the age of seventeen. He may have made the Firsts earlier, but the club deliberately didn't want to rush his promotion.
The exciting young left arm wrist spinner, could sharply turn his leggies and he complimented this talent as a lively all round cricketer . At age 11, Peter played his first games in Wests Under 16’s. In 1964-65 he took 123 wickets for the club; 43 in the Saturday Under 16’s competition, 18 in the A.W. Green Shield, two in Poidevin-Gray and 60 in Fourth Grade.
The plan not to ‘hurry him’ was abandoned when he spun out Sydney the next season, while still in Fourths, claiming 10-27. To this day, no other player in Wests’ rich history has claimed all 10 wickets in an innings in any grade.
Ferguson moved into a developing Magpies team, led by Test men Bob Simpson, Grahame Corling, the veteran Wally Wellham, and young Peter Toohey.
Ferguson’s progress was cautious, yielding 19 wickets in 17 appearances over his first two seasons. However, Peter’s eight year career at the Magpies yielded 263 wickets at only 21.06 each. He took five-wicket hauls on 16 occasions, with an 8/70 during 1970-71 and 8/74 in the 1974-75 season. Wests also won the One Day ‘Rothman’s Knockout Cup’ in Ferguson’s time.
He was very useful with the bat. During his tenure at Western Suburbs, he contributed 1,573 runs at an average of 14.43, with two standout scores of 97 and 95 (both not out). Peter returned to Sutherland for his final two seasons (1980-82).
Ferguson contributed to the Magpies back to back premiership successes of 1971-72 and 1972-73. Keen judges, including Wally Wellham, thought that Peter would play State cricket. Peter Toohey remembers Ferguson as “one of the biggest spinners of the ball there ever was. He was a left arm David Hourn type of bowler." David was possibly the stumbling block for Ferguson’s representative advancement, as Hourn played in a similar era, appearing in 44 first class matches for NSW from 1970 onward.
The Western Suburbs Club extends its deepest sympathies to Peter’s family in this difficult time. You can rest assured that Peter Ferguson's contributions during the mid-1970s premiership period continue to inspire the current Magpie teams to emulate those wonderful performances and once again claim the Belvidere Cup.
Western Suburbs District Cricket Club First Grade Premiers 1972-73
