Peter Taylor
Randwick Petersham Cricket Club | May 01, 2023
Peter Taylor was an experienced Sydney Grade cricketer when he joined Petersham-Marrickville in 1980-81. He had completed seven seasons in 1st Grade with Balmain and another with Sydney scoring 2,695 runs in the process. Indeed, he was a member of the Balmain premiership winning team in the Rothman’s Limited Overs premiership of 1975-76. But despite hitting a 94 as part of a season total of 579 runs in 1976-77, he had never scored a 1st Grade century. That all changed when he joined Pete’s as he rattled up 114 against Penrith at Petersham Oval in his very first game.
Peter Jack Taylor was born in Sydney on 2 October 1953. Educated at Meadowbank High he joined Balmain DCC and made his 1st Grade debut on his 19th birthday. A right-hand bat, he was a consistent player over the following seven seasons but at the end of 1978-79 he felt in need of a change and joined the Sydney club after an approach from Rick McCosker and John Pearson.
It was not a successful move with Taylor being unable to post a score above 30 in his season tally of 141 runs although he made a 116 ton in 2s. He was considering a return to Balmain but David Chardon and Greg Hartshorne, having completed their second season with Sydney, invited him to join them in a return to Petersham-Marrickville for the 1980-81 season. Peter took up the offer.
Selected in 2nd Grade for his debut match with Pete’s, on the Friday night before the first game of the season he received a call from 1st Grade skipper Brian Riley who informed that Neale Anderson had pulled out and he was to replace him in the side.
Opportunity knocks in strange ways and that was one that Peter Taylor seized with both hands. Scheduled to bat no. 3, against Penrith at Petersham Oval after Riley had won the toss, opening bat Rod Foord was out first ball. Walking out to face the second ball of the match Taylor admits that he had “pretty average” thoughts following his poor season with Sydney. But those “demons” were well and truly gone 111 minutes later when the dashing stroke-maker was caught off Kerry O’Keeffe for a magnificent 114. The 26 year old had smashed 20 fours and three sixes to give his new team a 98 runs win in what was a career-changing innings.
With 66 in 78 minutes hitting five fours and three sixes in his next game followed by half-centuries against Wests, St George and Mosman, Taylor finished the season with 622 runs–the highest in the team and the club. His performance helped greatly in the side gaining a place in the semi-final which was unfortunately lost to Northern District.
Taylor had a little personal revenge against NDs in the season which followed hitting 111* against them at Waitara. It was another good season for “Digger” as he was affectionately known, making 444 runs to take him past 1,000 1st Grade runs for his new club in just two seasons. And the runs kept flowing the next couple of seasons although he was unable to repeat his run of centuries.
In 1984-85 Peter suffered a temporary loss of form and selectors gave him the chance to get back amongst the runs with a stint in 2nd Grade. And he didn’t disappoint hitting 107 against North Sydney at North Sydney 2 and 81 two rounds later playing University of NSW at the Village Green. And with a similar scenario the following season he slammed a career-high 131 in 2s out of a score of 343 against Manly at Manly Oval.
Back in 1st Grade in 1986-87 Taylor was at the peak of his game rattling off yet another ton with four half-centuries to boot. He ended with a massive 554 runs–119 more than next best Chris Sullivan. It could have been an even better season had he been able to muster up the few extra runs needed in his 96 against his old club Balmain in round 2 and in the 93 he made against University of NSW in round 7. Mosman didn’t get off the hook in round 14 however, with Peter scoring 103 in 172 minutes with just two fours and three sixes. His score was more than 2/3rds the final total of 167 which the Whales passed four down.
But the best was to come for the talented right-hander. In 1987-88 he received the club’s endorsement and its highest playing accolade by being installed 1st Grade captain. And what a move it was as the side led the competition throughout to take the minor premiership after previously finishing last. A good win over St George in the semi was followed by disappointment in a loss to Bankstown–stacked with players of the calibre of Steve and Mark Waugh, Steve Small, Steve Smith and Wayne Holdsworth– in the final. That the side came so close to premiership honours remains one of the first-time skipper’s fondest memories.
Taylor again took the reins in 1988-89 for what was a return to the bad old days with Petersham-Marrickville again finishing at the tail of the competition with just one win. And while it felt like the end of the road for the team, that’s how it was for Peter Taylor with the 35 year old pulling up stumps after what had been a grand career.
In his nine seasons with Pete’s, Taylor scored 3,978 runs of which 3,395 were made in 1st Grade. He was the highest scoring batsman for the club across all grades in the 1980s and was also the highest run-scorer in 1st Grade in that same period. He had five centuries to his credit with three in 1s while his highest score was 131 in 2nd Grade. And with his performances in other clubs he completed a brilliant Sydney Grade Cricket career as the scorer of 6,468 1st Grade runs. He remains a keen follower of the club through membership of the support group, the Randwick Petersham Cricket Legends Society.
