Peter Solway - get your head down and watch the ball
Queanbeyan District Cricket Club | October 01, 2024
Peter Solway was one of the six inaugural inductees into the Cricket ACT Hall of Fame in 2019.
In 2013, ACT Cricket awarded him Life Membership in recognition of his stellar and highly decorated cricket career.
Peter Solway played first grade cricket for Queanbeyan District Cricket Club and Australian National University Cricket Club, scoring 9,824 runs in 277 games at an average of 41.45, with his highest score being 339. In ACT first grade premier cricket, Peter hit 13 centuries and 65 half centuries.
When the ACT entered the first-class one-day domestic competition in Australia, Peter Solway played 18 one day games for the ACT, scoring 455 runs at an average of 25.27 with 4 half centuries and the highest score of 73.
Throughout his career Peter Solway played 183 representative games for ACT.
Peter is also the proud owner of the Australian Over 50s cricket cap number 22 and was the captain of the Australian Over 50s cricket team that won the Over 50s Cricket World Cup in 2018.
The Solway Medal, named in Peter's honour, is the Cricket ACT Comets Player of the Year Award.
Peter Solway was also selected to play in the Prime Minister's XI for the 1993/94 match against South Africa.
Let’s find out more about Peter’s journey in the game.
What year you were born?
1964
Can you remember your first game of cricket?
I think I was 7 playing in Moree for an Under 14 team in the early 70’s. I remember Dad telling me there were a heap of slips and I was trying to cut everything in between them.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
I started playing in Moree as a 7 year old. Dad got junior cricket going up there then we moved to Wollongong where I played for a couple of years in the under 9s and 10s. We then moved to Queanbeyan and I began playing with the junior club in the Under 11s in 1974 and the senior club until 1993. I then moved to ANU until 2002 when I stopped playing first grade. I coached Eastlake for a couple of years (and played a couple of games) before playing in Queanbeyan again in 4th grade with my sons Dean and Mark. I’m still playing 3rd grade and coaching our club along with Mark Higgs.
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in senior cricket?
Senior debut was as a 14 year old playing 4th grade for Queanbeyan on concrete wickets.
What was the highest grade you played, and can you remember how you performed in your first game in that grade?
My first grade debut was as a 15 year old against ANU at Brad Haddin Oval (formerly Town Park). I gave my Year 10 formal a miss the night before the game so I would get a good night’s sleep in preparation. Murray Radcliffe bowled me for a duck.
Back Row – Mark Lynch, Rod Winchester, Darryl Stevenson, Wayne Campbell, Michael Frost, Michael Carruthers
Middle Row – Stephen Frost, John Bull, Mark Thornton, Peter Solway, Graham Hannaford, Neil Bulger
Front Row – Richie Longmore (Scorer), Arthur Chapman (Scorer)
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Top order batsman
What were your strengths as a player?
Sound technique and mentally fairly strong
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
339 in First Grade for Queanbeyan vs ANU at ANU South Oval.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
I took 3 wickets in a 3rd grade one day final a couple of years ago. That was about the extent of my bowling.
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Andrew Jones – I remember playing against him on his way up at Manuka Oval. He would either bounce you or bowl yorkers. That wasn’t much fun.
Kenny Mcleod – the sharpest bowler to have played grade cricket in Canberra . When he fired up he was great to watch and difficult to play against.
Matthew Nicholson – Bowled the quickest spell I have faced.
Matthew Nicholson
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Greg McLay – Flighted and dropped the ball this day at Manuka. I liked to use my feet to spinners and I couldn’t get down to him.
Brad Young – Couldn’t get him off the square either in a one day match at Manuka.
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?.
List A – Brad Hodge always seemed to score runs against us. Tough player to get out.
Country Cricket – Mark Curry was a fantastic cricketer. Could hit the ball hard or manipulate the field.
Grade Cricket – Michael Bevan had class written all over him. Played some excellent 2nd X1 innings for the ACT on his way up.
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
I remember being in awe of an innings that Martin Love played against us in a trial game in Brisbane. His timing was amazing and he made batting look very easy. Mark Higgs played some great innings also. His ability to hit the ball to all parts of the ground was exceptional.
The best innings I’ve seen on TV was undoubtedly Glenn Maxwell’s ton in the recent World Cup on one leg.
Peter Solway batting for the ACT Comets
Was there any bowler in particular who for whatever reason would always cause you a few problems?
The Wests duo of David Thornton and Jason Voros were always challenging to come up against. Lea Hansen could bowl some great spells. As a youngster the Woden Valley attack of Dave Milligan, Brett Hanam and Peter Stanek was daunting to face.
Can you recall a time when you thought, wow, this is a step or two up from what you were used to in grade cricket?
Playing a game vs the AIS at Manuka Oval. Their opening attack was Matthew Nicholson and Mark Harrity. Harrity was quick but Nicholson was a level up this day and bowled the quickest spell I have faced. Scary stuff!
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
I was fortunate to have a front row seat watching Brad Haddin progress through the ranks from a 15-year-old. Once he was tall enough to glove bouncers he never looked back. Our Queanbeyan keeper, Mick Carruthers, was exceptional in the 80’s and 90’s and never grassed many opportunities.
Brad Haddin
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Greg Irvine and Neil Bulger had wonderful skills in all aspects of the game and were tremendously competitive in everything they did. I was very lucky to play with and against these guys.
Greg Irvine and Neil Bulger
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
My first First Grade captain at Queanbeyan was Gary Samuels. He was as competitive as they came and I remember learning plenty of good things from him. His will to win and never say die attitude was something I admired.
Mike Veletta brought a professional toughness in his role as Comets coach and instilled a great sense of belief in our group.
Who has been your funniest team mate?
You were always going to have plenty of laughs when Graeme Bush was in your team. Great team mate and fantastic guy. Wonderful sense of humour and never took himself too serious. Tommy Shiner wasn’t too far behind.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
Playing in a Mercantile Mutual Cup game against Victoria in Bendigo (the Comets first victory), the game was at a tense stage and there had been a couple of chances missed at deep mid wicket. Our skipper Mike Veletta put me on the boundary after a drop and it was very quiet. Someone in the crowd yelled “welcome to drop corner…..show us your soft public service hands”. Laughter followed in the crowd….needless to say I was extremely nervous for the remainder of the innings.
Who was your childhood hero?
I remember as a young kid lining up for hours to get the signature of Ian Chappell at a promotional game at Lysaghts Oval in Wollongong. Later on I loved how Martin Crowe batted.
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Roger Federer, Rory McIlroy and Ricky Ponting
Rory McIlroy
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Manuka Oval
Was there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
Back in the 80’s and 90s there was always a strong rivalry between Queanbeyan and Easts. The games were always close and played with plenty of spirit.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
Being part of the Comets first win in the Mercantile Cup vs Victoria in Bendigo.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
It’s close between the above game, a Grand Final Queanbeyan vs Weston Creek where we had lost on first innings and conceded a considerable first innings lead to come back and bowl them out in the second innings in the last over of the 3 day match for victory. Simon Mann took the last wicket.
The other memorable win was the final of the Over 50’s World Cup played at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney against Pakistan. John Short knocked over their last batsman with 1 run to spare to win the inaugural Over 50’s World Cup.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
My Dad and 2 sons, Dean and Mark plus all of my team mates and support staff from the 2018 World Cup win in Sydney.
You played in the Australian Over 50s cricket team for many years and captained the team to win the 2018 World Cup. What are your memories of playing for Australia in Over 50s cricket team and what did it mean to you to personally to play for Australia and win the World Cup?
It was a great honour to play and captain our side in 2018. We had a great bunch of guys who were all focussed on playing as well as we could to achieve a common goal.
Peter Solway - Over 50s World Cup winning captain
What are your hobbies?
I love my golf and still play the odd game of tennis. I’ve also been having fun as the curator at Brad Haddin Oval for the last 3 years.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
The last words I would always hear as a young kid leaving for cricket on a Saturday morning was my dad telling me to “get your head down and watch the ball”
What is your occupation?
I am happily retired after 35 years working in the Public Service mainly with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. I’m now curating Brad Haddin Oval, coaching and mowing cricket grounds
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
Mark Higgs and I are currently the coaches at the Queanbeyan Cricket Club. I’m also captaining our 3rd Grade team and trying to help bring our youngsters through to the higher grades.
If you were running a state cricket association what would your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
We need to do as much as we can to keep cricket alive and thriving in the country areas. Getting in to the schools and trying to get kids playing cricket from a young age is also vital for the health of our game.
