Peter Sainsbury
Wisden Cricketer of the Year
| ← Previous revision | Revision as of 12:55, 19 April 2026 | ||
| Line 84: | Line 84: | ||
===''Wisden'' Cricketer of the Year=== |
===''Wisden'' Cricketer of the Year=== |
||
Ahead of the [[1974 English cricket season|1974 season]], Sainsbury was named one of the five [[Wisden Cricketers of the Year|''Wisden'' Cricketers of the Year]].{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154515.html|title=Peter Sainsbury|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=13 April 2026}} In 21 first-class matches in 1974, Sainsbury took 35 wickets at an average of 23.22, but bowled only 425 overs across the season, his lowest since 1966. He was Hampshire's sole spinner during the season,{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19740511/029/0029|title=Hampshire's Thoughts are on a Double|work=Derby Evening Telegraph|page=29|date=11 May 1974|access-date=14 April 2026|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} with the attack led largely by the [[seam bowling]] of [[Bob Herman]], [[Andy Roberts (cricketer)|Andy Roberts]], and [[Mike Taylor (cricketer, born 1942)|Mike Taylor]].{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/County_Championship_1974/Hampshire_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Hampshire, County Championship 1974|publisher=CricketArchive|url-access=subscription}} He also scored 599 runs at an average of 33.27, narrowly missing out on making a century against Gloucestershire in July, with 98 runs.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19740709/651/0027|title=D'Oliveira Hits His Highest Score of 227|first=Ian|last=Williams|work=Birmingham Post|page=27|date=9 July 1974|access-date=14 April 2026|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} In 21 one-day matches in 1974, Sainsbury took 30 wickets at an average of 18.46, and scored 284 runs. Shortly after the conclusion of the season, he was selected in the [[International Wanderers in Rhodesia and Transvaal in 1974–75|International Wanderers team that toured Rhodesia and Transvaal]]; the team was promoted by [[Derrick Robins]],{{cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/713999860|title=Cultural Confrontation: Race, Politics and Cricket in South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s|journal=Sport in Society|volume=5|issue=2|page=90|year=2002|doi=10.1080/713999860|issn=1743-0445}} with tours to South Africa controversial due to the [[apartheid]] policies of the South African government and were viewed as breaking the anti-apartheid stance that had seen South Africa isolated in international cricket. The team played one first-class match apiece against [[Rhodesia cricket team|Rhodesia]] and [[Gauteng cricket team|Transvaal]]. |
Ahead of the [[1974 English cricket season|1974 season]], Sainsbury was named one of the five [[Wisden Cricketers of the Year|''Wisden'' Cricketers of the Year]].{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154515.html|title=Peter Sainsbury|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=13 April 2026}} In 21 first-class matches in 1974, Sainsbury took 35 wickets at an average of 23.22, but bowled only 425 overs across the season, his lowest since 1966. He was Hampshire's sole spinner during the season,{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19740511/029/0029|title=Hampshire's Thoughts are on a Double|work=Derby Evening Telegraph|page=29|date=11 May 1974|access-date=14 April 2026|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} with the attack led largely by the [[seam bowling]] of [[Bob Herman]], [[Andy Roberts (cricketer)|Andy Roberts]], and [[Mike Taylor (cricketer, born 1942)|Mike Taylor]].{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/County_Championship_1974/Hampshire_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Hampshire, County Championship 1974|publisher=CricketArchive|url-access=subscription}} He also scored 599 runs at an average of 33.27, narrowly missing out on making a century against Gloucestershire in July, with 98 runs.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19740709/651/0027|title=D'Oliveira Hits His Highest Score of 227|first=Ian|last=Williams|work=Birmingham Post|page=27|date=9 July 1974|access-date=14 April 2026|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} In 21 one-day matches in 1974, Sainsbury took 30 wickets at an average of 18.46, and scored 284 runs. Shortly after the conclusion of the season, he was selected in the [[International Wanderers in Rhodesia and Transvaal in 1974–75|International Wanderers team that toured Rhodesia and Transvaal]]; the team was promoted by [[Derrick Robins]],{{cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/713999860|title=Cultural Confrontation: Race, Politics and Cricket in South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s|journal=Sport in Society|volume=5|issue=2|page=90|year=2002|doi=10.1080/713999860|issn=1743-0445}} with tours to South Africa controversial due to the [[apartheid]] policies of the South African government and were viewed as breaking the anti-apartheid stance that had seen South Africa isolated in international cricket. The team played one first-class match apiece against [[Rhodesia cricket team|Rhodesia]] and [[Gauteng cricket team|Transvaal]]. |
||
In the [[1975 English cricket season|1975 season]], he made 19 first-class appearances, 18 of which came in the [[1975 County Championship|County Championship]]. In these, he scored 834 runs at an average of 30.88, making his final century (105 runs) against Nottinghamshire in June.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19750604/321/0015|title=Kanhi Back for W. Indies Cup Attack|work=Birmingham Daily Post|page=15|date=4 June 1975|access-date=19 April 2026|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} He also claimed 52 wickets at an average of 21.78, twice taking five wickets in an innings. |
|||
But in an era when [[English cricket team|England]]'s spin bowling options included [[Tony Lock]], [[Fred Titmus]], [[Ray Illingworth]] and [[Derek Underwood]], this was as close as he came to [[Test cricket]]. |
But in an era when [[English cricket team|England]]'s spin bowling options included [[Tony Lock]], [[Fred Titmus]], [[Ray Illingworth]] and [[Derek Underwood]], this was as close as he came to [[Test cricket]]. |
||
