Peter Smith bowled everyone over on Saturday when he achieved two incredible milestones in one match.
The Armadale Cricket Club (ACC) stalwart played his 700th game at the weekend – a feat that has never before been recorded in the club’s 125-year history.
Many of those games were also two-dayers, meaning Peter has played well over 1000 Saturdays for Armadale.
He started at the club as a 13-year-old in October 1970, following in the footsteps of his father (Ray Smith) and grandfather (Claude Marsh).
During his 54-year career he’s also played alongside his three brothers (Alan, Graeme and Bruce).
His son, Ashley, is just about to notch up his 200th game for Armadale.
“And I think I’ve played most of those with him,” he said. “We’re a bit synonymous with the club.”
Over the course of five-and-a-half decades, Peter has played in an incredible 45 finals and 10 premierships. One of his favourite memories is winning a premiership alongside his brother Graeme who had just come out of a 30 year-long retirement.
“But every week brings different memories,” he said.
“I love cricket – I love the challenge and the mateship.
“It tests both your character and your physical health; that was certainly tested on Saturday in the heat.”
Another club legend, Jake Edwards, was also celebrating his 250th game, and in a good-humoured poke at their seniority in the club, the pair of opening batsmen were pushed up to the crease in wheelchairs by their teammates.
“For those who don’t know, Peter was a devastating middle order batsman in his heyday, who would murder attacks,” ACC’s Matt McClure said.
“‘Don’t bowl short to Pete’ as he would smack you over square.
“But pitch it up and he would belt you over cover for six with a short arm jab.”
He famously recorded a century during a four-day grand final in his early days, and has since racked up 20 centuries, 108 half-centuries and a high score of 200no.
On Saturday he was chasing his 20,000th run, with 26 needed to hit the mark.
Unfortunately, he fell short by 10 but will, no doubt, write his name into the club’s record books again in the coming weeks.
At the end of the innings, Armadale posted 115 against Piara Waters, who had graciously agreed to switch grounds for the match so that the ACC could celebrate the milestones on home soil.
Then it was Armadale’s turn to field.
Peter doesn’t really regard himself as a bowler, but he took to the pitch on Saturday as the opening bowler – a club tradition for milestone games.
With a tally of 247 wickets to his name, Peter needed just three more to record another watershed moment.
As an army of family and friends looked on, Peter Smith took a remarkable six wickets off 15 in his seven overs.
“That was a record for me – the most I’ve ever taken was five,” he said.
With Peter ripping through the majority of the line-up, Piara Waters soon toppled with 59 all out, sealing a fairy tale ending for Armadale.
“As you can see Peter has an unbelievable resume on field, but some will say that his greatest work has been done off the field, behind the scenes,” Matt McClure said.
Peter has been a devoted committee member for 40 years, and served in every role possible during that time, including as club president for 10 years.
“Peter Smith IS Armadale Cricket Club,” Matt said.
And his devotion to the club was rewarded on Saturday with a legion of family, friends, former team mates, and fans popping in to Gwynne Park to witness his magic moment, including local member Tony Buti.
“It was a special day to share with my family and friends,” he said.
“And I’d like to say a thank you to all the teammates I’ve played with over these 700 games.
“You don’t play for the milestones – they come and go – but for the love of the game and the mateship.”
The festivities kicked on well into the night, with the club hosting a ‘Back to Armadale’ reunion, where four new club legends – Corey Mullane, Rhett Jones, Andrew Stoodley and Jake Edwards – were officially inducted.
“I’d like to thank the club for putting on such a memorable night – it was one of the best nights in a long time,” Peter said.
