Peter Lever, former Lancashire and England fast bowler, passes away at 84

Peter Lever, Former Lancashire and England Fast Bowler, Dies Aged 84

Peter Lever, the former England and Lancashire fast bowler, has passed away at the age of 84 following a brief illness.

A stalwart of Lancashire cricket during the 1960s and ’70s, Lever claimed nearly 1,000 wickets for the county. He represented England in 17 Test matches and 10 One-Day Internationals, making his mark despite intense competition among seamers during his era.

Though he first featured in unofficial Tests against the Rest of the World in 1970 — notably taking 7 for 83 and dismissing greats like Graeme Pollock, Garry Sobers, and Clive Lloyd — he had to wait until the age of 30 to make his official England debut.

Lever played a key role in England’s 2-0 Ashes victory in 1970-71, taking 13 wickets in five matches. He also featured in the first-ever ODI, held in Melbourne after a Test match was abandoned due to rain. His international appearances remained sporadic, but he returned to tour Australia and New Zealand in 1974-75.

That tour included the infamous Auckland Test, during which Lever delivered the bouncer that struck New Zealand’s Ewen Chatfield, an incident that nearly proved fatal and left a lasting impression on Lever.

He was part of England’s squad for the inaugural men's World Cup in 1975, helping the side reach the semi-finals. Lever retired from international cricket in 1976 after one final Test appearance.

Post-retirement, he contributed to the game as England’s bowling coach under Ray Illingworth and was inducted into the Lancashire Hall of Fame in 2023.

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