Peter Toohey

Peter Toohey (born 20 April 1954) is a former Australian cricketer who played in 15 Test matches and five One Day Internationals between 1977 and 1979. Toohey was one of the cricketers who came to the fore when the bulk of Australia's top cricketers defected to Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket. During his prime playing years in the Australian Test team, some media commentators referred to Toohey as "Australia's master batsman", such was Toohey's pivotal role in the Australian team during the absence of the World Series players.

Peter Toohey

Personal information
Full name	Peter Michael Toohey
Born	(1954-04-20)20 April 1954 Blayney, New South Wales
Nickname	Rats
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	Australia (1977–1979)
Test debut (cap 288)	2 December 1977 v India
Last Test	29 December 1979 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 45)	22 February 1978 v West Indies
Last ODI	7 February 1979 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1974/75–1983/84	New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 15 5 94 30 Runs scored 893 105 5735 713 Batting average 31.89 52.50 37.98 33.95 100s/50s 1/7 0/1 12/31 0/6 Top score 122 54* 158 82 Balls bowled – – 27 24 Wickets – – 0 1 Bowling average – – – 14.00 5 wickets in innings – – – 0 10 wickets in match – – – 0 Best bowling – – – 1/14 Catches/stumpings 9/– 0/– 67/– 9/–
Source: CricInfo, 12 December 2018

When the World Series Cricket players returned to mainstream Test cricket in 1979–80, Toohey only played two more Tests, both in the summer of 1979–80. He retired from cricket and now works in the financial sector in Brisbane.

Career

Toohey was born in Blayney, New South Wales, and played cricket for St Stanislaus' College in Bathurst, New South Wales.

He toured New Zealand with Western Districts Colts and played for New South Wales Schoolboys.^[1]

First Class Debut

Toohey made his first-class debut for New South Wales against Queensland in 1974–75, replacing Ron Crippin.^[2][3] He scored 0 and 12. He played two more first class games that summer making only 45 runs in all.

Toohey played better over the 1975-76 season, making 601 first class runs at an average of 40. The next summer he scored 515 runs at 37.

Test Player

During the 1977–78 season, defections to World Series Cricket saw opportunities open up for Australian cricketers. Toohey was selected for the first Test against India. He made the final eleven while Kim Hughes, who had already played test cricket, was relegated to 12th man.

Toohey had an excellent first test. When he came to the wicket Australia were 4-43; Toohey helped stop a collapse and by the time he was dimissed for 82 runs, Australia had made 166. In the second innings he put on a crucial partnership of 84 with Bob Simpson, scoring 57 runs. Australia won the game by 16 runs.

In the second test, Toohey made a duck in the first innings but his second innings of 83 was crucial in Australia chasing down a total of 342 to win the game.

Toohey failed in the third test (14 and 14), and made 4 and 85 in the fourth test. His fighting innings of 85 inspired Simpson to call him "a great player".^[4] Australia lost both these matches. In the fifth test Toohey made 60 in the first innings and 10 in the second. His series tally of 409 runs at 41 was second only to Bob Simpson, and far superior to the next best batter (Gary Cosier with 240 runs). Toohey was voted NSW Cricketer of the Year.^[5]

He was one of the standout performers on the 1978 tour of the West Indies.

In the first test he was knocked out, returned to the field, was dismissed for 20 and did not bat in the second innings.^[6] He missed the second and third tests but was back for the fourth in which Toohey made 40 and 17.

In the fifth test Toohey's double of 122 and 97 put Australia in a strong position to win before the game was prematurely ended due to a riot. He scored 566 first class runs on tour at 51.^[7]

As one of Australia's best batters, Toohey's name was floated as a possibility for the Australian captaincy after Bob Simpson retired but the job went to Graham Yallop.

1978-79 vs England

Toohey had a poor series in 1978-79 against England. He made 1 and 1 in the first test, but 81 in the first innings of the second test. His scores were then 0, 32, 20.^[8] 1 and 5. He was made 12th man for the 5th test, then scored 54 in an ODI which helped Australia win the game.^[9] He followed this with a useful 16 in a low scoring ODI which Australia also won. Toohey was recalled to the test side for the 6th test and made 8 and 0.^[10]

He was dropped for the first test against Pakistan, and overlooked for the 1979 World Cup squad and team to tour India.^[11][12] He made 633 first class runs that summer at 33.

1979-80 Recall to Test Side

Toohey was recalled to the Australian side over the 1979-80 summer after an injury to David Hookes, and scoring 111 against WA.^[13] He played two tests, making 19 and 3 against England and 10 and 7 against the West Indies, before being dropped again. He made 697 runs that summer at 43.56.

Later career

Toohey scored 357 runs in 1980-81 at 32.45. He was Man of the Match in a McDonald's Cup game, scoring 55.

In 1981-82 he made 511 runs at 46.45.

He was suspended in 1982-83 after an altercation with an umpire in a game of grade cricket.^[14]

Toohey's form declined during the 1983–84 season (258 runs at 29) and he was dropped from the NSW side. He did score 82 in a McDonald's Cup game, earning Man of the Match.

Toohey eventually retired from first class cricket in May 1984.^[15]

References

1. "Four players withdraw". The Canberra Times. Vol. 48, no. 13, 591. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 13 November 1973. p. 24. Retrieved 22 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
2. Peter Hanlon, "When Peter Toohey was swept off his dancing feet", The Age 20 December 2014, accessed 30 March 2015
3. "Lillee attempts big comeback". Papua New Guinea Post-courier. International, Australia. 22 October 1974. p. 18. Retrieved 22 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "India set to win fourth Test today". The Canberra Times. Vol. 52, no. 14, 982. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 January 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Toohey top NSW cricketer". The Canberra Times. Vol. 52, no. 15, 579. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 17 May 1978. p. 44. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "Wl poised to thrash Australia". Papua New Guinea Post-courier. International, Australia. 6 March 1978. p. 21. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "Toohey faces Windies' fire". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 16, 863. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 27 November 1981. p. 20. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Rash shots give English a hope". The Canberra Times. Vol. 53, no. 15, 807. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 2 January 1979. p. 16. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "Toohey in sparkling form". The Canberra Times. Vol. 53, no. 15, 845. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 February 1979. p. 16. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "CRICKET Rain a blow to Peter Toohey". The Canberra Times. Vol. 53, no. 15, 819. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 January 1979. p. 22. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "Wood back for tour of India". The Canberra Times. 19 July 1979. p. 30. Retrieved 11 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "Wood back for tour of India". The Canberra Times. Vol. 53, no. 16, 004. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 19 July 1979. p. 30. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
13. "Hookes out, Toohey in Test team". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 149. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 December 1979. p. 56. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
14. "Appeals committee cuts Toohey's suspension". The Canberra Times. Vol. 57, no. 17, 306. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 February 1983. p. 18. Retrieved 25 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
15. "CRICKET Toohey, 30, calls it a day". The Canberra Times. 31 May 1984. p. 28. Retrieved 11 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.