It’s third time lucky for Peter as the skipper
PETER Wilshaw will captain Staffordshire for the first time at the weekend when he takes charge of the NCCA Championship Division One East game against Lincolnshire.
For Wilshaw, it marks the highlight of a 17-year journey on the minor counties circuit, which has featured plenty of highs, lows, cheers and tears, as well as divisional titles in 2014 and 2019, the overall crown in 2014 and two trips to the one-day showpiece.
He’s been in contention to be captain before, when Paul Goodwin stepped down at the end of the 2014 title-winning season and also when Kadeer Ali called it quits in 2019.
It’s third time lucky for the Meakins batsman, though, after Sam Kelsall’s resignation, without taking charge of a match after last year’s programme was called off, created an opportunity.
“I’ve always liked the idea of being captain. I was involved at a young age at Longton and have done bits and pieces at Meakins,” he said.
“As time has moved on with Staffs, I felt due to my experience that I was Gooders’ right-hand man and that rolled on with Kaddy.
“There was the thought that having captained Staffordshire at under-10s level it would be a nice conclusion to skipper the senior side.
“But I felt that my chance had probably gone.
When Kaddy announced he was finishing, a bit earlier than people expected. I was disappointed not to take over.
“I did understand the decision to appoint Sam. I think he would have done a good job and a lot of his ideas were with the best intentions of the county at heart.
“I just wished he would have given it a bit more time but, saying that, I wouldn’t have been given the opportunity otherwise.”
Wilshaw cuts an unmistakable figure on the field. He has been described in a minor counties book as “looking like a bearded, burly farmhand”, but his jovial nature doesn’t detract from the serious business of scoring runs.
He has scored more than 5,500 in the Championship arena, in excess of 1,500 in one-dayers and is closing in on 500 in the T20 format.
His tally of 14 Championship centuries for Staffs leaves him behind only county legend Steve Dean, who scored 19.
“My role in the Staffordshire side has probably changed a little bit in the last few years but I feel as though I’ve played more matchwinning innings in that time,” he added.
“I’ll continue to play for the team, but I’m always after scoring more runs. If any batsman doesn’t say that, there’s something wrong with them.”