Cricket stalwart Simmo is 1,000 not out at Singleton

It's 1,000 not out for Singleton Cricket Club stalwart Pete Symonds.

Simmo first played as a 14-year-old in 1965, the first year Singleton played at their picturesque ground at Sheepwash Meadow. It was the start of a lifetime of wickets, runs and catches for him.

As a young fast bowler Simmo terrified opponents. His best bowling stats of 10-2-12-9 came against Ripsley House in 1973. He took the first nine wickets – eight bowled and one lbw – but missed out on the last.

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He’s achieved a nine-wicket haul twice more and has taken five wickets in a match on 92 occasions. In all he has taken 1,790 wickets at an average of only just over ten runs per wicket.

In more recent years he’s turned into a wily spinner, but a shoulder injury has prevented him adding to his huge tally.

He can boast (although he does not) he’s also scored 21,363 runs, including 15 tons and 110 50s, and continues to clock up around 400 every year.

Despite a hip replacement some years ago, he has a good few years left in him to add to his tallies. As the man who compiles all the club stats, he is sure to get them down in the book.

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Club chairman Martin Davies presented Pete with a cake and a magnum of champagne to mark his 1,000th appearance last week against Wessex Pilgrims.

“Pete epitomises all that is good about club cricket – he enjoys the game, win or lose; he enjoys the banter with team-mates and the opposition and enjoys the teas,” said Davies. “He helps with the ground maintenance and preparation of the wicket and co-skippers the evening team. With the amount he does, we’d be lost without him.”