Obituary: Peter Lever, cricketer

For a generation of New Zealand cricket fans, England fast bowler Peter Lever will be remembered for a single ball, a bouncer which Ewen Chatfield deflected on to his own head, a blow which almost killed the test debutant in a 1975 match. Lever was horrified by what had happened, but Chatfield assured him the accident was not his fault. Although born in Yorkshire, Lever played county cricket for Lancashire. He made his test debut in 1970 and also played in 10 ODIs, including the first-ever such match, in 1971. He took 46 test wickets at an average of 36.8: his career-best figures of 6-38 came in an Ashes test in Melbourne in 1975. Lever retired from first class cricket in 1976, later becoming a country cricket coach and an assistant test selector. Peter Lever died on March 27 aged 84. — APL/agencies