Founded in 1834, Abergavenny Cricket Club is in its 182nd year of existence. Over the next few weeks the Chronicle will be running updates from the present alongside a look at some of the historic figures who became local heroes at the Cricket Club. This week we feature George G.J.A. Peake.

In bygone days Abergavenny Cricket was played close to the town centre in the field lying in the angle between Lion Lane (now Lion Street) and Hereford Road, and only a cricket ball throw from the Market.

The Abergavenny Grammar School which seldom had more than 30 pupils in those days nurtured several able cricketers who came to maturity in the 1860s. One such player was George Peake, son of the Headmaster and later his assistant as a master at King Henry V111 school, whose languid appearance belied his ferocity with bat and ball.

Peake (Pictured above in the 1864 team, middle of the standing row) became the outstanding cricketer of the mid 19th century, he excelled as a batsman, bowler and fielder. He also had the foresight to keep printed records of the club’s matches. Making him one of the first archivists.

George James Allen Peake made his debut in 1860 on August 6 against Lord Maldons X1, the name by which the Crickhowell team was known in those days.

In 1861 Peake was one of six Abergavenny players selected to play for the County side Monmouthshire against Brecon.

He also took part in a number of single wicket matches in the Castle Meadows, this form of challenge match had became quite common at the time.

George Peake was a fast round arm bowler most destructive with his off break. He was a very fine batsman and a straight and tremendously powerful hitter; he frequently hit the ball from the ‘market’ ground into the Hereford Road.

In 1860 he caused a stir by dispatching a ‘half volley’ over the houses facing the market. The ball coming to rest in a yard, where it found an unimpeded course to the Kibby Brook and was then swept away by the flowing stream.

In addition to his other athletic accomplishments he was a great thrower of a cricket ball, his record cricket ball throw was measured at 106 yards.

In 1866, Peake, who had been the backbone of the side, left Abergavenny. He returned to the town in 1869 and he again enriched the motivation and achievements of the team. He was still playing in 1879 under the captaincy of J.B.Walford.

In ‘Fifty Years of Cricket in Abergavenny’, Mr Badham observed that Peake was the hardest of clean hitters, safest of catchers, longest of throwers, steadiest of bowlers, with just enough curl from the leg to find out a crooked bat, and also at all times the best of good fellows.