Peter Forman RIP 1934 - 2022

 

Sad news released today of the passing of Peter Forman, as Notts player from over 60 years ago. Condolences to his family and close ones.

Peter Ralph Forman was born in West Bridgford on 9th March 1934; his father, Ralph had played Second Eleven cricket for Notts in the 1920s and served on the Notts Committee from 1951 to 1971. His grandfather, Frank Forman was a professional footballer who started at Derby County and then between 1894-1905 he made 223 appearances (9 goals) for Nottingham Forest. Frank was in the Forest team that won the FA Cup in 1898, beating his old club Derby 3-1 in the final. He also played nine times for England scoring once. Three members of the same family - Frank, his brother Fred (Peter Forman's great-uncle) and nephew Harry Linacre - made the same journey from Derby to Forest; goalkeeper Linacre was part of the first foreign tour by Forest, to South America in 1905. After retiring from football, Frank and Harry went into business as a building contractor and their company Forman and Linacre still exists to this day, Peter being a director for many years.

Peter was a right-hand lower-order batter, who was played primarily for his orthodox left-arm spin. He was educated at Oakham School where he played in the First XI in 1948-51, skippering them in his final year. He first appeared for Notts Seconds in July 1951 in a Minor Counties Championship match v Yorkshire Seconds at Retford. In 1955, he had figures of 6-35 and 3-46 in a Minor Counties contest at Trent Bridge v Warwickshire Seconds. His appearances though for the Second team were sporadic.


He joined the Trent Bridge staff in 1959 and playing as an amateur, he made his first-class debut in the opening match of 1959 against Yorkshire at Acklam Park, Middlesbrough – scoring 4 and 6 and having figures of 0-49 and 1-53 as the home team won the contest by 194 runs. His maiden first-class victim was Vic Wilson, but earlier in the Yorkshire second innings opener Ken Taylor had hit him for 24 off an over. Nevertheless, Forman kept his place in the team for the following three games, taking 3-64 versus Leicestershire at Trent Bridge.



He was appointed Second Eleven skipper in 1961 and after a 27-month gap reappeared for the first-team in their August fixture v Warwickshire at Trent Bridge. It turned out to be a spectacular re-introduction as Forman with figures of 4-34 and 4-45 was instrumental in Notts gaining an unexpected 37-run victory. He kept his place in the team, for the remaining three matches of the season, finishing with 14 wickets @22.42. With Bomber Wells, very much the senior spinner, he played a further eight first-class games in the following season achieving his best ever innings figures of 5-73 against Glamorgan at St Helen’s, Swansea in mid-May as Notts won the match by 111 runs. He took seven wickets in the match against Cambridge University at Trent Bridge in June. In his next game, he made his top score of 26 versus the Pakistanis at Trent Bridge. His final first-class appearance for Notts was against Yorkshire at Headingley on 18, 19th and 20 July when he failed to take a wicket. Forman could look quite dangerous on wickets that suited him, but lacked the ability to keep batters quiet on the more docile pitches. He finished the 1962 season with 18 first-class victims @31.33



His career record for Notts is given below:

 

BATTING	M		I		NO		RUNS		HS		AV’GE		CT	ST		100		50	30		0
First-Class	16		25		8		180		26		10.58		14	0		-		-	-		1
BOWLING		OVERS		M		RUNS		W		AV’GE		ARPO			BPW		BB			5wI
First-Class		422.3		122		1291		40		32.27		3.05			63.35		5-73			1

 

In 35 appearances for Notts Seconds in either the Minor Counties Championship or Second Eleven Competition, he scored 285 runs @8.63 and took 70 wickets @22.02.


Peter played his club cricket for Forest Amateurs for many years, and also made appearances for The Forty Club. He died in October 2022, aged 88 years.