Peter Croft

Peter Croft was educated at Gresham’s School (Norfolk) before going up to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he became a double cricket and hockey Blue. He played both sports at school and in 1952 played alongside the future England cricket captain Ted Dexter for the Public Schools XI against the Combined Services at Lord’s.

Croft won his cricket Blue in 1955 and hockey Blue in the following two years. In 1956, Cambridge beat Oxford 2-0 to win the Varsity game and end the season with a 25-game unbeaten streak. Croft had the honour of captaining in the University XI in 1957. He went on to play representative hockey for Surrey, The South, England, and Great Britain, who finished fourth at the 1960 Roma Olympics.

As a cricketer, Croft played 18 First Class matches for Cambridge University and the Free Foresters XI between 1955-57. He played for the Surrey second XI in the Minor Counties Championship between 1953-55, during his time doing National Service, and Surrey were champions in 1954 and 1955.

Peter Croft and his brother George were both members of the Surbiton Hockey Club and the family maintained a long connection with the club. Two of Peter’s grandchildren continued the tradition, and were playing for the club’s junior section at the time of their grandfather’s death in 2021.