Walter Robins

Walter Robins
Cricket information
Batting style Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling style Leg break
International information
National side
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 19 379
Runs scored 612 13884
Batting average 26.60 26.39
100s/50s 1/4 11/73
Top score 108 140
Balls bowled 3318 43215
Wickets 64 969
Bowling average 27.46 23.30
5 wickets in innings 1 54
10 wickets in match 0 4
Best bowling 6/32 8/69
Catches/stumpings 12/0 217/0
Source:

Robert Walter Vivian Robins (3 June 1906 – 12 December 1968) was an English cricketer and footballer.

Walter Robins was born in Stafford and was educated at Highgate School and Cambridge University. He played football for Nottingham Forest and first-class cricket for Middlesex, Cambridge University and England. He was a useful right-handed batsman and a capable leg-break bowler, who played in 258 first-class matches for the county, taking 669 wickets at an average of 22.28, with a personal best of 8/69. He was an adventurous captain who was prepared to take risks, in order to gain a positive result.[1] He captained Middlesex County Cricket Club during three spells (1935–1938, 1946–1947 and 1950) and led them to the County Championship in 1947. He stood down from the captaincy in 1948 due to his business interests and may have contemplated retirement from cricket but he remained an occasional first-class player until 1958.

Robins was named one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1930.

He took 217 first class catches, and 12 in Test matches, yet he infamously dropped Don Bradman during the third Test of England's 1936/37 Ashes tour. Captain Gubby Allen placed Robins at square leg with instructions to run to long leg as soon as the fast bowler sent down a bouncer. Bradman duly hooked and Robins, running before the ball was struck, got under the catch only to fumble and drop it. He apologised only for Allen to reply "Don't give it a thought Walter, you've probably cost us the Ashes, but don't give it a thought." Bradman went on to make 270, Australia won the match by 365 runs and took the series 3:2.

Robins captained England for the three Test series at home to New Zealand in 1937, winning it 1-0. He later became Chairman of the England Test Selectors. He died in Marylebone, following a long illness, aged 62. His son Charles Robins became a first-class cricketer, as did his son-in-law, Kenneth Came who was also a career officer in the British Army.

Notes

  1. Cricinfo profile

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
G.O.B.Allen
English national cricket captain
1937
Succeeded by
W.R.Hammond
Preceded by
H.J.Enthoven
and N.E.Haig
Middlesex cricket captain
1935–1938
Succeeded by
I.A.R.Peebles
Preceded by
I.A.R.Peebles
Middlesex cricket captain
1946–1947
Succeeded by
F.G.Mann
Preceded by
F.G.Mann
Middlesex cricket captain
1950
Succeeded by
D.C.S.Compton
and W.J.Edrich


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