Winning Fame In Cricket

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 162, 28 June 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

Winning Fame In Cricket

THE BATTING 4 BOWLING OF R. W. V. ROBINS A rapid rise to fame in cricket has been made by Robert Walter Vivian Robins, the Middlesex cricketer, who scored St) runs in England’s first innings against Australia last week and then took four Australian wickets for 51. runs, followed by three for 81 in the Australians’ second iniyngs. Robins became-24 years of age just over three weeks ago. He was born at Stafford, and when he was at the Stafford Grammar School he showed much promise as a cricketer. In his earlier years he was coached by his father, who played foy Staffordshire (a second-class coujjty) . before the Great War. -Later his coach ■ was Albert. Knight, an old Leicestershire professional, who should not be confused with A. E. Knight, a Hampshire amateur.

When he was 11 years of age young Robins went to London, and attended Highgate School. In his first year in the school eleven he gave promise of the form he was subsequently destined! to show in more important cricket, for. he averaged 27 in batting and obtained 28 wickets at a cost of 23 runs each. For the next three years he headed both batting and bowling tables, with excellent figures. In 1925, when captain, he scored 816 runs (highest innings 206) with an average of nearly 63, and took no fewer than 60 wickets for less than 16 runs apiece. His all-round cricket made him one of the great schoolboy players of-the year. On proceeding to Cambridge University, he secured his Blue as a freshman and) in the University match, made 37 and not put 21. Against Oxford in the following year he made 55 and 41. In his last year at Cambridge he scored 53 and norout 101 at Lord’s and took eight wickets for 151 runs. That season he was invited to play for the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord’s, but met with only moderate success.

While at Highgate, Robins had played in a few matches for Middlesex. He has assisted that county since his*last-year, at school, with increasing credit, particularly as a howler. In 1928 his form approached that of his best davs at Cambridge. Last season bis googly bowling proved of great value to the county. Curiously enough, ho was not always a googly bowler, for only in his year of captaincy at Highgate tfid he practise this ball. Even at Cambridge, his powers in this direction were dormant or unrevealed. Only toward the end of the summer of 1928, when playing for Middlesex, did he blossom out as a bowler possessed of special gifts. Part of this biographical notice has beep taken from “Wisden’s Cricketers’ Almanack,” which proceeds: — “Robins, who, last season at Lord’s, played l in his first Test match for England, accomplished nothing in batting, and not until he was put on at the pavilion end in the second, innings of South Africa was he very effective as a bowler. Still, as always, he fielded splendidly at cover-point. As a googly bowler, he still has something to learn, his fault being that he tries to bowl too fast, and as his trajectory is consequently much lower than that of, say, A. P. Freeman, his flight is rarely deceptive!! For his success he relies on his rery powerful finger-spin which enables' him to make the ball turn quickly, and at a sharp angle. On his day. he is likely to run through any side, but ranch of his good work is spoiledebjh’erratic’ length. As a a. fine .driver, hitting the ball very hard on either side. Altogether, ,in his wav. Robins is a remarkable young cricketer of whom the best has quite possibly not yet been seen.”