Mark Robinson (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Andrew Robinson was an English
cricketer
: a right-arm fast-medium bowler who also batted right-handed. He was renowned for being one of the worst batsmen in the modern professional game, finishing with a career first-class
batting average
of 4.01, a figure which would have been even lower had it not been for his fairly high proportion of not out
s (112 of them in 259 first-class innings).
's second XI, Robinson made his first-class debut in 1987
against Lancashire
, taking four wickets in the match including those of Mike Watkinson
and Neil Fairbrother
. By the end of the season he was playing a significant part in the first team, and the following year
he took 46 first-class wickets at 22.93
. However, with the bat he scored only 37 runs in 17 innings, more than half of them when he made 19* and 2* against Essex
in his final game of the summer.
He spent the winter in New Zealand
playing for Canterbury, though his bowling was not particularly effective and he averaged over 40. Returning to Northants for 1989
, Robinson claimed 37 wickets, but a derisory total of 17 runs from 23 innings brought him an average of 1.30 despite 10 not-outs. This included a sequence of seven successive scoreless innings between April and June, although he was dismissed in only five of these.
saw Robinson surpass even this level of ineptitude with the bat, when he set a world record of 12 first-class noughts in a row (seven of them not out). In all cricket, including second-eleven games, he failed to score in 17 innings from 15 May until 18 August, finishing the season with a total of three runs in 16 first-class innings, with a highest score of 1*; only his ten not-outs helping his season's batting average to the dizzy heights of 0.50. This feat rather overshadowed his bowling for the summer: he took 40 wickets, but at a rather unimpressive average (even considering that year's batting-friendly conditions) of 47.22; his List A figures (24 wickets at 37.91) were somewhat better.
For the 1991 season
he moved to Yorkshire
, and though he had a mediocre year and averaged nearly 50 with the ball, Yorkshire's faith in him was rewarded the following summer. In 1992
he claimed 50 first-class victims at 22.68, taking five wickets in an innings three times, though he had a poor year in the limited-overs game. He also reached double figures with the bat for the first time in three and a half years when he made 12 against Hampshire
in May. In between, he had played sixty one innings without reaching double figures, which is the third longest such sequence after Eric Hollies
between 1948 and 1950 (71 innings) and his Northamptonshire predecessor Nobby Clark
between 1925 and 1927 with 65 consecutive single figure innings.
Robinson remained at Yorkshire for three more summers, taking between 45 and 49 wickets in each of them. In 1993
he achieved a career-best innings return of 9-37 against his old county of Northamptonshire, and also took his career-best List A figures of 4-23 (which he was to equal in 2000
). However, after the end of the 1995 season
he spent an entire year out of the game before Sussex
signed him for the 1997 season
.
and 1999
Robinson also passed 40 wickets, but in 2000 his only double-figure List A score (15* against Lancashire) could not compensate for his being in and out of the County Championship
side and managing only 16 first-class wickets.
Robinson's final full season was 2001
, and it proved to be his most productive: he took 56 wickets at an excellent average of 19.33, topping the Division 2 Championship averages among those bowlers taking 20 or more wickets, while 29 scalps in List A games was also a personal best. Despite this, however, he was to play only one more first-class game, in June 2002
against Yorkshire. He did play a few one-day matches that season, and after a few second-team appearances the following year
he retired from playing.
In October 2005, Robinson became professional cricket manager at Sussex, replacing Peter Moores
who left to succeed Rod Marsh
as director of the ECB National Academy
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
: a right-arm fast-medium bowler who also batted right-handed. He was renowned for being one of the worst batsmen in the modern professional game, finishing with a career first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 4.01, a figure which would have been even lower had it not been for his fairly high proportion of not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
s (112 of them in 259 first-class innings).
Early career
After a number of appearances in NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
's second XI, Robinson made his first-class debut in 1987
1987 English cricket season
In the 1987 English cricket season Nottinghamshire pulled off the Championship and NatWest Trophy "double"-Honours:*County Championship - Nottinghamshire*NatWest Trophy - Nottinghamshire*Sunday League - Worcestershire...
against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, taking four wickets in the match including those of Mike Watkinson
Mike Watkinson
Mike Watkinson is a former English cricketer who played four Test matches and one One Day International in the mid-1990s...
and Neil Fairbrother
Neil Fairbrother
Neil Fairbrother is a former English cricket player, named by his mother after her favourite player, the Australian cricketer Neil Harvey. He was educated at Lymm High School....
. By the end of the season he was playing a significant part in the first team, and the following year
1988 English cricket season
The 1988 English cricket season was dominated by Worcestershire who won the first of two successive championships and also a second successive Sunday league title....
he took 46 first-class wickets at 22.93
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
. However, with the bat he scored only 37 runs in 17 innings, more than half of them when he made 19* and 2* against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
in his final game of the summer.
He spent the winter in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
playing for Canterbury, though his bowling was not particularly effective and he averaged over 40. Returning to Northants for 1989
1989 English cricket season
The 1989 English cricket season saw the re-emergence of Australia as a world-class team after it had struggled for most of the previous 12 years. Under the leadership of Allan Border, a very fine team had been forged that included Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, David Boon and Merv Hughes...
, Robinson claimed 37 wickets, but a derisory total of 17 runs from 23 innings brought him an average of 1.30 despite 10 not-outs. This included a sequence of seven successive scoreless innings between April and June, although he was dismissed in only five of these.
A world record, then to Yorkshire
19901990 English cricket season
The 1990 English season was one of the most batsmen-friendly summers in living memory. The size of the seam on the cricket ball had been reduced markedly from 1989, and along with dry conditions and the extension of four-day cricket this allowed batsmen to build huge scores: Graham Gooch became one...
saw Robinson surpass even this level of ineptitude with the bat, when he set a world record of 12 first-class noughts in a row (seven of them not out). In all cricket, including second-eleven games, he failed to score in 17 innings from 15 May until 18 August, finishing the season with a total of three runs in 16 first-class innings, with a highest score of 1*; only his ten not-outs helping his season's batting average to the dizzy heights of 0.50. This feat rather overshadowed his bowling for the summer: he took 40 wickets, but at a rather unimpressive average (even considering that year's batting-friendly conditions) of 47.22; his List A figures (24 wickets at 37.91) were somewhat better.
For the 1991 season
1991 English cricket season
The 1991 English cricket season was notable for some outstanding fast bowling performances by Messrs Ambrose, Donald and Waqar.-Honours:*County Championship - Essex*NatWest Trophy - Hampshire*Sunday League - Nottinghamshire...
he moved to Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
, and though he had a mediocre year and averaged nearly 50 with the ball, Yorkshire's faith in him was rewarded the following summer. In 1992
1992 English cricket season
-Honours:*County Championship - Essex*NatWest Trophy - Northamptonshire*Sunday League - Middlesex*Benson & Hedges Cup -*Minor Counties Championship - Staffordshire*MCCA Knockout Trophy - Devon...
he claimed 50 first-class victims at 22.68, taking five wickets in an innings three times, though he had a poor year in the limited-overs game. He also reached double figures with the bat for the first time in three and a half years when he made 12 against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in May. In between, he had played sixty one innings without reaching double figures, which is the third longest such sequence after Eric Hollies
Eric Hollies
William Eric Hollies was an English cricketer, who is mainly remembered for taking the wicket of Donald Bradman for a duck in Bradman's final Test match innings, in which only four was needed for a Test average of 100...
between 1948 and 1950 (71 innings) and his Northamptonshire predecessor Nobby Clark
Edward Clark (cricketer)
Edward Winchester 'Nobby' Clark was a Northamptonshire cricketer of the inter-war period during which they were one of the weakest counties ever to play in the County Championship...
between 1925 and 1927 with 65 consecutive single figure innings.
Robinson remained at Yorkshire for three more summers, taking between 45 and 49 wickets in each of them. In 1993
1993 English cricket season
The 1993 English cricket season saw the dramatic arrival on the scene of Shane Warne and his incredible "Gatting Ball". Australia, led by Steve Waugh, now had one of the strongest teams ever known and won the Ashes with plenty to spare....
he achieved a career-best innings return of 9-37 against his old county of Northamptonshire, and also took his career-best List A figures of 4-23 (which he was to equal in 2000
2000 English cricket season
The 2000 English cricket season was marked by the dominance of Surrey in first-class cricket and Gloucestershire in limited overs.-Honours:*County Championship - Surrey*NatWest Trophy - Gloucestershire*National League - Gloucestershire...
). However, after the end of the 1995 season
1995 English cricket season
The 1995 English cricket season saw a continued dominance of the domestic scene by Warwickshire.-Honours:*County Championship - Warwickshire CCC*NatWest Trophy - Warwickshire CCC*Sunday League - Kent CCC*Benson & Hedges Cup -...
he spent an entire year out of the game before Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
signed him for the 1997 season
1997 English cricket season
The 1997 English cricket season centred on the six Test Ashes series against Australia. England won the first, at Edgbaston, by the decisive margin of nine wickets, and the rain-affected second Test at Lord's was drawn, but any English optimism was short-lived...
.
Sussex and retirement
His first year with his new county proved to be Robinson's best ever with the bat as he passed a hundred runs for the season for the first (and only) time, thanks in part to a game against Lancashire in which he made 27 (the best of his career) and 17, albeit in a losing cause as Sussex were thrashed by an innings. In his main role he was again effective, taking 48 first-class wickets at 29.70, as well as picking up 19 in one-day cricket. In 19981998 English cricket season
In the 1998 English cricket season Leicestershire won the championship for the second time in three seasons while Lancashire performed the one day double.-Honours:*County Championship - Leicestershire*NatWest Trophy - Lancashire...
and 1999
1999 English cricket season
The 1999 English cricket season saw the Sunday League changed to a new format National League with games played midweek under floodlight.-Honours:*County Championship - Surrey*NatWest Trophy - Gloucestershire*National League - Lancashire...
Robinson also passed 40 wickets, but in 2000 his only double-figure List A score (15* against Lancashire) could not compensate for his being in and out of the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
side and managing only 16 first-class wickets.
Robinson's final full season was 2001
2001 English cricket season
The 2001 English cricket season saw Yorkshire win the County Championship for the first time since 1968. Australia again won the Ashes, this time largely due to some fine performances by Adam Gilchrist....
, and it proved to be his most productive: he took 56 wickets at an excellent average of 19.33, topping the Division 2 Championship averages among those bowlers taking 20 or more wickets, while 29 scalps in List A games was also a personal best. Despite this, however, he was to play only one more first-class game, in June 2002
2002 English cricket season
The 2002 English cricket season saw 2001 county champions Yorkshire relegated. They did, however, win the C&G Trophy.-Honours:*County Championship - Surrey*C&G Trophy - Yorkshire*National League - Glamorgan*Benson & Hedges Cup -...
against Yorkshire. He did play a few one-day matches that season, and after a few second-team appearances the following year
2003 English cricket season
The 2003 English cricket season was notable for the long overdue first official County Championship of the oldest county club: Sussex.-Honours:*County Championship - Sussex*C&G Trophy - Gloucestershire*National League - Surrey...
he retired from playing.
In October 2005, Robinson became professional cricket manager at Sussex, replacing Peter Moores
Peter Moores (cricketer)
Peter Moores is a former English county cricketer. He played as a wicketkeeper for Worcestershire and Sussex He became the coach of Lancashire County Cricket Club, on 11 February 2009....
who left to succeed Rod Marsh
Rod Marsh
Rodney William Marsh MBE is a former Australian wicketkeeper.A colourful character, Marsh had a Test career spanning from the 1970–71 to the 1983–84 Australian season. In 96 Tests, he set a world record of 355 wicketkeeping dismissals, the same number his pace bowling Western...
as director of the ECB National Academy
ECB National Academy
The National Cricket Performance Centre first came into existence in the winter of 2001-2002 and has been based at Loughborough University since 2003. In 2007 following the "Schofield Report" the National Academy was renamed The National Cricket Performance Centre. It consists of a state of the art...
.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...