Robin Hobbs, the former Essex and England leg-spinner who captained Glamorgan during 1979, passed away after a short illness on Sunday, 17 March at the age of 81 (writes Andrew Hignell)
The signing of the Chippenham-born leg spinner on a three-year contract in 1979 had come as a shock to many, given that Robin had not played county cricket since 1975 and had started working for Barclaycard. At the time Glamorgan were still in transition following the retirement and departure of many of the Club’s outstanding players from the 1960s and early 1970s. There were a host of young players at his disposal, but the man who won seven caps for England soon proved to be a most likeable and popular figure in the changing room. “Everyone warmed to him because he was such a genuine person, “said one of his former charges. “He called it as he saw it, pulled no punches and was absolutely straight down the line with all of us.”
As Alan Wilkins also recalled, Robin still had the skills for first-class cricket. “He bowled with menace, with great experience and thought and he never looked out of his depth. Make no bones about it. Robin Hobbs was still, in 1979, a top-class leg-spin bowler.” Nevertheless, it proved to be a difficult summer with Glamorgan failing to win a Championship match. With his knees also playing up, Robin sat out some of the one-day games from mid-July, before having surgery at the end of the season in hospital in Carmarthen.
Malcolm Nash took over as 1st XI captain in 1980, but Robin helped the Glamorgan youngsters win the 2nd XI Championship. The following summer, Robin appeared in 15 out of Glamorgan’s 21 Championship matches and claimed 35 wickets at a fraction under 33 runs apiece, including an eight-wicket match haul as Glamorgan met Worcestershire at Hereford Racecourse. He also shared in two important tenth wicket partnerships during 1981 – the first with his great friend Rodney Ontong against Hampshire at Swansea, with the pair adding a record 140 for the last wicket, whilst the second came with his room-mate that summer, Javed Miandad, against Somerset at Taunton on Royal Wedding Day, July 29.
The pair joined forces again later in the year at Colchester where the Pakistani played what is acknowledged by those who saw it to have been one the greatest modern-day innings by any Glamorgan batter. Set 325 on a spiteful pitch at Castle Park, Essex had reduced the Welsh county to 44-4 before Javed led a remarkable fightback on the turning pitch where earlier in the day Robin had finished with figures of 5/85. The total stood on 227-7 when Robin joined him out in the middle, before adding 42 of which Robin’s contribution was nought from 20 balls as Javed wristily manoeuvred the ball around and adroitly farmed the strike. David Acfield eventually had Robin caught in the slips with the total on 270. With the help of Malcolm Nash and Simon Daniels, Javed helped Glamorgan to garner another 41 runs and reach another double-hundred before Simon was adjudged l.b.w. to John Lever with Glamorgan 14 runs short of their target.
This remarkable game proved to be Robin’s final first-class appearance as shortly afterwards, and despite a contract offer from Surrey, Robin announced his retirement from the first-class game and bowed out with a career tally of 1099 wickets at an average of 27. He had made his first-class debut for Essex in 1961, before six years later winning the first of seven Test caps during the 1967series against India.
At his peak, he bowled his leg-breaks and well disguised googlies from a moderate run-up, with plenty of flight. He was a batter of quite modest pretensions but in 1975 at Chelmsford he struck a 44-minute century for Essex against the Australians. His innings came after spinners Ashley Mallett and Jim Higgs had bowled the tourists to the verge of a massive victory. With two of his colleagues unable to bat, Robin – who more often than not wore a huge smile on his face - decided to enjoy himself with the bat and after reaching his half-century from 30 balls, he raced to his 100 off the next fifteen deliveries, dispatching Ashley for 27 in one over from the River End and sending another ball from Jim for six through the window of a house at the Hayes Close End.
After Robin had completed his remarkable century, Rod Marsh - the tourist’s acting captain - sauntered up to him and said “OK mate – we’ve had enough of you, you’ve had your fun, now get out otherwise I’m going to bring back [Jeff] Thomson!” Robin promptly skied the next ball into the hands of long-on and walked off to a standing ovation. As he later reflected, “I could say that I scored a century against Australia, but I wasn’t going to face Mr. Thomson!”
On hearing of Robin’s passing, Dan Cherry, Glamorgan’s Chief Executive Officer said, “Robin Hobbs was one of the great characters of the county circuit during the 1960s and 1970s. Even though Robin was in the twilight years of his playing career when he appeared for Glamorgan, his efforts, particularly in our 2nd XI, played a part in the emergence of several players such as Hugh Morris and Greg Thomas who went on to play for England, whilst Robin’s good humour and cheery outlook allowed many others to find their feet and subsequently flourish in Glamorgan 1st XI.”
“We send our condolences to Robin’s family and friends at this sad and difficult time.”