Ray Robinson (Australian cricketer)

Rayford Harold Robinson (26 March 1914 – 10 August 1965) was an Australian cricketer who played in one Test match in 1936. He played first-class cricket for New South Wales and South Australia before World War II and in New Zealand for Otago between the 1946–47 and 1948–49 seasons.

Considered a stylish batsman and useful leg break bowler, Robinson scored over 2,000 first-class runs. He served in the Australian Army during World War II and his later career was affected by the shell shock that he suffered whilst serving in North Africa.

Early life and career

Robinson was born at Stockton in New South Wales in 1914. He played club cricket in Newcastle before being spotted at the age of 16 and playing for New South Wales Country and Colts sides in the early 1930s. He made his first-class debut for the state side in a December 1934 Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Considered by critics to be "the greatest natural cricketer since Victor Trumper" and by others as a "brilliant stylist", he headed the New South Wales batting averages in his second season, averaging 61.3 runs per innings.

A series of "heavy scores" made "with style and panache" saw Robinson called into the Australian Test side to play in the first Test of the 1936–37 home Ashes series at Brisbane. He scored only five runs in the match, a heavy Australian loss, and was twelfth man for the following Test before dropping out of the side altogether.