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Robin Marlar

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Robin Marlar
Personal information
Full name
Robin Geoffrey Marlar
Born(1931-01-02)2 January 1931
Eastbourne, Sussex, England
Died30 September 2022(2022-09-30) (aged 91)
Epsom, Surrey, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off-spin
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1951–1953Cambridge University
1951–1968Sussex
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 289
Runs scored 3,033
Batting average 9.72
100s/50s 0/2
Top score 64
Balls bowled 54,450
Wickets 970
Bowling average 25.22
5 wickets in innings 66
10 wickets in match 15
Best bowling 9/46
Catches/stumpings 137/–
Source: CricketArchive, 6 February 2014

Robin Geoffrey Marlar (2 January 1931 – 30 September 2022) was an English cricketer and cricket journalist. He played for Cambridge University before playing for Sussex County Cricket Club from 1951 to 1968. He captained both teams.

Early life

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Marlar was born in Eastbourne, East Sussex on 2 January 1931.[1][2] He was educated at King Edward VI School, Lichfield and Harrow School, before studying at Magdalene College, Cambridge.[3][4] He played first-class cricket for Cambridge University, winning a blue in 1951, 1952 and 1953 (when he captained Cambridge to victory over Oxford).[5]

Career

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Marlar debuted for Sussex in July 1951 in a match against Kent held at the Central Recreation Ground in Hastings.[6][7] He played with the club until 1968 and served as its captain between 1955 and 1959. An innovative off-break bowler, he took 970 wickets in 289 matches at an average of 25.22, with a personal best of 9/46 against Lancashire at Hove in 1955. He was described as "shrewd and skilful" by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.[1]

Outside cricket and later life

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Marlar stood as a Conservative candidate for Bolsover in the 1959 General Election, and in a 1962 by-election at Leicester North East.[3] Decades later he was an early Referendum Party candidate at the 1993 Newbury by-election.[3][8]

After retiring from professional cricket, Marlar had a successful journalistic career as an outspoken cricket correspondent of The Sunday Times, and wrote the illustrated history The Story of Cricket (1979).[9] One noted example of his bluntness came in December 1987, when he described the conduct of umpires officiating a five-day international match against Pakistan "intolerable, because whether or not the umpires were cheating, that is the way it appeared", adding that it was worst crisis since 1932.[10] In the mid-1970s, after the response to an article he wrote on cricket in Bangladesh, he successfully advocated the inclusion of Bangladesh into international cricket.[11]

Marlar also started a thriving headhunting business based in Sloane Square and became a cricket administrator.[7] He served as chairman of Sussex in 1996 and 1997, laying the foundations for the club's first Championship win in 2003.[6][7] He was appointed president of Sussex County Cricket Club for 2005 and President of MCC for 2005–06. During this time he incurred some controversy when, on a declaration to the Sunday Telegraph, he described it as "absolutely outrageous" that female athletes play cricket with male athletes, in response to Holly Colvin and Sarah Taylor, who had both played for England, being chosen to play for Brighton College's First XI that summer.[12][13]

Personal life

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Marlar had six children who survived him.[7] He died on 30 September 2022 at Epsom Hospital. He was 91 years old.[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ a b Lynch, Steven. "Robin Marlar profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPN Cricinfo. ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Robin Marlar: Exit the enduring iconoclast, playing his shots to all parts". The Independent. London. 1 October 2006. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Llewellyn, David (21 March 1997). "Cricket: Maverick Marlar the original mover and shaker". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  4. ^ Wagg, Stephen (14 November 2017). Cricket: A Political History of the Global Game, 1945–2017. Routledge. ISBN 9781317557296.
  5. ^ Wisden 1954, pp. 285–87.
  6. ^ a b c "Robin Marlar, former Sussex captain and Sunday Times correspondent, dies aged 91". ESPN Cricinfo. ESPN Internet Ventures. 30 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Remembering Robin Marlar — 1931–2022". Sussex County Cricket Club. 30 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  8. ^ "By Elections – News website specialising in political pieces". By-elections.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  9. ^ Wisden 1980, p. 1222.
  10. ^ Eliason, Marcus (3 January 1988). "Loss to Pakistan Produces Accusations – English Cricket Crisis: Simply Foul Play". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  11. ^ Caesar, Faisal (14 January 2016). "Bangladesh v MCC XI - A historic day in Bangladesh cricket". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Cricket girls defy their MCC critic". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  13. ^ ""Absurd, old-fashioned and patronising" – Robin Marlar Incurred the wrath of Claire Connor". Old Brightonians – The Alumni of Brighton College. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Sussex county cricket captain
1955–1959 		Succeeded by
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