Devon Cricket Board - County chairman remembers Roebuck

PETER ROEBUCK – AN APPRECIATION

It was a dreadful shock to learn on Saturday evening, by way at first of telephone conversations with Nick Folland and Gareth Townsend and later confirmation on the internet, of the premature death at 55 of former county captain Peter Roebuck and the tragic circumstances surrounding it.

It conjured up a vivid memory of the day some 20 years ago when after a pre season friendly against Somerset II at Taunton during which Peter had appeared looking supremely fit having just announced his retirement from First Class cricket, Nick as Devon Captain and myself as Hon Secretary were faced with producing a team for the upcoming KO fixture the following week. As was frequently the case we seemed beset by unavailability problems and a shortage of bowling options. My rather tongue-in-cheek suggestion that perhaps Peter might be interested in taking a little summer exercise in marginally less testing circumstances than those to which he was accustomed was enthusiastically received by the captain and it was agreed that I would contact him after an initial exploratory approach by Jack Davey.

His immediate reaction to our invitation to play for Devon (without payment) was a firm declaration that he would not wish to impede the progress of any promising young batsmen by filling an early order position and his response to being informed that we had plenty of competent batsmen and needed him as a bowler was; “Oh, I wont take offence at that”. Although journalistic commitments severely restricted his availability on Saturdays he was able to turn out initially for Sidmouth and later for Budleigh Salterton in the Sunday league fixtures which were played at that time. He subsequently became a summer resident of Exmouth where he still owns a property. Uniquely for a former First Class player of his standing he sought no payment and promptly enrolled his parents as Vice Presidents at £50 per head.

Thus began a golden age for Devon cricket, not only in terms of trophies and championships won and records broken but more importantly in the manner in which the cricket was played. The loss of Nick Folland to Somerset (Peter having spilt the beans as to how good he was!) thankfully proved to be only temporary and was counteracted somewhat by the benefit gained by Peter’s elevation to the captaincy. This appointment gave him the authority to ensure that suitably talented young cricketers in the county were not denied a chance to test their ability at a higher level. The most notable such beneficiary was Chris Read who responded to the opportunity not only to keep wicket to Stuart McGill but also to open the batting against an Essex side including such luminaries as Gooch, Hussain and Law. He made a memorable hundred for Devon against Holland at Wormsley and was presented with a County Cap before his inevitable disappearance to a higher sphere after somewhat uniquely earning selection for an England “A” Tour before having played a First Class match, a recognition which delighted our Captain. David Lye and Matthew Wood were others whom Peter was always anxious to encourage. It was immediately apparent that, in addition to the quality of the players at his disposal, the sharpness of his cricket brain invariably ensured that Devon was several jumps ahead of the opposition. Our prime difficulty at that time was finding sufficient room in the side for all those deserving of a place. The improvement in availability was a direct result of the enjoyment derived from playing under a captain who always adopted a positive approach in search of a definite result. When Peter was asked on what basis he calculated his seemingly over generous declarations he replied; “I ask the committee what they think and then knock off 30 runs”!

His leadership displayed the qualities of Merlin, and was the probable spark for a letter which I received from a cricket fan in Derbyshire, requesting a copy of the MCCA Championship fixtures for 2003. I quote the following passage; “I watched Minor County cricket for the first time last season and witnessed the excellent match at Torquay between Devon and Berkshire and am looking to arrange holidays this summer to take in more matches”. After masterminding the most successful period in the Club’s history Peter decided to retire at the end of the 2002 season and we had a great deal for which to thank him. I believe that the above extract from a letter written by an entirely independent cricket watcher can be taken as a tribute to the strength of commitment shown at a lower level of the game by a former successful first class player who imported the more admirable aspects of the professional game. His positive example as to how the game should be played made a huge impact but not in Devon alone; it also encouraged a number of other Minor County captains to follow the way, which has since been of general benefit to our level of cricket. The others, however, were probably not treated to the occasional unconventional manoeuvres witnessed by his adopted County! Those present at an important local derby fixture at Truro against Cornwall still recall his sudden decision, following a frustrating spell of shoddy fielding by his troops, to instruct the full complement of fielders patrolling the off side of the wicket to exchange places with those deployed on the leg side. Notwithstanding the Captain’s intimidating Double Teapot stance and aggressive demeanour initial bewilderment soon gave way to amusement, the required level of concentration was restored and the game was duly won.

No leader of Devon in my memory showed a greater commitment to dealing with the multitude of responsibilities involved in discharging the office of captain so successfully in an atmosphere devoid of discord. After Peter’s retirement the daily phone calls to discuss team matters became much less frequent. Nor has it been necessary since to make the television set exclusively available on the Saturday of an Old Trafford Test so that the match report for his Sunday newspaper could be compiled uninterrupted direct from Budleigh Salterton thus avoiding a long drive to Manchester, an inconvenient preparation for Sunday’s home Minor County fixture!

There can be no doubt that he found in Devon an antidote to the effects of the difficulties experienced in his personal life as he himself from time to time acknowledged with surprising humility. One quotation of his in reference to his post professional cricketing career was that “I have encountered a common humanity absent from the professional game”. Another delivered following his retirement from Devon cricket read as follows; “People have been kind enough to say that I have done much for Devon cricket; the reverse is also true”.

True cricket lovers everywhere will mourn the tragic loss of one of the game’s most perceptive correspondents who was able to express his sometimes controversial opinions in a manner which succeeded in retaining the interest of even the most flimsily attentive mind. Here in East Devon it is hard to imagine that never again will appear unannounced on the doorstep, en route to Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club which occupied a special place in his heart that fit, upright figure bedecked with the straw hat that was his trademark. This would often be the pointed Ho Chi Minh model which he usually favoured or sometimes for a change, on more blustery days, the flatter Confucius version. Peter’s tough competitive streak together with the brilliant intellect which on most occasions made him such engaging company would have rendered him a match for either of these legends and he would have relished the contest!

May peace now be granted to an extraordinarily gifted, troubled soul.

GEOFF EVANS

CHAIRMAN DEVON CCC