Peter Roebuck

Genuinely shocked at this news.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/roebucks-death-not-suspicious-police-20111113-1ndg6.html

No matter what your opinion was on his role in the Garner/Richards/Botham affair,it has to be said that Roebuck had the courage of his convictions to see the job through,he stood up for what he believed to be right in the face of some very vitriolic hostility.Pretty good bat too,not far from an England spot at one time,highly successful captain of Devon and a provocative,stimulating journalist/author.I really am gobsmacked about this,due sympathy and condolences to his family.

A very complex person and reports are that he committed suicide. A very talented cricket writer.

He really didn't like Ian Botham though. It was thought that he didn't get selected for England because of his "eccentricities".

Frank Bullitt wrote:

A very complex person and reports are that he committed suicide. A very talented cricket writer.

He really didn't like Ian Botham though. It was thought that he didn't get selected for England because of his "eccentricities".

Mate of mine played Somerset 2's at the time of the big bust up. His recollections of Roebuck went a tad further than him being eccentric.
Didn't he skipper Devon for several seasons ?
RIP Peter Roebuck

As an aside, I played in a Joel Garner benefit game at Tring Park CC in 1986, just after the Somerset bust up, our club's 150 TH year. All three of them played, Garner, Richards and Botham, along with Gladstone Small, Pringle and a few others. Must have been between 4-5k in the ground. When Botham joined Richards at the crease, I was keeping, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Botham only made about 20 but Richards stroked the most effortless ton I've ever witnessed. He then gently played a ball in the air to long off and started to walk. The fielder dropped it. A couple of balls later, he stroked it to the same fielder again and tucked his bat under his arm, to walk off. The fielder dropped it again.
When Viv returned to the crease he looked at me and said, " Who in dis side can catch ?"

Had a big row with him in a pub in Exmouth about ten years ago,dick head i thought.sorry hes dead though.

downthetrack wrote:

Had a big row with him in a pub in Exmouth about ten years ago,dick head i thought.sorry hes dead though.

What was the argument about?

cricket,and Graham Thorpe,i think

According to Wikipedia his inner demons may have caught up with him again sadly.
I enjoyed his contributions to the TMS team. A sad loss.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Roebuck