LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

7 you should get the right flavour!’ But after I was allowed access to the private memoir of their mother, another, unique, view of Walter Robins, the husband and father, as well as the sportsman, was revealed. I had already gathered a collection of conflicting views from a variety of cricket historians, players, commentators and administrators and had still not yet formed a clear picture in my own mind of the true character of the man whose life I wanted to present. After publication of ‘Gubby Under Pressure’ in 2009, I had become uncomfortable with the picture I had presented, based on the contents of the letters written by Allen, of Walter Robins as an irresponsible member of the MCC team in Australia in 1936/37, who had failed to give the support needed by Allen from his vice-captain during Allen’s stressful struggle with the pressures of captaincy. Looking more closely at the day-to-day history of the tour, I realised that such an assessment was unfair. Walter Robins had played a huge role in ensuring the successful continuation of the tour during Allen’s frequent absences and, rather than receiving criticism from Allen, he was entitled to an enormous debt of gratitude. Wishing to put the record straight, a biography seemed the obvious route, particularly as other stories about him had appeared in various books and autobiographies which, in several cases, did not always appear to do justice to someone who had obviously been a charismatic character and outstanding cricketer before and after the war. It would be a challenge as there were no personal diaries, no more than a handful of letters, and a brief but concise manager’s report to MCC after the 1959/60 tour to the West Indies. Fortunately, both sons, Charles and Richard, were willing to co-operate with my efforts and their memories of many personal events during their father’s life, some dramatic, some comic, that had never been aired before, together with the private family memoir of their mother which included important extracts from the correspondence between Walter and Don Bradman, another close friendship that had lasted over thirty years, helped me to put together what I hope is a true picture of the sportsman and the man. Of the many identities given to Walter Robins I now believe there is one which encapsulates the essence of his personality. From the moment he arrived at Cambridge University and during the four years he was in residence he threw himself whole-heartedly into the pursuit of as many sports as time allowed, to the delight of every group of undergraduates who welcomed his participation. The sheer fun and joy of taking part, of playing and winning — although losing was acceptable if everyone had played the game to the best of their ability — made every day worthwhile. That is when he became known affectionately to all as ‘Robbie’, and despite all the adult responsibilities and duties which followed, which he accepted without question, at heart he never stopped being that young man at university. Introduction