Lives in Cricket No 38 - Lionel Robinson

26 batsmen’s totals were given, not the methods of their dismissals nor the names of the bowlers (and catchers) responsible. This abbreviation is a sure indication that Old Buckenham were bottom feeders in the Norfolk village cricket scene. Nor were they even successful bottom feeders – of the four matches for which results are given, one was drawn whilst three were comprehensively lost. Such was their incompetence that, despite the fact that these were one-day matches, two were lost by an innings (including one to Banham Grammar School, who could hardly have been a fearsome proposition on paper). Furthermore, in the six knocks for which records survive, their highest total was a feeble 71. The only sign that the club had any ambition was in the fact that they put out a junior side on at least two occasions – an unusual move for a small village club in that era – but even the juniors had a disastrous time as they were thrashed in both their games against the youngsters of local rivals Kenninghall, being dismissed for totals of 20, 14 and 19. Perhaps unsurprisingly, no more is heard of a junior side representing Old Buckenham again until 1925 when details of a game against Attleborough Boys were printed in the Eastern Daily Press . The year 1909 proved to be a much rosier season for the village team of Old Buckenham, who won seven and lost eight of the 16 matches that were reported. Indeed, given that the defeats included two games each against Quidenham Parsonage and Quidenham Park, prestigious clubs with ‘bragging rights’ in that part of Norfolk, this was a much more impressive record than it seems at a cursory glance. Lionel Robinson made his maiden appearance for Old Buckenham in the away game at Kenninghall on 29 May; batting at number eight he contributed eight runs. His contributions to the team’s improved fortunes were not particularly noteworthy - he played ten innings in the season, being undefeated twice and scored a mere 49 runs at an average of 6.13 – but did have one moment of triumph when he made the top score (an undefeated knock of 14, batting at number ten) Robinson comes to Norfolk Evelyn Metcalfe, a teller of tall tales. (Roger Mann)