26 Facts About Peter Roebuck

Peter Michael Roebuck was an English cricketer who later became an Australian newspaper columnist and radio commentator.

Peter Roebuck was born in the village of Oddington, outside Oxford, on 6 March 1956, the son of two schoolteachers and one of six children; he attended Millfield School where his mother was a mathematics teacher and his father an economics teacher.

On entering Meyer's office for the interview for admission, Peter Roebuck found an orange flying through the air towards him; he caught it, and in his book It Never Rains speculated whether he would have got into Millfield if he had dropped it.

Peter Roebuck later studied law at Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge, graduating with first-class honours in 1977.

Peter Roebuck was a right-handed batsman, often used as an opener, and occasionally bowled right-arm offspin.

Peter Roebuck played for Somerset's second eleven at the age of 13 and regular first-class cricket from 1974 until his retirement in 1991.

In 1988 Peter Roebuck was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.

Peter Roebuck became a controversial figure in 1986 when, at the end of his first season as captain of Somerset, he was instrumental in the county's decision not to renew the contracts of its two overseas players, Viv Richards and Joel Garner, whose runs and wickets had brought the county much success in the previous eight years.

Peter Roebuck was canvassed by some, including Ray Illingworth, as a possible successor to David Gower as England captain after England's heavy defeat in the Ashes in 1989, and led a representative England XI in two limited-over matches against a Netherlands XI in 1989.

However in the first such match "Peter Roebuck had not realised that a 55-minute rain delay did not reduce the overs and England, unable to see in the darkness, lost by three runs".

Peter Roebuck became known for wearing his trademark straw sunhat at all times, even inside the commentary box.

Peter Roebuck felt there was too much nationalism in Australian cricket writing and that it should be avoided at all costs when analysing the game.

Peter Roebuck was one of the few global voices in the game without allegiance to any nation, team or player.

Peter Roebuck was often critical of the successful Australian cricket team and, in particular, the Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

Peter Roebuck was described as an astute judge of cricketers, a contrarian and a master wordsmith, and his writing was described as lean, erudite, fluent, perceptive and vibrant.

In 2006, Peter Roebuck established the Learning for a Better World Trust to help students from cricket-playing developing countries to complete tertiary education.

Psychology Maziwisa, a Zimbabwean lawyer Peter Roebuck had mentored and whose education he had funded, wrote a tribute in which he stated that Peter Roebuck had over 35 Zimbabweans in his care at the time of his death, and he had spent approximately $500,000 of his own money to "realise African dreams".

Peter Roebuck spent his last years residing in Straw Hat Farm, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, as well as Bondi, Sydney, where he owned two houses.

Peter Roebuck grew increasingly estranged from England, but kept in regular touch with his mother and siblings.

In 1999, while working as a commentator in South Africa, Peter Roebuck met three cricketers, all aged 19, and offered to coach them, inviting them to live at his home in England.

Peter Roebuck warned them beforehand that he would use corporal punishment if they failed to obey his "house rules".

Peter Roebuck caned all three men on their buttocks at different times for misbehaviour and in 2001 was given a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to three charges of common assault.

Peter Roebuck arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, on 7 November 2011 to report on a Test match between South Africa and Australia for The Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Peter Roebuck landed on the awning outside the entrance to the hotel, causing what was described by Australian cricket writer Peter Lalor, who later saw Roebuck's body at the mortuary, as "serious head trauma".

Peter Roebuck's body was taken to the Salt River State mortuary in the early hours of the next morning.

Peter Roebuck was Ed Cowan's mentor and former teacher at Cranbrook School.