Robert Croft

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = Eng
name = Robert Croft
picture = Cricket no pic.pngbatting style = Right-handed batsman (RHB)
bowling style = Off spin (OB)
tests = 21
test runs = 421
test bat avg = 16.19
test 100s/50s = 0/0
test top score = 37*
test overs = 769.5
test wickets = 49
test bowl avg = 37.24
test 5s = 1
test 10s = 0
test best bowling = 5/95
test catches/stumpings = 10/0
ODIs = 50
ODI runs = 345
ODI bat avg = 14.37
ODI 100s/50s = 0/0
ODI top score = 32
ODI overs = 411
ODI wickets = 45
ODI bowl avg = 38.73
ODI 5s = 0
ODI best bowling = 3/51
ODI catches/stumpings = 11/0
date = 3 October
year = 2005
source = http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/10881.html Cricinfo

Robert Damien Bale Croft (born May 25, 1970 in Swansea) is a Welsh cricketer who has played international cricket for both England and Wales. He is an off-spin bowler who plays for Glamorgan, and captained the county from 2003 to 2006. He also commentates occasionally for Sky Sports.

He made his England debut against Pakistan in 1996 and did enough to earn a touring place to Zimbabwe and New Zealand. In Christchurch he took his Test best figures of 5-95 and his winter figures were a highly impressive 182.1-53-340-18. He played the first five tests of the 1997 Ashes series but was dropped for the final test, replaced by Phil Tufnell, after averaging 54 with the ball and showing a weakness to short-pitched fast bowling as a batsman. His last wicket stand with Angus Fraser in the third test of the 1998 series against South Africa saved England from an innings defeat, with Croft scoring 37 not out.

His final test match was the third Ashes test of 2001 at Trent Bridge he bowled just 3 overs, he was selected for the subsequent tour of India but he pulled because of safety fears, he was also selected for the 2003/04 tour of Sri Lanka but failed to play, after returning home he announced his international retirement to concentrate on the captinancy of Glamorgan.

On 12 September 2006, after just two County Championship victories in 15 games thus far in the season, he announced his resignation from the Glamorgan captaincy. He was succeeded with immediate effect by David Hemp.

Exactly a year later he passed 1,000 first-class wickets after dismissing Niall O'Brien, he became the first Welsh cricketer to take the double of 10,000 runs and 1,000 wickets. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Articles/7/7362.html Robert Croft makes Welsh history] ] In November 2007, he joined voices calling for a "clampdown" on Twenty20 problems with abusive crowds, aftering suffering abusive calls at Taunton Cricket Ground. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/7104168.stm "Croft supports Twenty20 clampdown"] BBC News retrieved November 20 2007]

Robert is a former pupil of St. John Lloyd's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School, Llanelli and a former student of Swansea Institute of Higher Education. He also played rugby union, as a scrum-half for Llanelli RFC Under 11s. He was once honoured as a druid at the Welsh cultural event, the National Eisteddfod. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6041910.stm Plan for bardic founder memorial] ]

England Tours

England `A`
* West Indies 1992
* South Africa 1993/94

England
* Zimbabwe / New Zealand 1996/97
* Sharjah / West Indies 1997/98
* Australia 1998/99
* Sri Lanka 2000/01 and 2003/04.

Team Honours

Glamorgan (1989 – to date)

Champions
* County Championship: 1997
* National League: 1993, 2002, 2004
* National League Division 2: 2001

Individual Honours

* Glamorgan C

* Glamorgan Young Player of the Year: 1990, 1992
* Glamorgan Player of the Year: 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007
* St.Helen's Balconiers Player of the Year: 2007
* Glamorgan benefit season: 2000
* Glamorgan captain: 2003-2006
* The Weatherall Award: 2004 (for the leading all-rounder in English first-class game)

Achievements

* First Welsh cricketer to score 10,000 runs and take 1,000 wickets in first class cricket (2007)
* Elected to the Gorsedd of Bards

Books

* Bennett, Androw and Croft, Robert (1995) “Dyddiadur Troellwr” Y Lolfa, Talybont, Dyfed ISBN 0862433584
* Steen, Rob with Croft, Robert and Elliott, Matthew (1997) “Poms and cobbers : the Ashes 1997 : an inside view” Andre Deutsch, London ISBN 0233992103

Notes

External links

* [http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/10881.html Cricinfo page on Robert Croft]