 Wyatt in 1930 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Robert Elliott Storey Wyatt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1901-05-02)2 May 1901 Milford,Surrey, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 20 April 1995(1995-04-20) (aged 93) Truro, Cornwall, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right armmedium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 231) | 24 December 1927 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 3 March 1937 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1923–1939 | Warwickshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1946–1951 | Worcestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:Cricinfo,20 May 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Robert Elliott Storey Wyatt (2 May 1901 – 20 April 1995)[1] was an Englishcricketer who played forWarwickshire,Worcestershire andEngland in a career lasting nearly thirty years from 1923 to 1951. He was born atMilford Heath House in Surrey and died atTreliske inTruro.
A determinedbatsman and handy medium pacebowler, Wyatt made hisfirst-class cricket debut in 1923. He played his firstTest match againstSouth Africa inJohannesburg in 1927. He was controversially, by replacingPercy Chapman, appointed captain for England's last Test against the dominantAustralian touring team in 1930. He was unsuccessful and lost the role toDouglas Jardine for the next few years. Nevertheless, he was one of theWisden Cricketers of the Year for 1930.
Serving as Jardine's vice-captain on the 1932–1933 tour of Australia, Wyatt was in charge of an early tour match that Jardine sat out of, and became the first captain to employ the controversialBodyline tactic against Australia. After Jardine resigned following the political and administrative fallout caused by Bodyline, Wyatt was made captain again. He played in 40 test matches, fifteen as captain. He is said to have captained "soundly if without inspiration".[2]
Wyatt was noted for sustaining several injuries during his career but he had a "bulldog spirit".[2] Most famously, a ball bowled byWest Indian bowlerManny Martindale hit him in the jaw during a match in Jamaica in 1935. He was carried unconscious from the field with his jaw broken in four places. When he regained consciousness in the dressing room, his first action was to signal for a pencil and paper – when these were supplied he wrote that he attached no blame to Martindale and amended his team's batting order.[2]
Wyatt played his last Test against Australia at theMelbourne Cricket Ground in 1937. In his test career, he scored 1,839 runs at an average of 31.70 and took 18 wickets at an average of 35.66. In his first-class career he played 739 matches, scoring 39,405 runs at an average of 40.04, and taking 901 wickets at an average of 32.84. His highest innings in a test match was 149 against South Africa atTrent Bridge in 1935.
He captained Warwickshire from 1930 to 1937 when he was replaced byPeter Cranmer. Wyatt did not like the way this was handled, but he nevertheless continued to play for Warwickshire through the 1938 and 1939 seasons. He served in theRoyal Air Force inWorld War II. After the war, he transferred to Worcestershire, where he said he had six happy summers. In his penultimate match in 1951, he faced the final ball of the game against Somerset at Taunton with Worcestershire needing six to win, and "he duly drove it high into the pavilion for victory".[2]
He lived to be 93 years old and was England's oldest living Test cricketer before his death. He has a stand named after him at Warwickshire's home ground ofEdgbaston. He was the cousin of politician and broadcasterWoodrow Wyatt.[3]
Media related toBob Wyatt (cricketer) at Wikimedia Commons| Sporting positions | ||
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| Preceded by | English national cricket captain 1933–1934/5 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Warwickshire County Cricket Captain 1930–1937 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Worcestershire County Cricket Captain 1949–1951 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Oldest Living Test Cricketer 6 April 1991 – 20 April 1995 | Succeeded by |