Bob Platt
{{short description|English cricketer (born 1932)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Bob Platt
| image =
| country = England
| fullname = Robert Kenworthy Platt
| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|12|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Holmfirth, West Riding of Yorkshire
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right arm fast medium
| role = bowler
| club1 = Yorkshire
| year1 = {{nowrap|1955–1963}}
| club2 = Combined Services
| year2 = 1956
| club3 = Northamptonshire
| year3 = 1964
| columns = 1
| column1 = First-class
| matches1 = 101
| runs1 = 424
| bat avg1 = 7.31
| 100s/50s1 = 0/1
| top score1 = 57*
| deliveries1 = 17,741
| wickets1 = 301
| bowl avg1 = 22.58
| fivefor1 = 10
| tenfor1 = 3
| best bowling1 = 7/40
| catches/stumpings1 = 38/0
| date = 3 September
| year = 2022
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/robert-platt-18973 ESPN cricinfo
}}
Robert Kenworthy Platt (born 26 December 1932){{cite web |url=https://wisden.com/players/bob-platt |title=Bob Platt |work=Wisden Online |access-date=3 September 2022}} is an English former professional cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1955 to 1963. He also played two first-class matches for the Combined Services in 1956 and three for Northamptonshire in 1964. He was born in Holmfirth.
Platt was a right-arm fast-medium bowler who took 301 wickets in 101 first-class matches at an average of 22.58 runs per wicket. He took five wickets in an innings ten times with best figures of 7/40. He achieved ten wickets in a match three times with a best return of WW/RRR. A right-handed tail-end batsman, he scored 424 career runs with a highest score of 57*. He was generally an outfielder and completed 38 catches.
Career
Platt played in 96 matches for Yorkshire from 1955 to 1963.{{cite book |last=Warner |first=David |title=The Yorkshire County Cricket Club: 2011 Yearbook |publisher=Great Northern Books |location=Ilkley |edition=113th |year=2011 |page=375 |isbn=978-1-9050-8085-4}} He was awarded his county cap in 1959.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32093/32093.html |title=Bob Platt |work=CricketArchive |access-date=3 September 2022 |url-access=subscription}}
Platt, a right arm fast medium bowler, took 301 wickets at an average of 22.58, with a best return of 7 for 40 against Gloucestershire in 1956.{{cite web |title=Gloucestershire v Yorkshire, Ashley Down Ground, Bristol on 20th, 21st June 1956 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/22/22049.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=13 June 2024 |url-access=subscription}} Also in 1956, he took 7 for 70 against Sussex{{cite web |title=Yorkshire v Sussex, Park Avenue Cricket Ground, Bradford on 6th, 7th, 8th June 1956 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/22/22017.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=13 June 2024 |url-access=subscription}} while four years later claimed 6 for 33 against Middlesex at Lord's.{{cite web |title=Middlesex v Yorkshire, Lord's Cricket Ground, St John's Wood on 11th, 13th, 14th June 1960 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/24/24163.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=13 June 2024 |url-access=subscription}} A right-handed tail end batsman, he scored 424 runs at 7.31 with a highest score of 57*.{{cite web |title=Player Profile |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/robert-platt-18973 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 June 2024}} That was his sole half-century, scored against Derbyshire at Queen's Park, Chesterfield in 1959.Playfair 1960, p. 161.
In other matches, he played for the Yorkshire Second XI between 1955 and 1971; the RAF in 1956; Northamptonshire Second XI in 1964 and 1965; and, in 1966, for both the International Cavaliers and a Roses XI.{{cite web |title=Teams Bob Platt played for |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32093/all_teams.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=13 June 2024 |url-access=subscription}}
Platt often opened the Yorkshire bowling in combination with Fred Trueman. Journalist Chris Waters wrote a biography of Trueman and, as part of his research, calculated that Trueman had opened Yorkshire's bowling in 802 innings with 28 "new ball partners". Platt is fourth in this list with 98, behind Tony Nicholson (188), Mel Ryan (126) and Bob Appleyard (101). Waters recounted how Trueman overheard Platt boasting about being his opening partner and interrupted him by saying: "Aye, one of f**king twenty-eight, Platty!"Waters, p. 156.
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- Playfair Cricket Annual, 8th to 16th editions, editor Gordon Ross, Playfair Books, 1955–1963
- {{cite book |last=Waters |first=Chris |title=Fred Trueman: The Authorised Biography |publisher=Aurum Press |location=London |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-8451-3453-2}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=18973}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Platt, Bob}}
Category:Combined Services cricketers
Category:International Cavaliers cricketers
Category:Northamptonshire cricketers
Category:Sportspeople from Holmfirth