Peter Roebuck

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Peter Roebuck

| image = Peter Roebuck.jpg

| country = England

| fullname = Peter Michael Roebuck

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1956|03|6}}

| birth_place = Oddington, Oxfordshire, England

|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2011|11|12|1956|03|6}}

|death_place = Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm off break

| role = Batsman

| family = Paul Roebuck (brother)

| club3 = Devon

| year3 = 1992–2002

| club2 = Cambridge University

| year2 = 1975–1977

| club1 = Somerset

| year1 = {{nowrap|1974–1991}}

| type1 = First-class

| debutdate1 = 21 August

| debutyear1 = 1974

| debutfor1 = Somerset

| debutagainst1 = Warwickshire

| lastdate1 = 23 August

| lastyear1 = 1991

| lastfor1 = Somerset

| lastagainst1 = Yorkshire

| type2 = List A

| debutdate2 = 3 May

| debutyear2 = 1975

| debutfor2 = Combined Universities

| debutagainst2 = Worcestershire

| lastdate2 = 13 September

| lastyear2 = 2001

| lastfor2 = Devon

| lastagainst2 = Bedfordshire

| columns = 2

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 335

| runs1 = 17,558

| bat avg1 = 37.27

| 100s/50s1 = 33/93

| top score1 = 221*

| deliveries1 = 7,606

| wickets1 = 72

| bowl avg1 = 49.16

| fivefor1 = 1

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 6/50

| catches/stumpings1 = 162/–

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 298

| runs2 = 7,244

| bat avg2 = 29.81

| 100s/50s2 = 5/38

| top score2 = 120

| deliveries2 = 1,785

| wickets2 = 51

| bowl avg2 = 25.09

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 4/11

| catches/stumpings2 = 74/–

| date = 21 August

| year = 2009

| source = http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/19456.html Cricinfo

}}

Peter Michael Roebuck (6 March 1956{{spaced ndash}}12 November 2011) was an English cricketer who later became an Australian newspaper columnist and radio commentator.

A consistent county performer with over 25,000 runs, and "one of the better English openers of the 1980s", Roebuck captained the English county side Somerset between 1986 and 1988. During 1989, Roebuck also captained an England XI one-day cricket team in two matches.{{cite web | url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/51/51747.html | title=Netherlands v England XI | work=CricketArchive | access-date=14 November 2011}} His post-playing career as an erudite writer earned him great acclaim as a journalist with the Sunday Times and later as an author.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/540577.html |first=Rob |last=Steen |title=A sharp mind, a tormented soul |publisher=ESPN Cricinfo |date=15 November 2011 |access-date=19 September 2016}}

Roebuck died by suicide in Cape Town, South Africa, on 12 November 2011 after being asked by police to answer questions about an allegation of sexual assault.{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/roebuck-in-a-state-of-despair-he-just-had-a-brain-snap--that-is-all-i-can-assume-20111114-1nfmw.html | title=Roebuck in a state of despair: 'He just had a brain snap – that is all I can assume' | newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald | date=15 November 2011 | access-date=14 November 2011 | last1=Hannan |first1=Liz |last2=Jensen |first2=Erik |last3=Hennig |first3=Wanda |quote=On arrival, Maxwell found two policemen and Roebuck stunned by news that a 26-year-old Zimbabwean man had accused him of sexual assault.}} A book by Tim Lane and Elliot Cartledge titled Chasing Shadows – The Life and Death of Peter Roebuck was published in October 2015.{{cite book |title=Chasing Shadows: The Life and Death of Peter Roebuck |first1=Elliot |last1=Cartledge |first2=Tim |last2=Lane|publisher=Hardie Grant Books |date=2015 |isbn=978-1743790120}}

Early life

Roebuck was born in the village of Oddington,{{cite web |url= http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/crickets-public-voice-and-private-man-20111118-1nn0r.html |title=Cricket's public voice and private man |first=Malcolm |last=Knox |work=smh.com.au |year=2011 |access-date=18 November 2011}} 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. The headmaster, Jack Meyer, a former Somerset County Cricket Club Captain, had offered his parents employment at the school so that they could afford the fees.{{cite book |title=It Never Rains: A Cricketer's Lot |first=Peter |last=Roebuck |date=1985 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=0047960965}} Meyer was an unconventional headmaster who wanted to encourage cricket talent. On entering Meyer's office for the interview for admission, 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. He later studied law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, graduating with first-class honours in 1977. However he never practised law, finding it too confining.

Cricket career

Roebuck was a right-handed batsman, often used as an opener, and occasionally bowled right-arm offspin. He played for Somerset's second eleven at the age of 13 and regular first-class cricket from 1974 until his retirement in 1991. He later played Minor Counties cricket for Devon.

In 335 first-class matches he scored 17,558 runs at an average of 37.27, making 33 centuries with a highest score of 221*, and took 72 wickets at 49.16. In 298 one-day matches, he scored 7244 runs at 29.81 while taking 51 wickets at 25.09.{{cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Players/3/3795/3795.html | title=Peter Roebuck | work=CricketArchive | access-date=14 November 2011}}

On the county circuit, Roebuck's nickname was Rupert. This arose when the Essex captain, Keith Fletcher, once addressed him as Rupert, in the mistaken belief that it was actually his name.{{cite book|title=A Funny Turn: Confessions of a Cricketing Clown |first1=Ray |last1=East |first2=Ralph |last2=Dellor |date=1984 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=0047960868}}

Roebuck was involved in Somerset's limited-over successes of the years 1979-83. In the Benson and Hedges Cup final of 1981 he helped Viv Richards in a partnership of 105 in Somerset's victory,{{cite web | url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1981/ENG_LOCAL/B+H/SOMERSET_SURREY_B+H_25JUL1981.html|title=Somerset v Surrey at Lord's, 25 July 1981|publisher=Cricinfo|access-date=15 May 2022}} and the following year, as Somerset successfully defended the title, helped the same player in an unbroken stand of the same amount, finishing as top-scorer.{{cite web |url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1982/ENG_LOCAL/B+H/NOTTS_SOMERSET_B+H_24JUL1982.html|title=Nottinghamshire v Somerset at Lord's, 24 July 1982 |publisher=Cricinfo|access-date=15 May 2022}}

In 1988 Roebuck was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.{{cite web | url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/154445.html | title=Cricketer of the Year, 1988 – Peter Roebuck | publisher=John Wisden & Co | work=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack | year=1988 | access-date=14 November 2011}}

=1986 controversy=

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.

Roebuck and his supporters argued that both Richards and Garner were now ageing, that individually and collectively their contributions had declined dramatically and that younger overseas and home-grown players should be recruited to replace them. They cited the recent performance of the team in the County Championship – namely, last in 1985 and second last in 1986 – and their failure in one-day competitions since winning the NatWest Bank Trophy in 1983. A decision was precipitated by a fear that Martin Crowe of New Zealand, who had deputised as the county's overseas player in 1984 when Richards and Garner were with a West Indies touring party, might instead join Essex for 1987.{{cite web | url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/david-hopps-on-peter-roebuck-s-anguish-at-somerset-in-1986-1077299|title=Peter Roebuck's Somerset agony|publisher=Cricinfo|access-date=15 May 2022}}

Opposition to the decision not to re-employ Richards and Garner came loudest from Somerset's English-born star, the all-rounder Ian Botham, who refused a new contract for himself and joined Worcestershire. In the event, under Roebuck's captaincy and with Crowe and Steve Waugh of Australia as overseas players, Somerset improved a little in 1987, though they remained among the weaker counties for a further six seasons; Botham and Richards meanwhile went on to achieve a measure of success with new counties (respectively Worcestershire and Glamorgan). After many years of bitterness and the eventual removal of Roebuck from the club, Richards was honoured with the naming of a set of entrance gates and a stand after him at the County Ground, Taunton.{{Cite news |last=Green |first=David |date=22 July 2003 |title=Somerset tribute to Richards |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2408115/Somerset-tribute-to-Richards.html |access-date=5 March 2022}}

=Later career=

Roebuck was canvassed by some, including (according to Cricinfo) 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 (including Derek Pringle, Rob Bailey, and future captains Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart) in two limited-over matches against a Netherlands XI in 1989. However in the first such match "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".{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/causes-celebres-286396|title=Causes Celebres|publisher=Cricinfo|access-date=15 May 2022}}{{cite web| url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1989/OTHERS+ICC/ENG-XI_IN_NL/ENG-XI_NL-XI_16AUG1989.html|title=Netherlands XI v England XI Amstelveen 16 Aug 1989|publisher=Cricinfo|access-date=15 May 2022}} Although Roebuck led the side to comfortable victory in the second match the following day,{{cite web|url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1989/OTHERS+ICC/ENG-XI_IN_NL/ENG-XI_NL-XI_17AUG1989.html|title=Netherlands XI v England XI Amstelveen 17 Aug 1989|publisher=Cricinfo|access-date=15 May 2022}} Roebuck would never play a full international for England.

Post-cricket career

=Commentator and journalist=

His behind-the-scenes journal of Somerset's progress during the 1983 season, It Never Rains, first established him as a talented writer on the sport.{{cite web | url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/540275.html | title=Peter Roebuck dies aged 55 | work=ESPNcricinfo | date=13 November 2011 | access-date=13 November 2011 | author=Coverdale, Brydon|author2=Brettig, Daniel |author3=Moonda, Firdose }}

Having retired as a player and relocated to Australia, Roebuck wrote columns for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age (Melbourne) and ESPNcricinfo, as well as commentating for the ABC radio cricket coverage in Australia. He became known for wearing his trademark straw sunhat at all times, even inside the commentary box.{{cite news | url=http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/editorial/vale-roebuck-master-wordsmith-20111113-1ndpk.html | title=Vale Roebuck, master wordsmith | newspaper=The Age | date=13 November 2011 | access-date=14 November 2011}}

He felt there was too much nationalism in Australian cricket writing and that it should be avoided at all costs when analysing the game. He was one of the few global voices in the game without allegiance to any nation, team or player.

A traditionalist at heart, he was one of the last journalists in cricket to acquire a laptop and mobile phone and expressed surprise and delight when he found them quite useful.{{cite news | url=http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/cricket-loses-a-gifted-allrounder-20111113-1ndw4.html | title=Cricket loses a gifted allrounder | newspaper=The Age | date=13 November 2011 | access-date=14 November 2011 | first=Greg |last=Baum |author-link=Greg Baum}}

Roebuck was often critical of the successful Australian cricket team and, in particular, the Australian captain Ricky Ponting. Following Australia's narrow victory in the second Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2007–08, Roebuck accused the Australians of "bad sportsmanship and triumphalism", describing the Australian team as a "pack of wild dogs" and writing that Ponting has "shown not the slightest interest in the well-being of the game, not the slightest sign of diplomatic skills, not a single mark of respect for his accomplished and widely admired opponents."{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/arrogant-ponting-must-be-fired/2008/01/07/1199554571883.html |title=Arrogant Ponting must be fired |first=Peter |last=Roebuck |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald | date=8 January 2008 |access-date=19 September 2016}}

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.

=Philanthropy=

In 2006, Roebuck established the Learning for a Better World Trust (LBW) to help students from cricket-playing developing countries to complete tertiary education.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lbwtrust.com.au/?page_id=2 |title=The LBW Trust – About |work=LBWTrust.com.au |publisher=LBW Trust |access-date=14 November 2011}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.openaustralia.org/senate/?id=2011-09-22.196.2 |title=Senate debates: Adjournment – LBW Trust |date=22 September 2011 |first=John |last=Faulkner |access-date=14 November 2011}} He resigned from the Trust in 2008. In addition to supporting the LBW Trust, Roebuck spent A$100,000 of his own money to help put African youths through high school and university.{{cite news | url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/cricket-journalist-peter-roebuck-dies-at-cape-town-hotel-after-police-visit/story-e6frepmo-1226194058512 | title=Cricket journalist Peter Roebuck dies at Cape Town hotel after police visit | newspaper=The Courier-Mail | date=14 November 2011 | access-date=14 November 2011 | last=Badel |first=Peter}} Psychology Maziwisa, a Zimbabwean lawyer Roebuck had mentored and whose education he had funded, wrote a tribute in which he stated that 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".{{cite web |url= http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/peter-roebuck--a-tribute-from-his-first-african-son-20111114-1nfoa.html |title=Peter Roebuck ... a tribute from his first African son |first=Psychology |last= Maziwisa |newspaper=The Age |year=2011 |access-date=15 November 2011}}

Personal life

Roebuck spent his last years residing in Straw Hat Farm, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, as well as Bondi, Sydney, where he owned two houses.{{cite web | url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/540315.html | title=An irreplaceable man | work=ESPNcricinfo | date=13 November 2011 | access-date=14 November 2011 | author=English, Peter}}{{cite web |url= http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/roebucks-family-tells-of-pride-in-his-legacy-20111115-1nhay.html |title=Roebuck's family tells of pride in his legacy |first=Liz |last=Hannan |work=smh.com.au |year=2011 |access-date=16 November 2011}} He grew increasingly estranged from England, but kept in regular touch with his mother and siblings. He became an Australian citizen.{{cite web |url= http://www.peterroebuck.com/ |title=Peter Roebuck Home Page |work=peterroebuck.com |year=2011 |access-date=16 November 2011}} His colleague Malcolm Knox said of Roebuck that "nothing could rile him more, after he became an Australian citizen, than to be described as an Englishman of any kind, even a former one."{{cite news|last=Knox|first=Malcolm|title=The riddle of Roebuck, who gave us so much yet gave so little away|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/the-riddle-of-roebuck-who-gave-us-so-much-yet-gave-so-little-away-20111113-1ndvu.html|access-date=13 November 2011|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=14 November 2011}}

In 2005 Roebuck's father wrote that Peter is an "unconventional loner with an independent outlook on life, an irreverent sense of humour and sometimes a withering tongue."

Very much an introvert, he was a solitary person who preferred to read a book while eating alone rather than spend time in the company of his colleagues.{{cite news | url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/peter-roebuck-a-true-independent-who-did-not-seek-popular-vote/story-e6frfg8o-1226194001553 | title=Peter Roebuck a true independent who did not seek popular vote | work=Herald Sun | date=14 November 2011 | access-date=14 November 2011 | author=Conn, Malcolm | author-link=Malcolm Conn}}

=Assault conviction=

In 1999, while working as a commentator in South Africa, Roebuck met three cricketers, all aged 19, and offered to coach them, inviting them to live at his home in England. He warned them beforehand that he would use corporal punishment if they failed to obey his "house rules". He caned all three men on their (clothed) buttocks at different times for misbehaviour and in 2001 was given a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to three charges of common assault.{{cite web |url= http://www.news.com.au/world/henk-lindeque-lifts-the-lid-on-the-secret-life-of-a-cricket-master-peter-roebuck/story-e6frfkzr-1226196173999 |title=Henk Lindeque lifts the lid on the secret life of a cricket master Peter Roebuck |first=Peter |last=Badel |work=news.com.au |year=2011 |access-date=16 November 2011}} He told the court, "Obviously I misjudged the mood and that was my mistake and my responsibility and I accept that."[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1608831.stm "Cricketer sentenced for caning trainees"], BBC News Online, 19 October 2001. Henk Lindeque, one of Roebuck's victims, stated that he held no ill will toward Roebuck and was saddened to hear of his death.

Death

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 (ABC).{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-13/peter-roebuck-dies-at-fifty-five/3663176 |title=Roebuck dies aged 55 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=13 November 2011 |access-date=19 September 2016}} He was staying at the Southern Sun Hotel in Newlands, Cape Town, on 12 November, when the South African Police Service entered the hotel, claiming to desire to speak to him about an alleged sexual assault on a 26-year-old Zimbabwean man.{{cite news |url=http://www.thenewage.co.za/34958-1007-53-Cricket_suicide_mystery |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117065752/http://www.thenewage.co.za/34958-1007-53-Cricket_suicide_mystery |archive-date=17 January 2012 |title=Cricket suicide mystery |first=Nadine |last=Ford-Kritzinger |newspaper=The New Age |date=14 November 2011 |access-date=19 September 2016}}

After requesting that he be allowed to go to his room to change his clothes, Roebuck called the ABC's Jim Maxwell in his hotel room and asked him to find him a lawyer and to then come to his hotel room.{{cite web |url= http://cricketnext.in.com/news/roebuck-jumped-to-his-death-from-hotel-window/61513-13.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111114155147/http://cricketnext.in.com/news/roebuck-jumped-to-his-death-from-hotel-window/61513-13.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 14 November 2011 |title=Roebuck jumped to his death from hotel window |work=cricketnext.in.com |date=13 November 2011 |access-date=19 September 2016}}

At 9.15 pm, Roebuck died after jumping from the sixth floor of the Southern Sun Hotel.{{cite news | url=http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/other-bodies/cricket-writers/tributes-paid-to-peter-roebuck-cricketer-and-sports-writer/ | title=Tributes paid to Peter Roebuck, cricketer and sports writer | work=sportsjournalists.co.uk | date=13 November 2011 | access-date=14 November 2011 | publisher=Sports Journalists' Association}} He landed on the awning outside the entrance to the hotel,{{cite web |url= http://www.news.com.au/national/sex-assault-claims-emerge-in-peter-roebuck-death-inquest/story-e6frfkvr-1226194077227 |title=Sex assault claims emerge in Peter Roebuck death inquest |first=Peter |last=Badel |work=news.com.au |year=2011 |access-date=13 November 2011}} causing what was described by Australian cricket writer Peter Lalor, who later saw Roebuck's body at the mortuary, as "serious head trauma".{{cite web |url=http://www.thenewage.co.za/35074-10-53-%E2%80%98Peter_pleaded_for_help,_then_he_jumped%E2%80%99 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421204821/http://www.thenewage.co.za/35074-10-53-%E2%80%98Peter_pleaded_for_help,_then_he_jumped%E2%80%99 |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 April 2013 |title='Peter pleaded for help, then he jumped' |first=Nadine |last=Ford-Kritzinger |newspaper=The New Age |year=2011 |access-date=16 November 2011 }} Roebuck's body was taken to the Salt River State mortuary in the early hours of the next morning. A statement issued by South African police stated that Roebuck had committed suicide and that an inquest into the matter would be held.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-14/police-investigating-roebuck-death/3663824 |title=Police confirm investigation into Roebuck suicide |first=Ginny |last=Stein |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=14 November 2011 |access-date=19 September 2016}} In February 2024, over twelve years after his death, an inquest held at Cheshire Coroner's Court in England concluded that Roebuck had taken his own life; the senior coroner stated that the substantial delay was partly a result of "waiting to find out about a renewed hearing in South Africa which hasn't come to pass".{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-68261440 |title=Peter Roebuck inquest: Cricketer took his own life amid sexual assault probe |publisher=BBC |date=11 February 2024 |access-date=17 February 2024 }}

Students residing at Roebuck's farm in Natal, where he lived for six months of every year, stated that no corporal punishment was ever meted out at the residence.{{cite web |url= http://www.smh.com.au/national/student-comes-to-defence-of-benefactor-roebuck-20111118-1nntd.html |title=Student comes to defence of benefactor Roebuck |first=Wanda |last=Henning |work=smh.com.au |year=2011 |access-date=18 November 2011}}

In January 2012 Australian journalist Adam Shand published extensive research on Roebuck's dealings with the young men who lived with him in South Africa.{{cite news|last=Shand|first=Adam|title=Sex, beatings, blackmail: the riddle over Roebuck|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/sex-beatings-blackmail-the-riddle-over-roebuck-20111231-1pghb.html|access-date=1 January 2012|newspaper=smh.com.au|date=1 January 2012}}

Legacy

Roebuck was Ed Cowan's mentor and former teacher at Cranbrook School. Cowan's maiden Test century came in the First Test between Australia and South Africa at the Gabba, Brisbane, on 12 November 2012, a year to the day after Roebuck's death. Cowan dedicated the century to Roebuck's memory.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-12/cowan-pays-tribute-with-maiden-ton/4367870 |title=Cowan dedicates maiden ton to Roebuck |date=12 November 2012 |publisher=ABC News |access-date=19 September 2016}}

Biography

In mid-2014 a former colleague of Roebuck's at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Tim Lane, and writer Elliot Cartledge were commissioned to research his life story and investigate the circumstances of his death. Associates of Roebuck such as Vic Marks, Steve Waugh, Ian Chappell, Jonathan Agnew and Matthew Engel are quoted. The Zimbabwean man at the centre of the controversy that led to Roebuck's death, Itai Gondo, provided testimony. The book, Chasing Shadows – The Life and Death of Peter Roebuck, was released in the UK, Australia and New Zealand in late 2015.

Publications

Slices of Cricket Unwin, (1982) {{ISBN|0-04-796088-4}}, {{ISBN|978-0-04-796088-8}}
It Never Rains: A Cricketer's Lot, Unwin, (1984) {{ISBN|0-04-796096-5}}; {{ISBN|978-0-04-796096-3}};
It Sort of Clicks (with Ian Botham), (1986) {{ISBN|0-947072-32-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-947072-32-2}}
Great Innings, Blitz (1990) {{ISBN|1-85605-121-8}}, {{ISBN|978-1-85605-121-7}}
Tangled Up in White: Peter Roebuck On Cricket, Hodder & Stoughton, (1992) {{ISBN|0-340-56618-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-340-56618-3}}
From Sammy to Jimmy: History of Somerset County Cricket Club, Partridge Press (1991) {{ISBN|1-85225-085-2}}, {{ISBN|978-1-85225-085-0}}
Sometimes I Forgot to Laugh (autobiography), Allen & Unwin (2004) {{ISBN|1-74114-389-6}}
It Takes All Sorts: Celebrating Cricket's Colourful Characters, Allen & Unwin, (2005) {{ISBN|1-74114-542-2}}
In It To Win It: The Australian Cricket Supremacy, Allen & Unwin, (2006) {{ISBN|1-74114-543-0}}