Robin Matthews (cricketer)

{{Short description|English cricketer}}

{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Robin Matthews

| country = England

| fullname = Robin Birkby Matthews

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|1|30|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|3|13|1944|1|30|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium

| role =

| family =

| club1 = Oxfordshire

| year1 = 1964–1970

| club2 = Leicestershire

| year2 = 1971–1973

| columns = 2

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 25

| runs1 = 89

| bat avg1 = 8.90

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 16*

| deliveries1 = 2,465

| wickets1 = 48

| bowl avg1 = 27.87

| fivefor1 = 1

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 7/51

| catches/stumpings1 = 8/–

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 9

| runs2 = 1

| bat avg2 = –

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 1*

| deliveries2 = 451

| wickets2 = 11

| bowl avg2 = 27.72

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 3/40

| catches/stumpings2 = 12/–

| date = 26 March

| year = 2025

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/17435.html Cricinfo

}}

Robin Birkby Matthews (30 January 1944 – 13 March 2025){{cite web |title=Robin Matthews |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31322/31322.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=11 April 2025 |url-access=subscription}} was an English cricketer. Matthews was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. He was born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham.

Matthews made his debut for Oxfordshire against Berkshire in the 1964 Minor Counties Championship. He played Minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire from 1964 to 1969, making 18 Minor Counties Championship appearances.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31322/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Robin Matthews|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}} He made his List A debut against Cambridgeshire in the 1967 Gillette Cup. In this match, he wasn't required to bat, while with the ball he took the wickets of Peter Shippey and Rex Gautrey for the cost of 29 runs from 8.1 overs.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/28/28675.html|title=Cambridgeshire v Oxfordshire, 1967 Gillette Cup|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}} He made a further List A appearance for Oxfordshire, against Worcestershire in the 1970 Gillette Cup.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31322/List_A_Matches.html|title=List A Matches played by Robin Matthews|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}} In this match, he was dismissed for a duck by Vanburn Holder, while with the ball he took the wickets of Ron Headley and Alan Ormrod, taking figures of 2/15 from 12 overs.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/30/30755.html|title=Oxfordshire v Worcestershire, 1970 Gillette Cup|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}}

Matthews later joined Leicestershire, making his first-class debut against the touring Indians at Grace Road. He made 24 further first-class appearances for Leicestershire, the last of which came against Kent in 1973 County Championship.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31322/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Robin Matthews|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}} In his 25 first-class matches, he took 48 wickets at an average of 27.87, with best figures of 7/51.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31322/f_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=First-class Bowling For Each Team by Robin Matthews|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}} These figures, his only five wicket haul, came against Sussex in the 1972 County Championship.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/32/32827.html|title=Sussex v Leicestershire, 1972 County Championship|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}} With the bat, he scored 89 runs at a batting average of 8.90, with a high score of 16 not out.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31322/f_Batting_by_Team.html|title=First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Robin Matthews|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}} He made his List A debut for the county against Middlesex in the 1971 John Player League. He made 6 further List A appearances for Leicestershire, the last of which came against Surrey in the 1973 John Player League. In his 7 List A matches for the team, he took 7 wickets at an average of 37.28, with best figures of 3/40.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31322/a_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=List A Bowling For Each Team by Robin Matthews|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=9 August 2011}}

Matthews died at the age of 81. His death was announced on 19 March 2025.{{cite web |title=Robin Mathews 1944 - 2025 |url=https://www.leicestershireccc.co.uk/news/robin-mathews-1944-2025 |website=Leicestershire CCC |access-date=19 March 2025 |date=19 March 2025}}