Suffolk and Essex to honour Robin Hobbs

SUFFOLK and Essex will play each other for the Robin Hobbs Trophy this summer in memory of the former leg spinner.

The two counties will compete for the Robin Hobbs Trophy at Woolpit CC on Sunday, July 21st in this year’s Showcase match.

The trophy will be presented to the winners after the match.

Hobbs, who passed away in March at the age of 81, represented both counties during a distinguished career which also saw him win seven England caps.

He made 325 appearances for Essex between 1961 and 1975, taking 763 wickets at an average of exactly 26.00.

Between 1976 and 1982 Hobbs played 32 matches for Suffolk in the Minor Counties Championship, claiming 144 wickets at an average of 19.24.

He took five wickets in an innings 10 times and twice took 10 wickets in a match as Suffolk were crowned Minor County champions in both 1977 and 1979.

Suffolk Cricket Chair Andrew Squire said: “As soon as (Essex Deputy Chief Executive Officer) Dan Feist suggested the idea, after speaking to Robin’s son Nick, as a committee we jumped at the idea.

“It just seemed a great way to honour the memory of Robin, who played a pivotal role in the most successful period in Suffolk’s history, in addition to his achievements at Essex.

“We look forward to playing for the Robin Hobbs Trophy, which will add an extra dimension to this season’s Showcase fixture against our neighbours.”

Essex Cricket Chair, Anu Mohindru, said: “This is a wonderful way to honour an Essex legend, and we are delighted to lend our full support to the creation of the Robin Hobbs Trophy.

“We look forward to the added layer of competition that this trophy being on the line will bring to the NCCA Showcase match at Woolpit in July, as well as the games beyond across all representative sides.”

Officials of both Suffolk and Essex have agreed that the Robin Hobbs Trophy will be played for annually by the two counties with a series of fixtures each year counting towards the overall winners.

Essex Cricket Deputy Chief Executive Officer Dan Feist (left) and Suffolk County Cricket Club Chair Andrew Squire (right) are pictured with the Robin Hobbs Trophy at Woolpit CC.

Tags: Andrew Squire, Dan Feist, Essex, NCCA Showcase, Robin Hobbs Trophy, Woolpit CC

Categorised in: Suffolk CCC