William Robinson (cricketer, born 1847)

Fullname

William Wills Robinson

Born(1847-06-17)17 June 1847
Birmingham, England

Died14 September 1929(1929-09-14) (aged 82)
Wellingborough, England

BowlingSlow left-arm

William Robinson

Personal information
Full name	William Wills Robinson
Born	(1847-06-17)17 June 1847 Birmingham, England
Died	14 September 1929(1929-09-14) (aged 82) Wellingborough, England
Bowling	Slow left-arm
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1873/74–1884/85	Auckland
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 12 Runs scored 248 Batting average 11.80 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 42 not out Balls bowled 1,292 Wickets 41 Bowling average 12.70 5 wickets in innings 2 10 wickets in match 1 Best bowling 5/13 Catches/stumpings 45/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 31 December 2019

William Wills Robinson (17 June 1847 – 14 September 1929) was an English-born New Zealand cricketer. He played 12 first-class matches for Auckland between 1873 and 1885.^[1]

Robinson was educated at Epsom College in England before moving to New Zealand, where he lived from about 1868 to 1889.^[2] A tall man with a curly black beard, he was a slow left-arm bowler, "a free bat and a great fighter", and an outstanding captain.^[3] He captained Auckland in all 12 of his matches. Leading them on their southern tour in late 1873, when they played their first first-class matches, he took 20 wickets at an average of 7.30, and they won all three matches.^[4] He had a sporting goods store in Auckland before returning to England in 1889.^[5][6]

Robinson was also one of the pioneers of rugby football in New Zealand, helping to establish the game in Auckland soon after his arrival in New Zealand in about 1868. In 1905, after he returned to England to live in Wellingborough, he wrote a series of articles on the early history of rugby in New Zealand for The Pall Mall Gazette.^[7] He coached the boys at Wellingborough School for more than 30 years.^[8]