Cecilia Robinson opened the batting for England in 14 Test matches from 1948/9 to 1963. She captained one of those Test matches in 1957/8, making her England’s 5th Test cricket captain.
Robinson’s debut was baptism of fire at the Adelaide Oval in January 1949. The Aussies batted first, Betty Wilson knocked up a century to give them 213. England were then bundled out for 72 (Wilson 6/23). The last batsman out for England after 215 minutes was the debutant, top scoring with 34. Her stoic performance that day was a sign of things to come.
In 14 Tests, Robinson scored 829 runs at an average of 33.16, with two centuries and two 50s. She returned to Adelaide Oval on the 1957/8 tour to peel of a century. During that tour, regular skipper Mary Duggan was out injured. Robinson stepped in as captain, minus the team’s best player, and carried her bat with 96 not out to save the match for England.
Mary Cecilia “Robbie” Robinson passed away on 8th November 2021, aged 97.