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Another long one, to complete the letter R. I’m expecting to confirm the final text for the book by Friday – HOWEVER, please keep adding any comments, which I will gather together and publish as an addendum on here, when the book appears (my plan at present is at the floodlit match v Yorkshire – if it’s too cold we can build a bonfire!)
Robson, Charles (8, Amateur) born Kilburn, 20.6.1859, died Abingdon, Berks, 27.9.1943. In the early 1890s he played for Middlesex and MCC, before joining Hampshire when they were admitted to the Championship in 1895. He began as their wicketkeeper, then in 1900 took over as captain, their third in the first six Championship years, and gradually handed over behind the stumps to Jimmy Stone. Hampshire finished last in 1900 and 1902, and Robson passed the captaincy to EM Sprot, playing just a few games in 1903 & 1906, while also appearing for London County, the Gentlemen and other sides. In 129 matches for Hampshire he scored 3,299 runs at 15.27, dismissing 202 batsmen (37 stumped). HS Altham (1957) described him as “an exceptionally good captain … a fine judge of the game and … (with) the personality and serenity to weather adverse fortune”, of which there was quite a bit in those years at Hampshire.
Rock, David John (377) born Portsmouth 20.4.1957. He was right-handed batsman who was an outstanding schoolboy cricketer at Portsmouth Grammar, touring India and representing MCC Schools at Lord’s. He played in Hampshire’s 2nd XI from 1974 and two years later made his Championship debut, age 19, v Surrey at the Oval. He scored few runs in his first six matches, but in July 1977 reached his maiden century, 114 (& 45) at Leicester, sharing a century partnership with Greenidge. In the next match, he opened with Richards and scored 91 v Sussex at Southampton and it seemed his undoubted promise would be realised – especially when he scored another century v Nottinghamshire at Basingstoke. He finished that season with an average of 23.89 and scored two limited-overs half-centuries, but his form declined in the next two seasons when he played very few limited-overs games and averaged under twenty in first-class cricket. There was one more century at Nuneaton in 1979, but after reporting back pre-season in 1980, he retired from county cricket without playing further. He played a little club cricket back in Portsmouth, but turned his back on the game in his twenties.
Rogers, Herbert James (165) born Frimley, Surrey 6.3.1893, killed in action, Somme, France, 12.10.1916. He was a left-handed batsman who came from a cricketing family, including NH Rogers (below). He toured Ireland with Hampshire in 1911, before playing in seven first-class matches for Hampshire from 1912-1914, but scored only 69 runs at 5.75 with one wicket. He was planning to qualify to play for Worcestershire, but enlisted in 1914, and was killed the following year. His name appears on the Honours Boards at Hampshire, and Worcestershire.
Rogers, Neville Hamilton (298) born Cowley, Oxford 9.3.1918, died Southampton 7.10.2003. Batsman Neville Rogers, was the son of ‘Brusher’ Rogers, a notable Oxfordshire Minor Counties cricketer. Neville came to Hampshire in 1939 as a promising 21-year-old, to spend a year qualifying by residence, but because of the war did not play first-class cricket until 1946, when on debut, he scored 90 v Worcestershire at Portsmouth. Until the availability of Roy Marshall in 1955, Rogers was the cornerstone of the inconsistent Hampshire batting, and while he was selected as twelfth man for England, and played in Test Trials, it might be that he sacrificed aspects of his game to suit the needs of his team – he never played at the higher level.
John Arlott (1956) described him as “craggy – tough perhaps – but something near to being a master craftsman of defensive batting”. He scored just under 700 runs in 1946 at 16.97, but thereafter passed 1,000 runs in nine consecutive seasons, before an offer of employment led to his retirement after the 1955 season. His best year was 1952, with over 2,000 runs, although in the previous season, five centuries included his best of 186 v Gloucestershire at Portsmouth. There were 26 centuries in those last nine seasons, and three times in 1953 & 1954 he carried his bat for the county – in 1954 he added to two occasions for Hampshire, the same feat for MCC v Surrey, and for an England XI v the Pakistanis at Hastings, setting an English record of four in one season. In 1955, with Marshall, Gray and Horton establishing their top three positions, Rogers moved down to number five and for the first time played in a strong side, as Hampshire finished in an unprecedented third place. When Desmond Eagar was injured in the run-in, Rogers’ county career ended with him captaining them in the last Championship five matches, winning four and drawing one. He hoped for another three-year contract and a benefit but only one year was proposed, so, he took the offer of employment, and a testimonial in 1956. He played in Southampton with Trojans CC, and in later years, worked alongside his friend Jimmy Gray who was then Hampshire’s Cricket Chairman. On Rogers’ retirement, Arlott described him as “among the county’s greatest players”.
Roper, Colin (338) born Bridport, Dorset 25.7.1936. Wicketkeeper Roper played for Hampshire’s 2nd XI from 1955-1958, when Bryan Timms took his place as understudy to Leo Harrison. In 1957, he played in one first-class match v Oxford University, scoring seven in his one innings and taking one catch in a drawn match. Through the 1960s, he played Minor Counties cricket with his native Dorset
Roper, Donald George Beaumont (310, Amateur) born Botley 14.12.1922, died Southampton 8.6.2001. In 1947, he played in one match v Cambridge University at Portsmouth, scoring 30 & 0 in a drawn match. In the 1950s he played club cricket for Southgate CC, but he was better known as a footballer. He played for Southampton, was transferred to Arsenal and played in their team that won the league title in 1947/8, and their Cup Final defeat in 1952. In 1957, he re-joined Southampton and finished his career with Weymouth.
Rossouw, Rilee Roscoe (546) born Orange Free State, South Africa 9.10.1989. He is a left-hand batsman who has played for South Africa in the two ‘white ball’ formats and joined Hampshire in 2017, on a three-year Kolpak contract. In his second Championship match, while carrying an injury, he played a superb innings of 99 v Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl, and at Taunton an even more astonishing limited-overs innings of 156, but otherwise he struggled, with just one other half-century in all games and that in the T20. In that first season, he scored 253 first-class runs, 196 limited-overs runs, and 255 runs in T20.
Rouse, Adam Paul (519) born Harare, Zimbabwe 30.6.1992. Although born in Zimbabwe, wicketkeeper Rouse went to school in Winchester and Alresford and played for England under-19s in 2010. He played for Hampshire’s age group sides, their Academy from 2007 and the 2nd XI from 2008, but he was always competing with Michael Bates to succeed Nic Pothas. In 2013, he played a Championship match at Canterbury, as a batsman, by which time Adam Wheater was behind the stumps, while Rouse also played in one limited-overs match v Bangladesh ‘A’. He left Hampshire and played briefly for Gloucestershire, before joining Kent, where he has played more regularly.
Russell, HF (Pre ’95, Amateur) we have no further details of name or dates of birth/death. He played in one match v Surrey at the Oval in 1884, scoring 1 & 10 in a defeat. In 1891, he played in a non-first-class match for the county v Staffordshire, scoring six runs in his two innings.
Russell, William Cecil (52, Amateur) born Victoria, Australia 25.4.1866, died Etchingham, Sussex 9.5.1929. He went to Eton, and in 1898, played in one Championship match for Hampshire v Yorkshire at Huddersfield, scoring 2 & 5 in an innings defeat. In 1900, he played for the Minor Counties v MCC at Lord’s, scoring 30 & 1 and taking 3-91 & 1-65.
Rutherford, Arnold Page (166, Amateur) born Highclere, Hants 2.9.1892, died Weybridge 23.7.1980. He went to Repton, and was the younger brother of JS (below) who played for Hampshire in 1913. Arnold played once in 1912, age 19, v Cambridge University, scoring 18 in his only innings.
Rutherford, John Seymour (177, Amateur) born Highclere 27.2.1890, died Oxford, 14.4.1943. He went to Repton, and was a right-handed batsman and medium-pace bowler, who played eight matches for Hampshire in 1913, scoring 128 runs with a best of 33* v Warwickshire. He took three wickets.
Ryan, Francis Peter (200) born United Provinces, India 14.11.1888, died Leicester, 5.1.1954. He was a slow-left-arm bowler, who played mainly for Glamorgan, but in 1919 & 1920 he played in 23 matches for Hampshire, taking 63 wickets at 26.09, then spent one year in the Lancashire Leagues, before coming to the notice of Championship newcomers Glamorgan. In all first-class cricket, he exceeded 1,000 wickets, with 100+ in four seasons for Glamorgan, so he was obviously a fine bowler, although he had a reputation for eccentric behaviour, a temper, and a fondness for a drink. On five occasions Ryan took five or more wickets in an innings for Hampshire, with a best of 7-60 v Sussex at Portsmouth in 1919. Against Somerset in 1919, he took 10-64 in the match at Weston-Super-Mare, despite which, Somerset won. John Arlott (1957) reported the commonly-held belief that he was born in the USA, but this was subsequently corrected.
Hampshire Cricket History 