Following the recent announcement of the death of Cecilia “Bobby” Robinson, we are reprinting this article from the Old Roedeanians’ Magazine 2020.

Kent Women Cap No. 7: Cecilia Robinson
England career: 14 Tests, 1948-1963; Kent Women career: 1949-1967

Kent Cricket is delighted to announce that 51 Kent Women stars, past and present, were (finally!) awarded County Caps in 2020. The Kent Women have a proud tradition of successes across both formats of the women’s game, especially in this millennium. In recognition of outstanding performances for one of the best women’s county sides in the country and also blazing a trail for women in sport over the past century, the Club has capped 51 Kent Women players, past and present during the course of 2020.

Kent Women’s first recorded match took place against a Civil Service Women’s side in 1935. Women’s cricket in Kent has a rich history and has provided talent for England representative sides since the national team’s formal inception in Women’s Test cricket in 1934.

In line with the club’s men’s team, caps will be awarded for contributions made across the length and breadth of Kent Women’s 84 years of history to date.

Kent Women’s Head Coach, David Hathrill, said: “I’m really pleased that we are rewarding the contributions and successes of so many players that have represented Kent in the women’s game. To have won as many accolades as we have as a county over the past 84 years is something we can be proud of, and it now feels “right” that we recognise those players who have gone above and beyond for Kent Women.”

Kent’s Director of Cricket, Paul Downton, said: “We have awarded caps to the best of our men’s players for over 135 years, and we are rightly proud of our heritage in women’s cricket. Awarding county caps to Kent’s Women, in line with our men’s side, is a natural progression for our successful women’s team. Kent Cricket’s partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University has enabled us to elevate the women’s game in Kent, and everyone at the club is delighted that we are now able to recognise the best of our Kent Women, especially in the club’s 150th Year.”

Kent Women have won a record eight Women’s County Championship titles in their history, as well as three National T20 competitions, and multiple titles in the Women’s Area Championships.

Capped in order of the players’ debuts, each of the 51 players, past and present, has been named over the course of the 2020 season, during the Club’s 150th Year celebrations.

Mary Cecilia Robinson was born in Canterbury, Kent in 1924.

A right-hand opening batsman, she went on to have a career spanning 18 years with Kent Women, amassing 1,109 runs at an average of 50.4 for the County and captained the team eight times. She scored eight fifties and one unbeaten Century for the County when opening against the Women’s Cricket Association at Sevenoaks in 1952.

In 1949, Robinson became the first person born in Canterbury to play Test cricket for England, and went on to play 14 Women’s Tests in a 15-year International career, averaging 33.16 with the bat and scoring two Test Centuries, both during the Women’s Ashes against Australia.

Cecilia “Bobby” Robinson taught cricket at Roedean from 1949-81, was also deputy Housemistress of No.4 and thenHousemistress in the Junior House.

Thanks to the eagle eyes of OR Roz Frampton (No.1, 1967- 71), the ORA was delighted to re-connect Kent CCC with
Cecilia’s family so that arrangements could be made for the cap to be presented.

The English Cricket Board (ECB) held a Celebratory Dinner in February 2017 which was attended by 200 past and present Test cricketers of both sexes who were presented with a commemorative cap with their individual player’s number. Even though Cecilia was unable to attend, the ECB forwarded her cap.

Cecilia was also awarded an Honorary Life Membership of the MCC in 2000. A rare honour, especially for a lady player. It is wonderful that even so many years that Cecilia is still being remembered and honoured by the sport that was so central to her life. At the age of 96, Cecilia is extremely frail, but we know all ORs send her their congratulations and very best wishes.

You can read the full 2020 OR Magazine online here.