Robert Clifford (cricketer)

Robert Clifford (8 March 1752 – 18 April 1811) was an English cricketer who played in 71 first-class cricket matches between 1777 and 1792.[1][2]

Robert Clifford
Personal information
Full name
Robert Clifford
Born(1752-03-08)8 March 1752
Bearsted, Kent
Died18 April 1811(1811-04-18) (aged 59)
Bearsted, Kent
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm slow
Relations
Source: CricInfo, 31 May 2022

Despite having a deformed right hand caused by a childhood accident, Clifford was an effective leg break bowler who bowled right-arm slow underarm deliveries. Arthur Haygarth, writing in the mid-19th century, noted his attention to detail when bowling.[3] He was a left-handed batsman who was recognised as an all-rounder.[3][4]

Clifford mainly played for Kent sides, which he made 31 appearances for, as well as both East and West Kent sides and those put together by leading Kent patrons of the day Sir Horatio Mann and John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley. He also played 19 times for England sides,[lower-alpha 1] for Hampshire sides and for the White Conduit Club and the Marylebone Cricket Club.[1] James Pycroft, writing in 1862, described him as one of Kent's three best players.[7]

Clifford was born at Bearsted in Kent in 1752 and died there in 1811 aged 59.[2] Two of his grandsons, William Clifford and Francis Clifford, also played cricket for Kent teams.[1][8]

Notes
  1. During the time Clifford played, England sides were not representative of the country. Instead, they were sides composed of players from a range of locations brought together to play against another side.[5] So when Clifford made his first-class debut for an England XI in 1777 he played against a Hampshire XI in a team made up of players from Kent and Surrey.[6]

References
  1. Richard Clifford, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-11-25. (subscription required)
  2. Robert Clifford, CricInfo. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  3. Rajan A (2011) Twirlymen: The Unlikely History of Cricket's Greatest Spin Bowlers, pp. 36–37. London: Yellow Jersey Press. ISBN 9780224083232
  4. Haygarth A (1862) Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744-1826). Lillywhite.
  5. Birley D (1999) A Social History of English Cricket, p. 364. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 978 1 78131 1769
  6. England v Hampshire XI, July 7–10, 1777 – scorecard, CricInfo. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  7. Pycroft J (1862) The Cricket-field, Or The History and the Science of the Game of Cricket, p. 79. London: Longman. (Available online at Google Books. Retrieved 2022-06-01.)
  8. Carlaw D (2020) Kent County Cricketers A to Z. Part One: 1806–1914 (revised edition), pp. 111–113. (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 2020-12-21.)


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