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Testimonials

Graeme Fowler

“If I knew then what I know now”. That is probably the most stupid phrase anyone can ever say. At the time we all make decisions based on the current facts, our personal information and experience. No one ,in my experience makes a bad decision on purpose.
However, looking back is not always a pointless exercise. Memories are one of our most precious gifts that we carry with us. Often, in a senior moment I find myself completely absorbed in my own little world in a previous decade. More…

Peter Moores

The first time I saw the real talent of RMJ was from the non strikers end as he proceeded to deposit Anil Kumble into the deck chairs for a quite enormous six. What made the shot even more remarkable was that he did it from the crease with what appeared effortless ease. The game was Sussex v Northants in 1995 when RMJ was still at university and just breaking into the game. At the time I didn’t realise that RMJ was going to have such an impact on his native County but I did realise he had a rare talent for hitting a cricket ball. Robin went on to make his first fifty for Sussex that day and as he now has close to six thousand runs and three hundred wickets and has been a key player in Sussex’s rise over the last decade.More…

Andrew Strauss

My first memory of “Tucker” came shortly after I arrived at Radley College as an awkward, spotty and totally overawed 13 year old. Everywhere I looked, I saw fully grown adolescent men, whose voices had broken, who were intimidating beyond imagination to someone who looked closer to 11 than a teenager.
In those first days of school, you had to sink or swim on your own. The older pupils tended to only talk to the new boys when they needed something doing, so it was not surprising that I was just beginning to run for cover when this giant beanpole from the year above approached me. “Hello there, I’m Robin, How have your first few weeks been? I hear you play cricket.” I was flabbergasted that he was actually trying to make conversation with me, and that he was actually being kind of nice.
Over the years that we were at school together, Robin became a real school hero. He played for the first XI for 4 years, and was even representing Sussex while still at school. He was idolised by the guys in the years below, and even the boys in the years above respected him for his amazing talents. He never let any of it get to his head though, and remained as courteous and interested in others as he did during my first weeks.
It’s incredible to think that I have known “tucker” for close to 17 years now, having gone from school to Durham University and then on to the county circuit together. We have had some good tussles on the cricket pitch, most of which, I’m afraid to say, have been won by him, but off the pitch he has always been the same, and I suspect will always remain so. The only real regret for me, is that I have never had the opportunity to play alongside him for England. Strangely in an era when we have all been crying out for a quality all rounder, he has constantly been overlooked by players who have promised much but delivered little. Surely his genuine talents with both bat and ball should have been recognised at some point?
Tucker, it has been a real pleasure playing with you and against you over the last two decades (God, we are getting old aren’t we!!), and no one deserves a benefit more than you. I hope it goes really well, and when it finished you will buy me a beer for once!
Straussy
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Jonathan Agnew

I feel as if I have followed every inch of Robin’s path through professional cricket. This is not necessarily due to having sat for many hours in the sun in one of Hove’s inviting deck chairs, or anywhere else for that matter: I reckon I have only seen Robin in action a handful of times. No, there has been no need for that because throughout Robin’s career, I have been sharing a commentary box with his Dad, Christopher.
Regular listeners to Test Match Special will be all too aware of a certain haplessness that dogs CMJ’s attempts at anything technical. This extends, even, to operating teletext which, thankfully, after years of muttering and stamping feet at back of the box, Christopher has finally mastered. He can now pull up the latest Sussex score on Ceefax while commentating at Lord’s at the same time! No mean feat.More…