Albert William Roberts, who died in Clyde, N.Z. on May 13 aged 68, was a member of the 1937 New Zealand side in England. Regarded at the outset of his career simply as a bat, he owed his place in the first Test against Harold Gilligan's team in 1929-30, to a couple of useful innings at a crisis for Canterbury against the tourists. Two years later he played in both Tests against the South Africans in New Zealand and in the first made 54. However by 1937 he had developed into a good medium-pace opener who could swing the ball and get considerable pace from the pitch. Unfortunately that summer shoulder trouble, and later a damaged finger, took the life out of his bowling and left it for the most part merely negative. Even so, with 62 wickets at 26 runs each and 510 runs with an average of 25.50, he was an extremely useful member of the side, especially, as he was a brilliant slip. Moreover he had a way of getting runs when they were wanted; in the Lord's Test he made 66 not out and at the Oval 50, both very valuable innings which left him at the top of the Test match batting averages. The second Test he had missed through injury. His highest score during the season was 82 v Sussex. He was no stylist, but had a strong defence and could hit hard in front of the wicket. In all in his five Tests spread over seven years he scored 248 runs with an average of 27.55.

ROCK, Dr HARRY OWEN, who died in Sydney on March 10, aged 81, had a unique career. His six first-class matches, spread over three Australian seasons, 1924 to 1927, produced 758 runs with an average of 94.75; his four Sheffield Shield matches 560 runs, average 112. In his first match for New South Wales he scored 127 and 27 not out, and in his next 235 and 51: then room had to be found for Collins, Bardsley, Taylor, Andrews and Kelleway and he was omitted! Two more Sheffield Sheild matches and one against Western Australia, in which he scored 151, with a Test Trial match in 1926-7 completed his career. Qualifying as a doctor and practising in Newcastle, he was lost to Australian cricket: otherwise he must surely have ranked among the great. Though slightly built, he was a tremendous driver and had a wonderful gift of placing the ball and a basic soundness of technique which enabled him, as an opening batsman, to score at a great pace without taking undue risks. He was a son of C. W. Rock, the Cambridge blue and Warwickshire player.
Wisden Cricketers Almanack

• 974 runs in a series (Aug 20, 2003)