Bob Crisp

Robert James Crisp DSO MC (28 May 1911 – 3 March 1994) was a South African cricketer who played in nine Tests from 1935 to 1936 before living for a while in England. He appeared for Rhodesia, Western Province, Worcestershire and South Africa. Though his Test bowling average lay over 37.00, Crisp had a successful first-class cricket career, with 276 wickets at 19.88. Crisp holds the distinction of being the only bowler in first-class cricket to have taken four wickets in four balls more than once.

He went on to a career in journalism and writing, publishing several accounts of his career in World War II, and earning a reputation as an adventurer.

Cricket career

Domestic debut

Crisp was born in Calcutta, Bengal in India. He made sporadic appearances for Rhodesia between 1929 and 1931, taking only seven wickets before moving to Western Province for the 1931–32 season. He took 33 wickets that season at 14.93, including an eight-wicket haul against Griqualand West. He took three more five-wicket hauls in his 26 wicket-haul during the 1932/33 season, and scalped 27 more batsman in the 1933/34 season, including a career best 9/64 for Western Province.