Robert Lyttelton

Robert Henry Lyttelton (18 January 1854 – 7 November 1939) was an English cricketer who appeared in seven first-class matches between 1873 and 1880. A member of the Lyttelton family who were prominent in English cricket in the mid to late 1800s, he did not play county cricket, but appeared for a number of representative sides, in which players were often chosen more for their social status than their cricketing ability. In his later years he was known for his views about sportsmanship in cricket, and he successfully campaigned for changes in the laws of the game to penalise blocking the wicket with the legs. He published two books about cricket and collaborated with others on two more.

Early life and cricket career

Robert Henry Lyttelton was born in Westminster, London on 18 January 1854, the sixth son of George Lyttelton, 4th Baron Lyttelton and his first wife Mary, née Glynne. He was educated at Eton, where he excelled as a sportsman. He was in Oppidan Wall and Keeper of Fives, and played a number of cricket matches for the school during his time there. They included the annual fixture against Harrow in both 1871 and 1872; which Eton won in both years. After leaving Eton he attended Trinity College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) in 1875 and received his Master of Arts (MA) in 1878. He did not play for Cambridge University, but six of his seven first-class matches were played against the University at Fenner's.