Old memories come flooding back

Reg Cook's son Don (photographed holding the bat) who like his father has been involved with Poverty Bay cricket for many decades is keenly watching the cricket tournament and enjoyed seeing the bat that his father presented to Garth in 1955. Also joined by Pat Malcon from Northern Districts who used to play against Garth.

Older Gisborne cricket fans familiar with the club scene of the 1960s and 1970s will remember Garth Robinson.

The former High School Old Boys bowler, now retired in Queensland, was delighted to hear his niece's sons Henry and Hugo Harkness were playing for the Counties-Manukau under-19 representative team at his old stomping ground, Harry Barker Reserve.

Robinson's niece Kirsten Corson said he was a father of four and a grandfather of many, but he had to wait years for more cricket lovers to appear in the family.

A memento from Robinson's playing days made an appearance during the Northern Districts tournament played in Gisborne this month.

It dates back to 1955 when the Gisborne Boys' High School first 11 — who hadn't won a game for five years — ended the eight-year unbeaten streak of Napier Boys' High School's first 11.

The Napier side featured future New Zealand player Mike Shrimpton.

Robinson starred in the game with a fine double, taking 5-25 and 4-37.

The memento was a miniature cricket bat, presented to Robinson by Boys' High coach Reg Cook and engraved with his bowling figures.

Another individual enjoyed seeing the bat this month — Cook's son Don, a long-standing servant of the game in Poverty Bay, and a former Rugby Old Boys adversary of Robinson's.

“I remember playing against Garth,” Don Cook said.

“It was unfair; he was almost eight feet tall.”

Corson said the family hoped the bat would bring some luck to Henry and Hugo — “just not against Poverty Bay!”

So how did the boys get on?

“They didn't manage to match Garth's bowling stats.”