Dean Robinson Taranaki’s highest run scorer

By Ian Snook

Photo: Dean Robinson hugs batting partner Sam Fastier having just surpassed Brian Richards to become Taranaki’s highest-scoring representative batter. Photo by Taranaki Cricket.

Dean Robinson, the Taranaki cricket captain, now into his 16th season of provincial cricket, has just broken a 30-year-old record currently held by Taranaki’s most capped player Brian Richards, the little dynamo from Patea.

Richards finished his career on 4947 runs, (141 games) which means Robinson, now on 4955, and needed 45 runs to surpass the total, has taken on the mantle as the most prolific of any Taranaki batsmen in the past 128 years.

The weekend’s match vs Wairarapa was Robinson’s 111th game, third most behind Richards and Jamie Watkins, and he came in off a 2022/23 season where he averaged nearly 60 and added two more centuries to his tally. 

With a career average of 41.20, 15 centuries under his belt, over twice as many as the next player, and now 20 scores beyond 50, he towers above all others.

This is an achievement of dedication, mental application, and a high level of skill, that very few cricketers can match.

As a Taranaki men’s representative Robinson is in the top echelon, sitting alongside the likes of Alistair Jordan, Watkins, and Richards.

With an innings of 202 not out against Wairarapa he holds the record for the highest score ever for a Taranaki batsman, one run ahead of Peter Ingram who scored 201 in an unbroken partnership of 342 with Robinson against Horowhenua, and Rodney Brown’s magnificent 200 not out against Hutt Valley thirty-five years back.

The records are staggering. Robinson walked to the crease in Taranaki colours for the first time in 2007 as an 18-year-old fresh out of school, and following a successful under-19 tournament for Central Districts.

Taranaki were defending the Hawke Cup against Canterbury Country and would lose by one run.

The career was underway. Not the way he wanted, but he would soon be more than a nervous youngster. He loved those early days, which gave him a real appetite to do well. This was a hard-nosed team captained by Matt Broadmore.

They were full of passion and grit and didn’t give an inch; none more so than Watkins and his wicket-keeping ally Travis Stewart. He still remembers Broadmore’s memorable speech to the team before the Hawke Cup defence. It was fun playing in an environment where all players were as one.

Winning the Chapple Cup final against Hawkes Bay in 2017 is a major highlight. Robinson batted throughout the innings for 104 not out. This was special. He was also part of Ryan Fleming’s 2008/09 team who won the Chapple Cup.

Sadly, the two Hawke Cup challenges for which the team qualified were both rained out. It was particularly galling having scored 350 against Manawatu, Robinson 55, and the rain arriving with Manawatu 150 – 6.

The career included five club seasons in England, a NZ Under 19 tour to England under the captaincy of Kane Williamson, two seasons for Central Districts which included a top score of 134 against Canterbury, and a season where he had a Central Districts contract.

In amongst all the big games were at least 8500 runs in club cricket. Robinson credits the coaching and time put in by Debu Banik for much of his success, with similar sentiments towards Watkins. And there was the determination to outplay his two older brothers Michael and Paul on the back lawn which set him up for the many long innings played in future years. Mum and Dad provided encouragement and guidance to a young Robinson, taking him to games and practices, these days acting as his No 1 supporters, along with wife Ange and daughter Eva who can often be spotted on the boundary line.

Sport is in the family blood. Mum is a Read, whose brother Bill played prop for Taranaki, and whose nephew is Kieran, also a very handy cricketer.

This season’s goals are already in the memory bank. Break the run-scoring record, help the team earn a Hawke Cup challenge, enjoy the captaincy, and contribute as much as he can. He loves playing for Taranaki.

Now, with a young child to consider, Robinson will not make a long-term commitment, but there is one thing for sure, so long as he heads out to the batting crease with his single-minded approach, 5000 runs will soon be ticked off, and the target of 5500 will be in his sights.

Robinson deserves nothing more than being ranked No 1 in the province. Long may his success continue.

Frustration and elation in a mixed weekend for the Whitaker Civil Taranaki Men

Ryan Evans

A rear-guard fightback from a determined Wairarapa lower order denied the Whitaker Civil Taranaki men an outright victory at Pukekura Park over the weekend.

Instead, on a history-setting weekend for the side’s captain Dean Robinson, the Taranaki team had to settle for a first innings win, as Wairarapa held on for more than hour with just two wickets in hand in their opening Furlong Cup encounter.

The outcome could prove important too, as the competition heavyweight Hawkes Bay was the only side to pick up an outright win over the weekend, giving them an early buffer over the pack.

The game was there for Taranaki to take, but a brave 9th wicket partnership of 79, led by Jeremy Anderson (74 not out), frustrated the home side through to the end of play.

Everything had gone right for Taranaki up to that point. The side built up a commanding first-innings lead, having dismissed Wairarapa for 237, an innings which featured two wickets on debut for Grant Commerford and a five-wicket bag from Jordan Gard to knock over the tail.

Later on the Saturday, in perfect conditions at the park, spectators were treated to the site of Taranaki captain Robinson notch the record for most ever Taranaki representative runs. In a patient opening effort of 52, he overtook Brian Richards’ record of 4947 runs but was then dismissed with just two balls remaining in the day’s play.

Early on Sunday, it was batter Liam Muggeridge’s turn to shine, cracking a better-than-run-a-ball century, including a 130-run partnership with Mattie Thomas (87) before he was out for 106.

His effort included eight fours and seven sixes. With the lower order hitting out, Taranaki declared on 394 giving themselves plenty of overs to hunt the outright win.

When Wairarapa was reduced to 8/63 it was looking like Taranaki’s day, but in the end the visitors hung tough and nothing Taranaki threw at them over the final overs was enough.

Coach Chris Coombe said while it was frustrating to have left two wickets out there, there was plenty to like about the performance with some strong individual displays, including good debuts for Commerford and opener Oli Burbidge.

“It was a rollercoaster ride, as expected from an opening first game of the season,” Coombe said. “The team faced immense pressure and challenges in all facets of the game, precisely what we anticipate at this level, and much needed to progress and improve as a team.

“As we look ahead to our next match against Hawkes Bay, there are some significant positives we're carrying with us.”

 

Next stop is Napier, where the team will get a real gauge of their progress when they take on reining Furlong Cup holder Hawkes Bay on November 18 and 19 at Nelson Park. Full match and competition details can be found at Play HQ.