Adrian Rollins
Encyclopedia
Adrian Stewart Rollins was an English
cricket
er, of West Indian origin who played for Derbyshire
from 1993 to 1999 and for Northamptonshire
from 2000 to 2002. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace
bowler.
An imposing presence, measuring 6 ft 5 in and weighing around sixteen stone, Rollins made his debut for Derbyshire as an emergency wicket-keeper
in the absence of team-mates Bernie Maher
and Karl Krikken
, making him possibly the tallest wicket-keeper in first-class cricket history. Rollins became the 500th first-class cricketer for the Derbyshire team, as well as the 100th to make a first-class century, following his milestone innings with a hugely impressive innings of 200 in nine hours, the single longest innings in Derbyshire's history.
After the threat of resignation from captain Dominic Cork
, it was thought that Rollins was to be made the captain by the board, though this was not to come to fruition, and he was to move to Northamptonshire at the end of 1999. Though he did not have the greatest of starts to his Northamptonshire career, he was still picking up good scores from time to time (most notably missing out on a 'double' at Lord's
, where he scored 100 in the first innings and 96 in the second). After spending the 2001 season in Division One, they were to find themselves back down and out again a year later, and, in 2002, with his contract over and a wrist injury caused taking a diving catch at short leg, Northamptonshire did not offer Rollins new terms and he announced his retirement in January 2003.
Since retiring from first class cricket, Rollins has worked in education in Luton, Northampton and North London and is currently teaching Maths in East London, where he was raised.
Rollins has two brothers who have both played cricket, Gary Rollins and Robert Rollins
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, of West Indian origin who played for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
from 1993 to 1999 and for Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
from 2000 to 2002. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace
Seam bowling
Seam bowling is a phrase used for a bowling technique in cricket whereby the ball is deliberately bowled on to its seam, to cause a random deviation. Practitioners are known as seam bowlers or seamers....
bowler.
An imposing presence, measuring 6 ft 5 in and weighing around sixteen stone, Rollins made his debut for Derbyshire as an emergency wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
in the absence of team-mates Bernie Maher
Bernie Maher
Bernard Joseph Michael Maher was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a wicket-keeper who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire between 1981 and 1993. Of Irish extraction, he was born in Hillingdon, Middlesex....
and Karl Krikken
Karl Krikken
Karl Matthew Krikken is a former English cricketer who kept wicket for Derbyshire for most of his career, which spanned 16 years between 1987 and 2003....
, making him possibly the tallest wicket-keeper in first-class cricket history. Rollins became the 500th first-class cricketer for the Derbyshire team, as well as the 100th to make a first-class century, following his milestone innings with a hugely impressive innings of 200 in nine hours, the single longest innings in Derbyshire's history.
After the threat of resignation from captain Dominic Cork
Dominic Cork
Dominic Gerald Cork is a former English cricketer. Cork is a right-handed lower-order batsman who bowls right-arm fast-medium, and is renowned for his swing and seam control. Making his début in first-class cricket for Derbyshire in 1990, he was selected to play for England in 1992, aged 21. He...
, it was thought that Rollins was to be made the captain by the board, though this was not to come to fruition, and he was to move to Northamptonshire at the end of 1999. Though he did not have the greatest of starts to his Northamptonshire career, he was still picking up good scores from time to time (most notably missing out on a 'double' at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, where he scored 100 in the first innings and 96 in the second). After spending the 2001 season in Division One, they were to find themselves back down and out again a year later, and, in 2002, with his contract over and a wrist injury caused taking a diving catch at short leg, Northamptonshire did not offer Rollins new terms and he announced his retirement in January 2003.
Since retiring from first class cricket, Rollins has worked in education in Luton, Northampton and North London and is currently teaching Maths in East London, where he was raised.
Rollins has two brothers who have both played cricket, Gary Rollins and Robert Rollins
Robert Rollins
Robert John Rollins is a former English cricketer. Rollins was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace, but played primarily as a wicketkeeper....
.
External links
- Adrian Rollins at ESPNcricinfo
- Adrian Rollins at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...