Sam Robson - England - Batsman

Born in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia, Sam Robson has grown leaps and bounds to stake claim for a long tenancy in the English top-order. His father manages the indoor nets at the Sydney Cricket Ground while his mother is English. Interestingly, his brother, Angus, plays for Leicestershire.

A compact batsman with a sound temperament, Robson had honed his skills, featuring in Under-19 cricket for Australia before qualifying to play for England. Pledging his commitment for England, Robson became one of the lynch-pins of the Middlesex batting line-up. Soon after, he was named in the English Lions squad for the 2014 tour of Sri Lanka, where he compiled hundreds in two of the three unofficial Tests.

He enjoyed a purple patch in 2013, scoring 1,180 Championship runs at an impressive average close to 50, with three centuries and a best of an unbeaten 215. His efforts were rewarded with an opening berth alongside Captain Cook for the home series against Sri Lanka in June 2014. Though Sri Lanka clinched the series, Robson showcased his prowess in the second Test at Headingley with a polished 127 - an innings which highlighted the old school virtues of Test cricket. Summarizing his knock on BBC TMS, Geoffrey Boycott said, \"I like the way Robson batted - I saw improvement. He was compact, tighter, got right behind it - a very solid performance.\"

By Cricbuzz Staff