Handsome achiever turned hermit: A karma-yogi cricketer

A Calcutta-born Test cricketer achieved an enviable world record in cricket. No, no, not thinking of Pankaj Roy. Anyway, Roy was not born at Calcutta.

Yes, Roy and Vinoo Mankad’s 1^st wicket world Test record of 413 against New Zealand in 1955-56 did last long enough for over 50 years. But ultimately it fell, as almost all records do.

But one man Robert James Crisp did justice to his surname by munching 4 crispy wickets in 4 consecutive deliveries! Then to add to his magical achievement he overcame his crusty surname, through a performance as solid as the pyramids. Again he bit into 4 more crisps in 4 successive deliveries.

He is the only bowler in the annals of cricket to have achieved this feat of 4 wickets in 4 deliveries twice. None else has as yet been able to replicate the unique achievement.

 Robert Crisp was born in Calcutta in 1911 to British parents who were in the flourishing jute industry of Bengal at the time. From St Xavier’s in Calcutta, he went to St Edward’s School in Salisbury in the then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Academically bright, the brilliant sportsperson twice won the best all-round student award in school.

He seemed to acquire a habit of doing extraordinary achievements twice! Perhaps to show that the first one was no accident!

In the new environment of Western Province in South Africa the tall fast bowler displayed extraordinary performances with his fast rising deliveries. Against Griqualand West he had his first magical spell in 1931 and then repeated the feat against Natal in 1933.

Crisp represented South Africa in 9 Tests which included a tour to England in 1935 with the South Africa. On the tour he had 109 scalps at just above 19 plus. Extraordinary by any yardstick. Then enjoyed a ‘home’ series against Australia. Please note, again just two series of Test cricket!

But the restless soul grew tired of ‘dreary’ cricket. He returned to the continent of his life, Africa. And for good measure climbed Mt Kilimanjaro not once, but twice. 

During the 2^nd World War he was at the forefront with the Allied Forces as a tank-commander at the Western Sahara. For his bravery he was awarded the DSO and MC honours. Again 2 distinctions in World War II! But to this amazing persona all these were merely diversions of life.

In between his two principal jobs were journalism for Daily Express, London, and establishing a magazine for Black Africans called ‘Drum’. A champion of anti-apartheid he was.

Later among his other books Bob Crisp sat down to write two memoirs of the War, both of which remain classics of warfare.

One day he suddenly vanished into an isolated Greek island and lived the life of a hermit. The exceptionally handsome man realized that both beauty and brains were only momentary diversions.

He lived life on his own terms. Down with cancer, he credited his recovery to “Plenty of red wine!” Born in Asia, he lived his life in Africa. Finally in Europe the soul went into eternal rest in 1994.