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George Robert (Bob) STEPHENSON

Hampshire’s wicketkeeper Bryan Timms was not yet 30 when he opted for a business career (and occasional matches deputising at Warwickshire) at the end of the 1968 season. Hampshire had no ready-made deputy but John Arlott alerted them to Bob Stephenson who was Bob Taylor’s deputy at Derbyshire. Stephenson followed his father George as a professional football player but his career with Derby County, Shrewsbury and Rochdale had stalled and he was planning to study as a mature student to become a teacher.

Initially Hampshire offered a trial but then came the improved offer of a full contract and Bob Stephenson arrived in 1969, the first season of the new Sunday League and a period when Hampshire were in transition and between their two Championship titles.

He played in every Championship match in that first season and, over the next decade, hardly missed a game. Despite his late start he impressed immediately as a solid, calm, professional cricketer, generally unobtrusive but thoroughly reliable. In his second season he had 80 dismissals but it was a couple of years later when Stephenson found himself a regular member of the strongest side in Hampshire’s history. Against expectations, they won the Championship in 1973, would have won it again the following year but for atrocious luck with the weather, finished third in 1975 and won the Sunday League in 1975 and 1978.

Throughout, Stephenson gave excellent support to a range of bowlers including Roberts, Herman, Mottram, Sainsbury, Jesty and Mike Taylor who, like Stephenson, came from a Midlands county to enjoy greater success on the South Coast. Taylor and Stephenson also contributed usefully and frequently to Hampshire’s totals in the lower middle order. Stephenson was hardly a stylish batsman but he was often effective, making his one First-Class century against Somerset in 1976.

Bob (pictured on the far right of the picture, left) was the players’ representative with the new Professional Cricketers Association and Hampshire’s vice-captain so, when captain RMC Gilliat (Charterhouse and Oxford University) departed unexpectedly at the end of the 1978 season, Hampshire turned to Stephenson to lead them. He had a difficult year – having arrived in a period of transition he now inherited a team that had lost Gilliat, Richards and Roberts in 1978, following Champions Sainsbury, Herman, Mottram, O’Sullivan, Lewis and Murtagh over the previous three years. In addition, Greenidge and new signing Malcolm Marshall missed some weeks playing in the second World Cup.

Sadly, his period as captain lasted just that one season before Nick Pocock took over. Bob returned to the ranks of player as Hampshire struggled and by the time the wooden spoon was confirmed, Bob had handed the gloves to Bob Parks. He retired at the conclusion of the 1980 season and has spent his life since coaching and teaching. He lives locally and attends the players’ reunions each year.