Yorkshire Times September 17, 1949
Robinson’s Retirement from the Yorkshire Team
Ellis Robinson’s retirement from the Yorkshire County team, announced this week, leaves only Norman Yardley and Len Hutton as links with a great team of the late 30s. Robinson, one of 20 men who have taken over 500 wickets for Yorkshire, first played for the county in 1934. It was in the side occasionally in 1935 and 1936, and in 1937 he got his chance which earned him a county cap – as a t 27th birthday present.
In 1938 Robinson off spin bowling took over 100 wickets in the first time. He took 120 wickets in the following season, and three seasons ago – the first after the war (during which he served for six years with the RAF) he had his best season with 149 wickets for Yorkshire and 167 first-class wickets. In that season he finished fourth in the first class bowling averages.
It was fitting that in his best season he should have had so much to do with Yorkshire winning the championship, just as he had played his part in their early times of ‘37, ‘38 and ‘39.
Best feet of his career was – fittingly for a Yorkshire man – 13 wickets for 15 against Lancashire at Headingley in the August bank holiday game that year. He took eight for 35 in Lancashire’s second innings and Hutton, with a well remembered unbeaten century, help Yorkshire to an exciting victory.
Robinson, who was 38 in August, was playing with the Denaby and Cadeby when he came to Yorkshire’s notice. He went on a West Indian tour in 1936 and earned a reputation there – as a hard hitter