Former England cricketer and a long-time commentator of the sport, Robin Jackman has passed away at the age of 75. As per South African media reports, Jackman died at around 3:15 PM in Cape Town, at his house. The cause of his death is yet to be revealed.
Jackman was a seamer who made his international debut in 1974, in an ODI against India. His Test debut came much later, in 1981, against West Indies at Bridgetown, Barbados.
After his retirement, Jackman became a leading television commentator and was a regular voice during South Africa's home season. In 2012, he was diagnosed with cancer but was able to recover and even resume his commentating work.
Born in 1975, in Simla, India, Jackman plied his trade in both England, his home country, as well as South Africa. Due to his time playing domestic cricket in apartheid South Africa, his place in the English touring party for the 1980/81 tour of West Indies became a highly contentious issue.
Originally, Jackman wasn't in the squad but was picked when Bob Willis sustained an injury, as the latter's replacement.
The Government of Guyana, where the second Test of the series between the two teams was to be played, revoked his visa and the game had to be cancelled. However, after much behind the scene activity, Government of Barbados, the venue of the third Test, allowed Jackman to remain and the tour continued.
Jackman ended up playing just four Tests and picked up 14 wickets at an average of 31.78. He also represented England in 15 ODIs where he earned 19 wickets.
In first-class cricket, Jackman was a stalwart for Surrey in English domestic circle and for Western Province and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in South African tournaments. In all, he played 399 first-class games and racked up 1402 wickets.
The demise of Jackman came on the same day as the death of another former English cricketer, John Edrich. With Dean Jones' death earlier this year, 2020 has snatched two highly respected commentators from the world of cricket.
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