Peter Roebuck, the former Somerset captain and bane of Ozias Bvute, Cricket SA and Zimbabwe cricket, has been found dead in his hotel room in South Africa. Cause of death is unknown at this stage
Former English county cricket captain and respected commentator and journalist Peter Roebuck has died aged 55.
Roebuck died at his hotel in Newlands, Cape Town where he was covering the current Test series between Australia and South Africa.
Roebuck's managing editor at Fairfax newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald, Ian Fuge, said it was a sad loss.
"A devastating blow to all at the Sydney Morning Herald both professionally and personally," Fuge said.
"Peter was a wonderful writer who was the bard of summer for cricket-loving Australians.
"He was an extraordinary bloke who will be sorely missed."
Roebuck would regularly travel with the Australian cricket team and split the rest of his year living between Sydney and Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
Born in England, Roebuck had a fine cricket career before pursuing media interests.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
The circumstances of his death sound kind of strange. Apparently he was in a bit of a state the night before and had to be spoken to by Cape Town police.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
He was a gifted and articulate writer that's for sure and I hope he R.I.P however from a ZIm fans perspective I won't miss the articles (I hope that no one misconstrues what I'm saying here) as he was kind of anti zimbabwe I felt....
Although that's his opinion and he's entitled to it and I wish his family well and hope he R.I.P.
Suicide is never the answer
Cricinfo profile of the 'James Bond' of cricket:
FULL NAME: Angus James Mackay
BORN: 13 June 1967, Harare
KNOWN AS: Gus Mackay
ZIMDOGGY wrote:He was a gifted and articulate writer that's for sureand I hope he R.I.P however from a ZIm fans perspective I won't miss the articles (I hope that no one misconstrues what I'm saying here) as he was kind of anti zimbabwe I felt....
I will really miss this guy!
It's a pity he never warmed up to Zim, but like you Zimdoggy, I'll give him respect for his excellence. Huge loss. I always enjoyed his articles!
Come to think of it, South Africa must be a bad place for such people. Quite a few people like him have committed suicide here - Fiona Coyne(host of our version of The Weakest link), and journalist Kevin Carter etc. Stay away guys you might start getting ideas!
This story keeps developing and details changing. Apparently he jumped to his death, possibly while a police officer was still in his room questioning him about an alleged sexual assault. Very strange story. Regardless of what was going on with his personal life we have certainly lost a great cricket writer. Anyone who annoys Ozias Bvute as much as he did must have been doing something right.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
This was a one of a few positive stories on Zimbabwe, though he housed and sponsored a number of gifted local kids at South African universities (our very own Tinasche Ruswa, I believe, is one of them).
But other than that he was quite withering and stinging on the issue of Zimbabwe.
There is also a past thread of the same article, which (chuckle, chuckle) has uncovered one past Clifford Harris who reminds me of one later day Maweni, and also unearthed a fairly emotional at the time zimdoggy
