Robert Travers (cricketer)

Robert Christopher Travers (born 18 March 1982) is an English cricketer who made a single List A appearance for Somerset Cricket Board in 2001. He has played for Glastonbury Cricket Club, captaining the side at times. He is a right-arm off break bowler, and lower-order right-handed batsman.

In his only major appearance, a List A match for Somerset Cricket Board in the second round of the 2002 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy, Travers claimed two wickets off his seven overs. He wasn't required to bat as the Somerset side lost due to having a slower run rate in a match abandoned due to rain.^[1] He made two other appearances for Somerset Cricket Board, in the 2000 and 2002 ECB 38-County Cup competitions. In 2000, against Gloucestershire Cricket Board, he bowled four wicket-less overs, conceding 23 runs,^[2] and in 2002 against Wiltshire, he bowled two wicket-less overs conceding 10 runs.^[3]

Travers represented Wiltshire for five Minor Counties Championship and four Minor Counties Trophy matches in 2008. On his debut for the county against Cornwall he claimed 1/22 off five overs in a Trophy match.^[4] He claimed one further wicket in his next three Trophy matches. He went wicket-less in his first Championship match, but claimed two wickets in the first-innings of his next match, albeit conceding 111 runs off his 24 overs. He was used heavily again in the second-innings, bowling 40 of the 98 overs, finishing with figures of 1/143.^[5] He best return was in his fourth match, against Dorset, when took three wickets for 45 runs in his 13 overs.^[6]

Travers first played for Street Cricket Club before moving to local rivals Glastonbury Cricket Club, first appearing for them in 2001. He claimed his first five-wicket haul in the West of England Premier League (WEPL) in 2006, in a match against Keynsham, returning figures of 5/28 off 16 overs.^[7] He achieved the feat again the following season against Frocester, although his bowling proved more expensive on this occasion, as he conceded 68 runs while taking five wickets.^[8] After captaining the side for three matches at the end of 2008, Travers took over the first-team captaincy permanently from the start of the 2009 season. He achieved his best bowling figures in the WEPL during his first year of captaincy, when he claimed 6/66 against Weston-super-Mare.^[9] Later in the same season, he claimed 5/9 in seven overs as Glastonbury beat Downend by 171 runs.^[10]

In 2018, Travers joined Shapwick & Polden CC after a five-year break from the game, playing his first match for their 2nd XI against his former club Street CC.^[11]