19/06/2026
Rob Binns. The club are saddened to announce the death of former KCC cricketer Rob Binns. Please contact Richard Perham for funeral details.
David Simmonds has written the following.
From his earliest days as a student at King James's Grammar School, Robert - sometimes "Bob", usually "Binnsy" - had displayed his abilities as a gifted and talented all-round sportsman. Those abilities manifested themselves as a Junior at KCC, in particular in the form of his hard-hitting, aggressive and punishing batting; he always adhered to the principle that attack is the best form of defence. Over the course of his playing days, he had the happy knack of transforming and winning three or four matches per season, literally off his own bat.
He was part of a highly successful KCC Junior team in 1967, which, that season, won three cups - the Barrett, Parsons and Sadler - and, two years later, he hit a brilliant unbeaten 103 when the Arthur Barrett Cup was again won.
As a 15 year old in 1967, he was already a member of the first team and one performance in particular drew him to the attention of the local press. Horsforth had been dismissed for a modest total of 66 but KCC were struggling at 49-7 when Robert came to the wicket. He " edged a boundary through gully " but then " grew in authority and eventually won the match by cracking two square cuts to the fence and in the last over finishing the game with the best shot of the day- a powerful cover drive " to end undefeated on 17.
In 1970, he was in the team which won the Waddilove Cup for the first time in the Club's history and, five years later, played a prominent role in the fixture at Guiseley which brought the First Division title to KCC for the first time. After struggling in the early part of the innings, Knaresborough accelerated to make a very respectable total, with Robert notching a quick-fire 42, including two sixes, the first of which carried at least 100 yards, while the second landed in the adjoining football field! Similar belligerent innings were instrumental in bringing victories in both the Cup Finals of the 1982 Birtwhistle and 1986 Waddilove.
If Robert's batting at times was spectacular, it was often put in the shade by his brilliant fielding. He was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, during his playing years the finest cover point not just in the Club but in the League. He was, simply, peerless. The speed with which he covered the ground, the certainty with which he stopped and collected the ball, the pace and accuracy of his throw, meant he frequently saved his team 20 or 30 runs per match. Known throughout the League for his prowess, batters ran to him at their own risk. In one match, the fine Guiseley batter Colin Taylor had pushed the ball several times in Robert's direction, considered a run and then thought better of it. Finally he risked it; Robert swept on the ball and in one movement picked it up and threw at the stumps with unerring accuracy, leaving the batter stranded yards out of his ground. As Colin left the field, he could do no more than offer a rueful grin and say " I should have known better! ". The fact that Robert only won the League fielding prize once - shared with KCC's Chris Darley in 1983 - is testimony to the fact that everything he did in the field was so quick, smooth, efficient and apparently easy that very few had picked up on the brilliance and skills he was exhibiting.
Robert's cricketing abilities were many, but his attributes beyond the game were equally admired. Nobody ever had a bad word to say about him. Convivial and witty, good humoured, always cheerful, ever smiling, unfailingly optimistic, with an enviably equable temperament; there was something uplifting about his very presence and demeanour in both the dressing room during games and in the bar afterwards. He was very much the joker of the team. Memorably, captain Reg Abbott before one game was laying down the law to his team in a sombre atmosphere following a match in which the fielding had been sloppy. The skipper demanded improvement. " More effort; more commitment; more determination; more diving. ". With face sternly set, Reg led the team onto the field only for the seriousness of the situation and the impact of his words to be undermined by Robert leaping out of the window, diving onto the field and asking " Do you mean like this Reg? " . The tension was immediately lifted as laughter broke out. Robert always made enjoyment and fun an integral part of the game.
Perhaps above all, Robert believed that, ultimately, cricket was just a game and that while it should be approached seriously - he was fiercely competitive - he nevertheless understood that sometimes there were other and more important priorities in life and that if things had gone well in a game that was fine, but if they hadn't....well, it was not the end of the world and there would always be another week and another match. It was always an undiluted pleasure to be in his company. A great friend to many, he will be very much missed by all of them, but the happy memories he brought will not be forgotten.
