Robert Neill (20 January 1864 – 27 August 1930) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Auckland between 1889 and 1906.[1]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1864-01-20)20 January 1864 Greenock, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 27 August 1930(1930-08-27) (aged 66) Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Leg-spin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1889-90 to 1905-06 | Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 1 February 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Neill grew up in Britain, then migrated to New Zealand, where he became a grain merchant in Auckland. At the time of his death aged 66 in August 1930 he was chairman of the United Permanent Building and Investment Society.[2] His wife Nina predeceased him. They had one daughter.[2]
A leg-spin bowler who usually opened the bowling, Neill took 9 for 75 in the first innings against Canterbury in 1891–92, in his second first-class match.[3] He played for New Zealand in two matches in 1896-97: the loss to the Australians[4] and the victory over the touring Queensland team.[5] He again took nine wickets in an innings in 1897–98, 9 for 86 in the first innings of Auckland's loss to Canterbury.[6]
When the cricket historian Tom Reese compiled his history of early New Zealand cricket, New Zealand Cricket, 1841–1914, in 1927, he selected a 14-man team of the best New Zealand cricketers of the period from 1860 to 1914. Neill was one of those selected.[7]