Robin Marlar died on 30 September 2022 at Epsom Hospital. He was 91.
His death was announced on the Sussex Cricket website.
“Sussex Cricket is deeply saddened to announce the death of Robin Marlar, aged 91, on 30 September, surrounded by his family at Epsom General Hospital”.
Robin Marlar was an English cricketer and cricket journalist. He played for Cambridge University before playing for Sussex from 1951 to 1968 and served as captain of both teams.
In his later life, Marlar stood as a Conservative candidate for Bolsover in the 1959 General Election, and in a 1962 by-election at Leicester North East.
Decades later he was a candidate at the 1993 Newbury by-election.
After retiring from professional cricket, Marlar had a successful journalistic career as an outspoken cricket correspondent of The Sunday Times and wrote the illustrated history The Story of Cricket (1979).
He also began a thriving headhunting business based in Sloane Square and became a cricket administrator.
Marlar served as chairman of Sussex in 1996 and 1997, laying the foundations for the club’s first Championship win in 2003.
He was appointed president of Sussex County Cricket Club for 2005 and President of MCC for 2005–06. During this time he incurred some controversy when, in a declaration to the Sunday Telegraph, he described it as “absolutely outrageous” that female athletes play cricket with male athletes, in response to Holly Colvin and Sarah Taylor, who had both played for England, being chosen to play for Brighton College’s First XI that summer.
Robin Marlar is survived by his daughters, Sarah, AJ, Kate and Tammy and his sons Algy and James.