Robert Robinson Plays at Lord's With His Iron Hand — Hampshire v England, July 1802

Cricket in 1802 had no recognised concept of disability sport. Robinson's mitten was an idiosyncratic invention — half prosthesis, half batting glove — and he used it for forty years.

Robinson had impressed in club fixtures around Farnham through 1800 and 1801. His selection for Hampshire's match at Lord's was pushed by the local backers who believed his off-side driving could exploit the rough Lord's pitch.

Robinson, born at Farnham around 1765, had crushed his right hand as a small boy. Determined to play, he had a Farnham smith make him a leather mitten reinforced with a thin iron plate, into which the bat handle was fitted. He used a normal underarm bat and trained himself to drive square of the wicket on the off side, where his unusual grip gave him surprising power. By 1799 he was a regular for Surrey-Hampshire sides and in 1802 was selected for Hampshire's first major fixture of the season, against an MCC-raised England XI at Lord's. The match was watched by Beauclerk, Beldham and the principal backers of the day. Robinson's first innings of 30 was the highest score for Hampshire and prompted, by John Nyren's later report, applause from the gallery.

“He had lost the use of one hand, but with a sort of iron mitten he kept his bat firmly to its work — a prettier off-hitter never lived.”

Robinson played first-class cricket for Hampshire and Surrey-Hampshire combined sides until 1820. He never made a century in major matches but was a celebrated figure of Regency cricket.