Robert Croft
A wily off-spin bowler from Wales, he became a mainstay of the England cricket team and a loyal captain of his beloved Glamorgan.
Born 1970 (age 56)·British cricketer·Birthday: May 25·Generation X
Biography
Robert Croft played 23 seasons of first-class cricket almost entirely for Glamorgan, captaining the side from 2003. The Welsh off-spinner wore distinctive spectacles and bowled with nagging accuracy, clever variation, and a battler's temperament. He earned a place in the England side during the 1990s, forming a spin partnership with Phil Tufnell and contributing valuable lower-order runs. He held his own on the dusty pitches of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. His deep connection to Glamorgan defined his career. In retirement, he became a television commentator, sharing the tactical nuances he mastered on the field with a knowledgeable, warm voice.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Robert was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Robert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Robert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 21 Test matches and 50 One Day Internationals for England between 1996 and 2001.
- Took over 1,000 first-class wickets for Glamorgan during a 23-season career with the county.
- Captained Glamorgan County Cricket Club from 2003 until 2006.
- Was a member of the Glamorgan team that won the County Championship in 1997.
Did You Know?
He is a fluent Welsh speaker and has commentated on cricket in the language for S4C.
He played rugby union as a scrum-half for Neath Athletic in his youth.
After retirement, he became a Level 4 certified cricket coach, the highest qualification in the UK.
“You have to be patient, put the ball in the right area, and let the pitch do the work.”
