The late Bob Pullin (centre left) pictured with long standing Petersfield team-mates Colin Greetham, Roy Passingham and Norman Coleshill at Jim Smallbone's Memorial Match in June 2022.
Talented Petersfield sportsman Bob Pullin, who played cricket and rugby for the town teams from the late Sixties and into the 1980s, has died aged 82. He coped with a form of leukaemia for years but contracted pneumonia in his final weeks.
A prolific run scoring opening batsman, he played scrum-half for Hampshire’s county rugby team and, away from his prowess on the sporting field, was Estates Manager at Broadlands in Romsey and later Hever Castle in North Kent. He knew King Charles III well through his work at the Lord Mountbatten estate.
Bob joined Petersfield in the late 60s and, after studying at Loughborough University, taught at Bedales and Churcher’s College, playing cricket alongside John Hull, Brian Firkins, Roy Passingham, Codge Greetham, and Barry Milner- Smith and others.
A firm advocate for the traditions of the game, he was a strong competitor on the field, but always courteous to opponents and officials. He played at The Heath for over 20 years and captained Petersfield for a number of seasons, frequently topping the batting averages.
He enjoyed a phenomenal 1974 season, scoring well over 1,000 runs and topping the County Division 1 averages and later played a pivotal role as Petersfield won promotion into the Southern League.
Long time team-mate and frequent opening partner John Wolfe recalled: “Bob was very well organised batsman. Sound in defence, quick to spot the bad ball, and a ruthless accumulator of runs once he got set.
“A fine all-round athlete, he was a good fielder in any position. He also snaffled some important wickets bowling misleadingly innocuous gentle medium pace.
Bob had not been well in recent years, but his family made sure that he was able to pay one last visit to The Heath in June when he met up many of his former Petersfield cricketing colleagues at the memorial match for another of his long standing team-mates, Jim Smallbone, who died in March 2021.
His funeral is in Tunbridge Wells on Thursday January 5.
A prolific run scoring opening batsman, he played scrum-half for Hampshire’s county rugby team and, away from his prowess on the sporting field, was Estates Manager at Broadlands in Romsey and later Hever Castle in North Kent. He knew King Charles III well through his work at the Lord Mountbatten estate.
Bob joined Petersfield in the late 60s and, after studying at Loughborough University, taught at Bedales and Churcher’s College, playing cricket alongside John Hull, Brian Firkins, Roy Passingham, Codge Greetham, and Barry Milner- Smith and others.
A firm advocate for the traditions of the game, he was a strong competitor on the field, but always courteous to opponents and officials. He played at The Heath for over 20 years and captained Petersfield for a number of seasons, frequently topping the batting averages.
He enjoyed a phenomenal 1974 season, scoring well over 1,000 runs and topping the County Division 1 averages and later played a pivotal role as Petersfield won promotion into the Southern League.
Long time team-mate and frequent opening partner John Wolfe recalled: “Bob was very well organised batsman. Sound in defence, quick to spot the bad ball, and a ruthless accumulator of runs once he got set.
“A fine all-round athlete, he was a good fielder in any position. He also snaffled some important wickets bowling misleadingly innocuous gentle medium pace.
Bob had not been well in recent years, but his family made sure that he was able to pay one last visit to The Heath in June when he met up many of his former Petersfield cricketing colleagues at the memorial match for another of his long standing team-mates, Jim Smallbone, who died in March 2021.
His funeral is in Tunbridge Wells on Thursday January 5.
