Robin Brown, a cultured right-hand batsman and, on occasion, a useful wicketkeeper, was never able to devote as much time to cricket as he might have liked - tobacco-farming duties in Karoi often took priority - and so his first-class figures never did justice to his abilities. He was a mainstay of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe from the mid 1970s through to the late 1980s, and in the early 80s he captained Zimbabwe. He played seven ODIs in the 1983 and 1987 World Cups, without any real success, and retired at the end of the 1989-90 season, but returned for one season in 1994, aged 43, to captain Mashonaland Country Districts. He subsequently became head groundsman at the Harare Sports Club. In August 2007, he took over as Zimbabwe coach from Kevin Curran. He was popular and instilled belief into a shell-shocked side, steering them to a win over Australia in the ICC World Twenty20. But he refused to be bullied by certain members of the board who demanded control over selection, and when his contract expired in July 2008 it was not renewed.
Cricinfo staff August 2008