By Matt Somerford
There will be plenty to talk about around the barbeque at a Robson family get-together in Sydney during the next few months.
Four months ago the Robson clan sat in the stands at Headingley – some 10,500 miles from the family home – and watched on as Sam hit his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka.
It was the high point of an English summer to live long in the memory as younger brother Angus also ensured his parents, Jim and Rosamunde, had reason to be doubly proud.
While Sam drew the majority of attention after earning his England debut at Lord’s, Angus steadily went about building his own reputation, scoring more than 1,000 LV= County Championship runs for Leicestershire to win their players' player of the year award in his first full county campaign.
Good luck to Sam Robson, brother of Leicestershire batsman @gusrobson92 on his @ECB_cricket debut today. Proud day for the family
— Leicestershire CCC (@leicsccc) June 12, 2014
Now back in Sydney, and taking a month’s break before he plays grade cricket with Eastern Suburbs, Angus and his family have been able to sit down and reflect on a hugely satisfying northern summer.
“It has been a bit surreal coming back to the family home after all that has happened in the past six months in England,” he told ecb.co.uk.
“We’ve had a few people over and you sit back and you’re talking and it is quite amazing to think about all that has gone on.
“We won’t forget the summer in a hurry that’s for sure. It’s been great for us as a family.”
Angus actually missed his brother’s century at Leeds after he had to drive back to the Kia Oval that morning for Leicestershire’s championship match with Surrey, in which he made 75 and 81.
He left his sibling unbeaten on 21 and listened to the rest on the radio on the way down the M1 while his father’s nervous wait was broadcast on TV.
Jim Robson’s reaction reassured there was no thought of any lost sentiment after his son elected to play for England, to whom he qualifies through Nottingham-born Rosamunde.
“As a family and we won’t forget being at Leeds for that game,” Angus said. “You don’t really ever imagine it happening. It was a proud moment for us.”
There is, however, reason for the younger Robson to feel some disappointment about the summer.
The 22-year-old’s breakthrough campaign came in an otherwise difficult season for Leicestershire as they failed to win a championship game for the second successive year.
“For me it was great to get 1,000 runs – that was a really good achievement – but when the team is not winning then that makes it hard,” he said.
“The morale of the team can get down especially when you haven’t had a win for a couple of seasons.”
It was perhaps a testament to the opener’s character that he was still able to be prolific – he also hit a century in the tour game against India– after he had started the season with just a couple of first-class games under his belt.
“It was difficult in that at first I was just pleased to be getting those runs to stay in the team and prove yourself,” he said.
“But when you are settled in the team then your priority is the team and winning. So for us to struggle and not win a game for a second season is difficult. It is tough for everyone and the club can be in a bit of a dark place.”
The mood at Grace Road was therefore hardly helped when four of their key players decided they needed to continue there careers elsewhere next season.
Twenty20 skipper Josh Cobb, Nathan Buck, Shiv Thakor and Robson’s opening partner Greg Smith all announced their exits as the season drew to a close.
The player drain at Leicestershire is hardly new, with the likes of Stuart Broad, James Taylor and Harry Gurney having left in more recent times.
For Angus Robson there is no thought of leaving Grace Road, where he is contracted for another season after signing a new deal in August.
“You can’t really blame players for wanting to leave if they feel they can improve somewhere else,” he said.
“For me, I think I owe the club a lot for the opportunity they have given me.
“I think I improved quite a lot this season, got to know my game better, and I think a lot of the credit for that has to go to our batting coach and coach Ben Smith.”
The right-hander dismisses the notion that players have to leave Leicestershire to progress in their careers.
“Maybe it’s not for me to say about other players, but certainly I am happy at Leicestershire,” he said.
“I know there has been a lot in the media over the past couple of months about players leaving and, after not winning for two seasons, as I say you can fall into that dark place.
“I think for the club to turn it around it is just about getting a few wins and then suddenly things can start to change.
“Certainly the club are doing a lot of very good things. My batting has improved so much thanks to the opportunities I’ve been given and the work I’ve been able to do with the coaches.
“I certainly don’t think you have to leave the club to progress. I think it is just about getting those wins to convince other players because I know I’ve progressed this season.”
It was not all doom and gloom at Leicestershire, however, as their second XI claimed an unprecedented trophy treble to confirm a rising group of talent capable of driving ambition.
In addition the club have signed Australia seamer Clint McKay for next season while Ned Eckersley– the only player apart from Robson to play all 16 championship games – and Charlie Shreck have re-signed.
“The results with the second XI show that there are good players at the club that are coming through,” Robson said.
“They are young players as well so there is a foundation for the future, but not only that we have some good experienced players.
“Keeping Charlie is important because he is a great player and with McKay we have two bowlers who have seen it all.
“It’s great top have a player of Clint’s calibre coming to the club. He’s played at the top level and to bring someone like him in is important to show what the club wants to achieve.”
Robson has his own benchmarks set out for next season too, most significantly turning good scores into hundreds. He passed 50 on 10 occasions last season in the championship, but only registered one century.
“I suppose one of the things that I look at was the fact I had six or seven scores between 75 and 100 and then I had three nineties as well,” he said
“I got one championship century this season and one against India too, but if I could have converted more of them into big scores that would have meant a good year could have turned into quite a big year.”
It is a topic of conversation that might yet come up with his brother in the backyard of the Robson house over Christmas.
“Yeah, I’m pretty lucky to have someone like him to talk about that,” he joked.
“I talk to him a lot about my game. He made centuries for England Lions, Middlesex and then a Test hundred too this year so he’s not a bad person to talk about it.”