| Country: | South Africa |
| Fullname: | Robert Lawrence Sugden Armitage |
| Birth Date: | 9 July 1955 |
| Birth Place: | Grahamstown, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Death Place: | Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Batting: | Left-handed |
| Bowling: | Right-arm off break |
| Club1: | Eastern Province |
| Year1: | 1973/74 - 1987/88 |
| Club2: | Northern Transvaal |
| Year2: | 1976/77 - 1977/78 |
| Club3: | Eastern Province B |
| Year3: | 1979/80 - 1987/88 |
| Club4: | Cambridgeshire |
| Year4: | 1980 |
| Columns: | 2 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 109 |
| Runs1: | 3,923 |
| Bat Avg1: | 23.21 |
| 100S/50S1: | 4/15 |
| Top Score1: | 171 |
| Deliveries1: | 14,749 |
| Wickets1: | 205 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 31.65 |
| Fivefor1: | 7 |
| Tenfor1: | 1 |
| Best Bowling1: | 7/97 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 47/– |
| Column2: | List A |
| Matches2: | 55 |
| Runs2: | 969 |
| Bat Avg2: | 25.50 |
| 100S/50S2: | –/5 |
| Top Score2: | 73 |
| Deliveries2: | 1,466 |
| Wickets2: | 35 |
| Bowl Avg2: | 27.20 |
| Fivefor2: | – |
| Tenfor2: | – |
| Best Bowling2: | 4/18 |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 15/– |
| Date: | 21 July |
| Year: | 2019 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/43967.html Cricinfo |
Robert Lawrence Sugden Armitage (9 July 1955 – 9 December 2000) was a South African first-class cricketer.
Armitage was born in Grahamstown in July 1955 and later studied at Rhodes University.[1] He made his debut in first-class cricket for Eastern Province against Transvaal at The Wanderers in the 1973–74 Currie Cup. He made 109 appearances in first-class cricket until 1987–88 Castle Bowl, making ninety appearances for Eastern Province, nine appearances for Eastern Province B, six appearances for Northern Transvaal, and four appearances for South African Universities.[2] Playing as an all-rounder, he scored 3,923 runs in first-class cricket, 3,376 of which came for Eastern Province at an average of 24.11 and a high score of 171 not out.[3] Making four centuries and thirteen half centuries, his highest first-class score came against Northern Transvaal in the 1981–82 season.[4] With his right-arm off break bowling, he took 205 wickets, 143 of which came for Eastern Province at a bowling average of 35.84 and best figures of 7 for 97.[5] He took seven five wicket hauls, with his best figures coming against Transvaal in the 1975–76 season.[6]
He made his debut in List A one-day cricket for Eastern Province against Border in the 1974–75 Gillette Cup. He played List A cricket until November 1987, making 55 appearances. These included 51 matches for Eastern Province, in addition to one match for Northern Transvaal and three matches for South Africa,[7] at a time when South Africa was suspended from international cricket as a result of apartheid. He scored 969 runs at an average of 25.50 in his 55 List A matches, with a high score of 73. With the ball, he took 35 wickets at an average of 27.20, with best figures of 4 for 18. He was a South African cricketer of the year in 1982.[8]
In addition to playing first-class and List A cricket, he also played minor counties cricket in England for Cambridgeshire in 1980, making eight appearances in the Minor Counties Championship.[9] He died in Grahamstown in December 2000, following a long struggle with cancer.[1]