Robert Smith Cunis played 20 Test matches for New Zealand as a pace bowler between 1964 and 1972, and was later coach of the New Zealand national team from 1987 to 1990. A sturdily-built fast-medium bowler, Cunis played for Auckland from 1960–61 to 1973–74, and for Northern Districts in 1975–76 and 1976–77. Cunis's cricket career was plagued by knee injury that affected his bowling. His inability to move really freely gave him in his run-up the lurching gait of a drunken sailor; and he seemed to bowl from the wrong foot, to add to his enchantment.

Opening batsmen may have know him as gruff, grumpy or even downright hostile - but under his tough exterior everybody knew Bob Cunis had a heart of gold. He was a bowler who demanded respect. He was rarely interested in safety or his figures, but always had an angle on how to get a batsman out. His first-class career was split between Auckland and Northern Districts and spanned 132 matches. He took 386 wickets at an average of 26.65 including two 10-wicket bags and 18 five-wicket hauls. He was also an accomplished rugby player and all-round sportsman before a series of hip and leg injuries forced him to quit competitive sport. Cunis went on to coach New Zealand and later entertained television viewers with a dry wit and insight as a cricket commentator. He was a former school teacher and the principal at Waiohau Primary School in the Bay of Plenty and Maungakaramea Primary School, south of Whangarei.

On his first-class debut in December 1960, Cunis took 6/72 and 2/26 against Northern Districts to help Auckland to an eight-wicket victory. In 1961-62 he took 27 wickets at 14.18, including 2/31 and 7/29 in the victory over Central Districts. In the first match of the 1963-64 season he took 6/44 and 7/41 in a one-wicket victory over Canterbury.

Cunis played his first Test against the visiting South Africans at the end of the 1963/64 season, taking two wickets (Graeme Pollock and Denis Lindsay) in a drawn match. He had a moderate season in 1964/65 and was not selected for any of the home Tests against Pakistan or the tour that followed. In 1965/66 he took 22 wickets at 17.45 in the Plunket Shield and played in all three Tests against England, taking seven wickets at 35.43 off 121.5 overs. In the First Test, when New Zealand were 32 for 8 in the second innings, Cunis, a well-built Rugby centre-threequarter, saved the day by defending successfully through the last thirty-five minutes in a partnership with Vic Pollard. His 16 not out was the top score.

In the first match of the 1966/67 season, Cunis took 7/30 against Northern Districts. In his most successful batting season he made 293 runs at 41.85 in the Plunket Shield, including two 50s and the only first-class century of his career, 111, batting at number eight against Otago. He also took 19 wickets at 20.21, and played for New Zealand in three of the matches against the visiting Australian side, but with little success.

In 1968/69 he took 30 wickets at 12.60 to help Auckland to the Plunket Shield. Once again he shone in the season's opening match, taking 6/39 and 4/54 in an innings victory over Northern Districts. He played in the three Tests against the visiting West Indies side later that season, taking 2/76 and 3/36 in New Zealand's victory in the Second Test.

Bob Cunis toured England in 1969. His early form was unimpressive, but after taking 6/54 against Sussex he was selected for the Third Test and took 3/49 and 2/36. He played all three Tests against India later that year, taking nine wickets at 17.55, then two Tests against Pakistan for six wickets at 23.50. In the Third Test at Dacca, coming in at 101 for 8 in the second innings with New Zealand leading by only 84, he batted for more than two hours with Mark Burgess, scoring 23 in a partnership of 96 that put the match out of Pakistan's reach and gave New Zealand their first ever series victory.

Cunis's jaw was broken while batting for New Zealand against Western Australia in Perth in the Australasian one-day competition in January 1971, but he played in the two Tests against England that began a few weeks later. The Second Test in Auckland was his most successful Test, when his persistent length and sharp out-swing provided a consistent challenge to the batsmen and he took 6/76 and 3/52.

He was selected to play in the World XI that toured Australia in 1971/72, but had little success. In the tour to the West Indies that followed, Cunis took only six wickets in the five Tests at an average of 102.83. He did, however, hit his highest Test score, 51, in the second Test, adding 136 for the eighth wicket with Bevan Congdon in 190 minutes. After that series he lost his place in the Test team to the younger fast bowlers Richard Collinge, Dayle Hadlee and Richard Hadlee, although he continued to play domestic cricket in New Zealand until 1976–77