 He was born in Bromyard, Herefordshire and educated at the Lady Hawkins Grammar School in Kington.Cronin, who represented Shropshire in the Minor Counties Championship in 1988 and 1989, made a single List A appearance for the team, in the 1992 NatWest Trophy, while playing at club level for Newport in that county.From the tailend, he scored a single run, and took one wicket.