Jim Parks passed away, a former England and Sussex wicketkeeper-batsman died on Tuesday at the age of 90. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living male Test cricketer. Between 1954 and 1968, Parks appeared in 46 Tests for England, accumulating 1962 runs in 68 innings at an average of 32.16. In his First-Class career, Jim Parks hit 36673 home runs. Here in this article, we talk about England’s oldest Test cricketer Jim Parks passed away.
He also represented Somerset and Sussex in 739 First-Class games and 132 List A games. Parks was up in a cricketing household, since his father Jim Sr., uncle Harry, and son Bobby were all FC players. Parks went to Somerset after 23 years at Sussex, where he concluded his domestic career with 36673 runs.
Parks began his career as a specialist hitter and didn’t switch to wicketkeeping until 1958, over a decade after his First-Class debut, when Sussex needed someone to take over for retiring Rupert Webb.
After assuming responsibility for the gloves behind the stumps, Parks was recalled to England’s national squad. He returned with a century against the West Indies in Trinidad and went on to become England’s permanent wicketkeeper.
In First-Class cricket, he concluded with a remarkable record of 1,087 catches and 94 stumpings. “Witnesses didn’t have to worry about scoring hundreds back then.” It was more crucial for them to work behind the stumps. “They’d bat at nine or ten,” Park said in 2016 to ESPNcricinfo.
Sussex Cricket released a statement to express their condolences on the death of their former player. “Sussex Cricket is devastated to learn of Jim Parks’ passing at the age of 90. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his wife Jenny and son Bobby.” In a statement, the club wrote, “RIP, Jim.” Parks worked as the marketing manager at Sussex after retiring from the game, and he also served as the club president twice.
Jim Parks, England’s oldest Test cricketer, passed away at the age of 90.
