Jim Parks, Jr.

James Michael Parks (21 October 1931 – 31 May 2022) was an English cricketer. He played in forty-six Tests for England, between 1954 and 1968. In those Tests, Parks scored 1,962 runs with a personal best of 108 not out, and took 103 catches and made 11 stumpings.

Early life Parks was born in Haywards Heath on 21 October 1931. His father, Jim Sr., was a prolific all-rounder for Sussex and played once for England in 1937, Parks attended Hove County Grammar School for Boys.

Career Parks was an attacking batsman, athletic fieldsman and a spin bowler who made his first-class debut for Sussex in 1949. By 1958, and with Sussex struggling for a reliable stopper, Parks made a successful switch to wicketkeeping.

Prior to that, in 1954, Parks had been picked, purely as a batsman, for one Test against Pakistan at the age of 22. He made little impact and had to wait until early in 1960 to score an unbeaten century, batting at number seven, to help England gain a draw and clinch the series whilst touring the West Indies.

The cricket writer Colin Bateman commented, "Parks was a gifted batsman and a most effective wicketkeeper". Bateman added "although he never suggested he was in the same class as Godfrey Evans before him or Alan Knott after, Parks had safe hands and was a good stopper". He left Sussex following the 1972 season, and joined Somerset on a three-year contract. In 739 first-class matches, he scored 36,673 runs at an average of 34.76, with 51 hundreds and 213 fifties. He took 1,087 catches and made 92 stumpings. He also took 51 wickets, with a personal best of 3 for 23.

Personal life and death Parks was married to Jenny (née Rogers) from 1973 until his death. His previous marriages, to Irene Young and then Ann Wembridge, both ended in divorce. He had three children with Irene, Andrew (d. 2004), Bobby, who played county cricket for both Hampshire and Kent, and Louise.

Parks died on the morning of 31 May 2022 at Worthing Hospital. He was 90, and suffered a fall at his home in the week prior to his death.