Former England wicketkeeper Jim Parks dies aged 90

Former England wicketkeeper Jim Parks passed away on Tuesday morning, aged 90, at a hospital in Worthing. As announced by Sussex County, Parks suffered a fall at his home over the weekend. Parks featured for England in 46 Tests between 1954 and 1968. He was England's oldest living red-ball cricketer.

Sussex's statement said, "Sussex Cricket is deeply saddened to announce the death of Jim Parks at the age of 90. This morning, Jim died in Worthing hospital after a fall at home last week. At the time of his death, he was England's oldest living Test cricketer.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences are very much with Jenny and with Jim's son Bobby."

Having debuted aged 18 in 1949, Parks continued to play for Sussex until 1973. He also worked as a marketing manager for the county side, apart from working with Brewer Whitbread.

Parks was also appointed club president for two years. 

He was born in a cricketing family, where his father Jim Snr and uncle Horace played above 400+ matches for Sussex. Interestingly, his son Bobby played as a wicketkeeper for Hampshire and Kent sides.

Making his debut against Pakistan at Old Trafford as a batter, Parks returned to the national side as a keeper after Sussex captain Robin Marlar asked him to put on the gloves as Rupert Webb retired.

Parks registered a century on the 1959-60 West Indies tour and remained with the XI until his retirement. He finished his career with 1,962 runs that included two hundreds and 114 dismissals (103 catches and 11 stumpings).

His First-Class tally is even more impressive, collecting more than 1,000 dismissals across 739 games and making over 36,000 runs. 

He also played 132 List A matches. He ended his career with Somerset. Parks played a crucial role in Sussex's Gillette Cup-winning title run in two consecutive years from 1963 and 1964.