When I saw Jim Parks playing for Sussex in Hove alongside the great Ted Dexter in 1959, he instantly became one of my sporting heroes. He was a thrilling “attack dog” batsman, fearlessly setting about bowling of every kind, striking the ball with great power, but always with a beautifully clean, resonant sound. I was delighted when he became an England regular as a wicket-keeper batsman, not least because he seemed a genuinely nice guy.
When he helped Sussex win the first two Gillette Cups, in 1963 and 1964, he persistently ignored the purists who criticised his batting stance as “too open”. If criticised for attempting the same in club cricket, I would reply firmly: “If it’s good enough for Jim Parks, then it’s good enough for me.”
