Nickname Porky, Polly Name Paul Parker National side England | Bowling style – Batting style Right-hand bat Role Cricket Player | |
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Full name Paul William Giles Parker Born 15 January 1956 (age 68) ( 1956-01-15 ) Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia Only Test (cap 492) 27 August 1981 v Australia Education St Catharine's College, Cambridge | ||
Paul Parker MA (born Paul William Giles Parker, 15 January 1956, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) is an English schoolmaster and former cricketer, who played in one Test in 1981.
Life and career
He was educated at Collyer's School, Horsham, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he was awarded a Master's degree and earned three blues. As a first-class cricketer, he represented Cambridge University, Durham and Sussex (whom he captained between 1988 and 1991) in 371 first-class and 341 List A matches between 1976 and 1993.
He was a stylish middle order batsman, who was considered unlucky to be limited to a solitary Test at the Oval against Australia. Light and quick on his feet, he was particularly strong against spin, and his quick running between the wickets made him a fast accumulator in the one day game. An outstanding cover fielder, he ranked alongside Derek Randall and David Gower as the finest of his day.
After four years of captaincy at Sussex, he joined Durham's initial foray in to the first-class game.
The son of a sports journalist, John Parker, he now teaches Classics and Modern Languages at Tonbridge School in Kent, and was the housemaster of Hill Side.