Former Sussex cricketer dies aged 85

A former Sussex cricketer has died at the age of 85.

Terry Gunn played for the county for seven years in the 1960s as a wicket-keeper and right-handed batsman.

Gunn was restricted in the number of appearances that he made mainly because England wicket-keeper Jim Parks was also a member of the squad at Hove.

He tended to play when Parks was on Test duty for England.

His family said that he passed away peaceful on Monday 5 April, survived by his wife Doreen and his daughters Jane and Sally.

They plan to hold a private funeral for him in Shoreham on Wednesday 28 April.

Gunn was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, in 1935 and made his first-class debut for Sussex against Gloucestershire in the County Championship in 1961.

In 41 appearances over the next seven seasons he took 109 catches behind the wicket and stumped five batsmen.

According to Wikipedia, he was “a specialist wicket-keeper with limited batting skills” and “he scored a total of 179 runs at an average of 5.11, with a high score of 19 not out”.

His high score came in a last-wicket partnership with England bowler Jon Snow. Wikipedia said: “Instead of batting defensively, in the last over before lunch Snow chipped one up in air and was caught.”

Gunn’s final match was also against Gloucestershire and he left the club after the 1968 season had ended.