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The former Hampshire all-rounder has passed away, aged 90
Hampshire Cricket would like to express their great sadness at the passing of former Hampshire all-rounder Jimmy Gray, aged 90.
Jimmy Gray was one of the finest of all Hampshire’s native cricketers. He was born in Southampton in 1926 and was educated at the city’s King Edward VI Grammar School, although evacuated to Poole during the war. Whilst there, he took up football and after some local success was taken onto the staff at Arsenal along with other cricketers including his friend Arthur Milton, the Compton brothers and the Hampshire wicket-keeper Ralph Prouton.
He spent four years at Highbury without a first-team appearance and eventually played with Bedford and Salisbury before concentrating on cricket. He played for the leading Southampton club side Deanery and in 1948 Hampshire played two first-class non-Championship matches at Aldershot, giving debuts to Derek Shackleton and Jimmy Gray – choices that would pay significant dividends, not least in 1961.
Derek Shackleton enjoyed immediate and sustained success but the early years were tougher for Jimmy Gray. From 1948-1950 he managed just two half-centuries and an average under 20, but in 1951 he broke into the side with 1,332 runs at 34.15 and the award of his county cap. He then reached four figures in every season up to and including 1963 when he moved into school-teaching and played only part-time for a few years. In three particularly fine seasons, the gloriously sunny 1959, the title-winning 1961 and again in 1962 he passed 2,000 runs and in the first and last of those averaged above 40.
In 1955 he formed an opening partnership with West Indian Roy Marshall which was one foundation of Hampshire’s successes in 1955 (3rd), 1958 (2nd) and 1961 (Champions). Gray’s correct English style was the perfect foil to Marshall’s brilliance and Jimmy was also a highly intelligent if sometimes cautious thinker about the game.
October was the saddest of months for Hampshire Cricket, losing three stalwarts of the County in just one month. Following the loss of Leo Harrison a mere three weeks ago, the County learned of the loss of both Vic Cannings and Jimmy Gray in the space of a couple of days. Both of these players made an enormous impact on the fortunes of Hampshire in the ‘50s and ‘60s and, in the case of Jimmy Gray, went on to serve as Chairman of Cricket for some years after his playing days were over. Once again, the Hampshire Cricket community are collectively mourning the loss of these wonderful contributors to the history and tradition of this great Club and our thoughts are currently focused on their families and many close friends.
Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire Cricket Chairman
Jimmy scored 30 centuries for Hampshire during a period when bowlers frequently dominated the county game. His best was 213* v Derbyshire at Portsmouth in 1962 and two years earlier he and Marshall set the Hampshire opening partnership record v Middlesex on the same ground. Jimmy’s career aggregate of 22,450 runs is the fourth highest for Hampshire, behind three Test players and the highest by a Hampshire-born player.
If this was not enough, he was a useful close-to-the-wicket fielder with 350 catches but even more significantly an effective medium-pace bowler. His 451 first-class wickets (at 30 each) is almost certainly more than any player will achieve in the future. In 1952 he took 7-56 against Nottinghamshire at Bournemouth and three years later 7-52 v Glamorgan at Swansea. He played in just six limited-overs matches but had he been ten years younger, his all-round abilities might have made him very effective in the shorter format.
Jimmy’s benefit realised £4350. He taught at Stroud School, Romsey and became Deputy Headteacher – there was perhaps always something of that about him as a cricketer who was always immaculately turned out. After retiring from teaching, he and Peter Sainsbury took over the ‘Hampshire’ sports business of Holt & Haskell. Having been one of the finest Hampshire cricketers he returned to ‘duty’ in the 1990s on the Committee and as Chairman of the Cricket Committee, working alongside his good friend Neville Rogers.
Jimmy's funeral will be held in the East Chapel at Southampton Crematorium on Thursday 24th November at 2pm.
