03/10/2026
Peter Howard Parfitt born in Billingford, Fakenham, Norfolk was a quick footed left handed batsman, right arm off break bowler & a top fielder who played First class cricket for Middlesex for almost two decades.
Parfitt attended Fakenham Grammar School & King Edward VII Grammar School in Kings Lynn in Norfolk. Having made his First class debut in 1956, Parfitt accumulated 26,924 runs at 36.33 in 498 matches including 58 centuries & 144 fifties & recorded a top score of an unbeaten 200 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 1964. He also took 277 wickets at 30.32 with 6 for 45 his best effort. Parfitt also played 75 matches in his List A career, scoring 1506 runs & picking up 34 wickets.
He made his Test debut against India at Eden Gardens in 1961, registering scores of 21 & 46 in the match. His finest performances came when he scored four centuries in five consecutive Tests against Pakistan in 1962. He was rather unlucky as a batsman who had to compete with the likes of John Edrich, Geoff Boycott, Colin Cowdrey, Ken Barrington, Tom Graveney, Basil D’Oliveira for a place. He played 37 Tests, scored 1,882 runs at 40.91 including 7 centuries & 6 fifties, also picking up 12 Test wickets with the ball.
Parfitt was a top fielder as well. He held 564 catches in First class & 42 Test catches in his career. He holds the Middlesex record of most catches by a non wicket keeper (46) in 1960 & 1966.
He played his last Test against Australia at The Oval in 1972 & retired from International & First class cricket the same year.
Post retirement, he ran a pub on the Lancashire/ Yorkshire border & later became involved in hospitality at Test matches. After selling that business, Parfitt became an after dinner speaker 🏏
How do you remember Peter Parfitt❓
