Full Name

John Ayscough Nunn

Born

March 19, 1906, Hadley, Hertfordshire

Died

April 06, 1987, Colintraive, Argyll, Scotland, (aged 81y 18d)

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Fast

Education

Sherborne; Oxford University

Dr John Nunn, who died suddenly in Scotland on April 6, 1987, aged 81, had the curious experience of representing Oxford at both cricket and rugger for his first two years and failing to get a place in either side for the next two. The 1920s were a great era in University games, but in 1926 Oxford were for once short of talent at cricket. Their one player of distinction, E. R. T. Holmes, though dangerous, was not yet the consistent batsman he afterwards became. Similarly in rugger: after the great sides of 1923 and 1924, with their international three-quarter lines, they were crushingly defeated at Twickenham in 1925 and 1926. It was in these circumstances that Nunn, coming up with a considerable reputation from Sherborne, gained his Blues. When higher standards returned, he could not retain them. At cricket, he got the last place in 1926 on the morning of the match, as an opening bat, and justified it with admirable innings of 30 and 33 in a low-scoring match. Despite his humble record he was so highly regarded personally that he was elected secretary for 1927, clearly in the hopes that he would captain the side in 1928. No-one who knew him can doubt that he would have been an ideal captain. Unfortunately he had a poor season in 1927 and it was obvious that his place was no longer secure. He was dropped after the first match in 1928 and never appeared for the 'Varsity again. A beautiful upstanding stylist in minor cricket, with strokes on both sides of the wicket concentrating fof the wicket, he seemed at a higher level able to score solely by concentrating on dour defence, and it is significant that his only considerable scores for Oxford, 83 in 1926 and 98 in 1927, were made against the Army, whose bowling was distinctly below county standard. His greatest value to the side was his superb fielding at cover. In 1926 he was tried in three matches for Middlesex. Altogether in first-class cricket he scored 641 runs with an average of 18.85. Later he served for many years on the committee of the Free Foresters.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

John Nunn Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAve100s50sCtSt
FC223626419818.8502100

Bowling

FormatMatBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
FC22000-----000

Debut/Last Matches of John Nunn

FC Matches

Span
1926 - 1946