Jim McConnon
English cricketer
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James Edward McConnon (21 June 1922 – 26 January 2003) was an English cricketer, who played in two Tests in 1954 as an off-spin bowler. He played for Glamorgan from 1950 to 1961, albeit missing the 1956 season when he decided to play for Burnley in the Lancashire League. His 819 first-class wickets cost less than 20 runs each.
Burnopfield, County Durham, England
Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England
McConnon in 1954 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | James Edward McConnon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 21 June 1922 Burnopfield, County Durham, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 26 January 2003 (aged 80) Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm offbreak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut | 22 July 1954 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 12 August 1954 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricInfo, 7 November 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Life and career
Jim McConnon was born in Burnopfield, County Durham.[1] His was a late conversion to cricket, having played football for Aston Villa and Newport County. A knee injury resulted in McConnon switching sports and, for a short time, his lovely bowling action utilising long spinner's fingers threatened Jim Laker's role in the England team.[1]
He made his first-class debut for Glamorgan against Surrey at the start of the 1950 season, in the same match as Don Shepherd. He claimed 100 wickets in a season three times, with 136 at 16.07 in 1951 being his best. Against the South African tourists in that year he took 6 for 27 including a hat-trick, helping Glamorgan to an unlikely victory.
McConnon's selection for the Ashes tour of 1954-55 was controversial in that it meant that Laker was not taken.[2] As it was McConnon broke a finger during the tour, and he returned home early.[1]
His season as a professional in the Lancashire League was successful: he topped the League bowling averages with 52 wickets at 6.8,[3] and Burnley won the championship.[4] After he left first-class cricket he played a few seasons of Minor Counties cricket for Cheshire.
McConnon and his wife Pauline had three children, Michael, Catherine and Christopher.[5]
McConnon died in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, at the age of 80.
