On the 19 July 1876, the English Test cricketer (1901-1905), John Richmond Gunn, was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire (1876–1963).

A nephew of famous batsman William Gunn, John Gunn first played for Nottinghamshire when only 20. The following year John Gunn scored 107 against the Philadelphians in his third first-class match, and took 10 wickets against Yorkshire in his fourth, but did so little after the Yorkshire game, that he could not establish a place in the Nottinghamshire team.

1899 saw John Gunn establish himself as Nottinghamshire’s chief bowler, though he faded late in the season. In 1900, though he never played a bigger innings than 87, but scored 1,000 runs for the first time in a season, and considering the unfavourable pitches, bowled exceedingly well.

Gunn was chosen for the Ashes tour of 1901-1902, but was very disappointing with both bat and ball. Although the following year, bowling in a slower style, he had his finest season ever.

On a featherbed wicket at Trent Bridge, he hit 294 against Leicestershire, which was amazingly his first century since his third first-class match! As a bowler, Gunn took 28 wickets in two games against Surrey and Essex during the August Bank Holiday week.

He was named a Cricketer of the Year by Wisden in 1904.

Lack of practice in 1907 affected his bowling severely, and by 1909 John Gunn was clearly no more than an occasional bowler. Gunn dropped out of the Nottinghamshire side after a few matches in 1925.

He died in 1963.

19 July, 2019