Owen Parkin had a ten-year career with Glamorgan with the highlight for the bowler, who became something of a one-day specialist, being an appearance Lord’s in the final of the Benson and Hedges Cup during 2000 as the Welsh county played Gloucestershire.
The swing bowler had burst onto the county scene in 1996, taking 5/28 on his Sunday League debut against Sussex at Hove. It was a worthy reward for the former Bath University student who had spent much of the previous summer on the sidelines after a serious back injury. Corrective surgery and long hours at Glamorgan’s Indoor School resulted in a full return to fitness.
Owen continued his progress in 1998, and during 1999 he topped the county`s bowling averages in List A cricket with 29 victims at just 20 runs apiece. In 2000 his probing bowling was one of the factors behind the Welsh county securing a place in their first Lord`s final since 1977 with Owen taking 3/12 in a fine new-ball spell as he ripped out Surrey’s much vaunted top-order during the semi-final at Sophia Gardens. Owen continued this fine form in 2001 as Glamorgan won Division Two of the National League before the following year winning the Division One title.
Owen, whose family hailed from Gwent had first played Minor County cricket for Dorset in 1992 before making his first-class debut for Glamorgan against Middlesex at Lord’s in 1994. The mathematics graduate retired from county cricket in 2003 to become a teacher at Canford School. He has subsequently been a housemaster at Milton Abbey School.
PARKIN, Owen Thomas
Born – Coventry, 24th September 1972.
Best performances for Glamorgan:
In first-class cricket – 24* v Essex at Chelmsford, 1998; 5/24 v Somerset at Sophia Gardens, 1998.
In List A cricket – 14* v Somerset at Sophia Gardens, 2002; 5/28 v Sussex at Hove, 1996.
In T20 cricket – 2/9 v Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens, 2003.
| M | I | NO | RUNS | AV | 100 | 50 | CT | ST | |
| First-class | 41 | 48 | 20 | 228 | 8.14 | – | – | 12 | – |
| List A | 94 | 37 | 16 | 77 | 3.67 | – | – | 22 | – |
| T20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Balls | M | R | W | AV | 5wI | 10wM | |
| First-class | 6099 | 259 | 3014 | 108 | 27.91 | 2 | – |
| List A | 4099 | 49 | 3202 | 123 | 26.03 | ||
| T20 | 71 | 0 | 90 | 3 | 30.00 | – | – |