JOHN ROSS THOMSON died on 15 June 2010 aged 92.

A stylish right hand batsman, who gained a Cambridge Blue in 1937 and 1938 he might well, in another era, had a successful career  in county cricket after the war. As it was he taught for many years at Marlborough College, his cricket proteges including broadcaster, writer and - now - MCC President elect Christopher Martin-Jenkins. John played a number of matches for Warwickshire in his school holidays, his first class record being 3,455 runs at 31.12 with six 100s.

He qualifies for a Cover Point obituary, having appeared against both Scotland and Canada. His one match against the former was for MCC at Edinburgh in 1938, when he was one of only two of the visiting batsmen to reach double figures of a low scoring match. He toured Canada with MCC in 1951, in a side which had several players with connections with Irish cricket. The captain was the former Middlesex and England skipper Walter Robins, who was to end his first class career captaining MCC v Ireland in College Park in 1958.

The outstanding bowler on the tour was another schoolmaster, George Chesterton, who was to feature in most MCC sides which came to Ireland over the following 10 years. John had a successful tour and made the top score, 61, in the one first class match played, against Canada at Toronto, helping to set up a convincing innings victory.

He also played against the Canadian side which toured England in 1954, leading Warwickshire at Edgbaston. He made 24, but rain ruined the match, allowing only a few hours play on the first day.

                        Edward Liddle