John Lumb, the elder brother of former Yorkshire opening batsman Richard Lumb and uncle of Michael - who began his county career with Yorkshire and is now with Hampshire - died on Christmas Day at the age of 65.

John, like his brother, was a fine opening batsman - playing for Yorkshire Seconds between 1964 and 1967. He had a classic style, and was probably at his peak in 1966, when he outperformed all of his teammates in the Colts’ Minor Counties’ side.

He scored 719 runs at an average of 39.94 in 18 innings, his nearest rivals being Barrie Leadbeater with 487 and Chris Old with 289. Also that season he made his highest score of 147 against Cumberland at Headingley, putting on 199 for the first wicket with Leadbeater.

John excelled at his sport, despite being an insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetic from the age of 15, and last year he was awarded the Nabarro Medal, which is given to those who have been diabetic for 50 years.

Touring with the Yorkshire Federation in his mid-teens, John played for Brodsworth Main CC between 1958 and 1967 and Wakefield CC in 1968. He also turned out for Warwickshire Club and Ground, the county’s Third XI in 1971, and the following year he featured in one match for Northamptonshire Seconds against Surrey Seconds at The Oval.

John’s grandfather, Joe, founded the prestigious Joe Lumb Trophy competition for young league cricketers within Yorkshire, and John represented Doncaster in its inaugural year in 1962. Fittingly, Doncaster walked off with the Trophy.

He topped the Yorkshire Council league averages at senior level when only 14, and two years later he scored over 1,000 runs in a season for school, club and Federation.

His brother, Richard, scored 11,525 First Class runs for Yorkshire between 1970 and 1984, and took part in 29 century opening stands with Geoff Boycott, making them the county’s second most successful opening pair behind Percy Holmes and Herbert Sutcliffe - who enjoyed 69 such partnerships together.

Born in Doncaster, John was brought up in Sprotborough, and educated at Mexborough Grammar School. He qualified as a teacher in 1966, and in 1969 moved to Birmingham to take up teaching posts.

John leaves a widow, Gillian, three children and three grandchildren. His funeral service will be at Sutton Coldfield crematorium at noon on January 12.

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