The former Oxfordshire batsman Nigel Furley passed away on 5th December, aged 79. Born
in Aylesbury and attending school there, he played a few matches for Buckinghamshire in
the Minor Counties Championship before moving to Oxford to teach at Magdalen College
School. He was subsequently selected in all matches for Oxfordshire in 1969. Although he
made one fifty, 56 against Wiltshire at St Edward’s School, he had a moderate season and
was not selected for the county again. However, he was to have a successful club career at
North Oxford and later at Banbury. His former club captain Richard Pineo recalls “Nigel will
be remembered as a fine attacking batsman, brilliant cover point and friend to many at
North Oxford in the seventies.” A talented all-round sportsman, Nigel also played rugby for
Oxfordshire and in later years took up golf.

In 1971 Nigel arrived at Bloxham School as Head of Geography, a post he was to hold for 19
years. He also became a housemaster at the school and remained there until his retirement
in 2004. He ran and coached the school teams in both cricket and rugby for many seasons.
The school’s obituary records “All those who knew Nigel will remember with affection his
consistent good cheer and even temperament, linked to an impish sense of humour,
youthful appearance, and mop of (mainly) blonde hair.” For those cricketers who played
with or against him, these sentiments will seem to sum him up perfectly.