He was born in Oxford, and qualified by residence for Warwickshire County Cricket Club after moving to Coventry.

He was commissioned into the British Army during the Great War, in which he won a Military Cross for gallantry.

"A tall man, who made full use of his height, he was a superb driver of fast bowling, and one of the safest slips of his day."

In his final game for Warwickshire, against Yorkshire at Scarborough in 1934, under his captaincy, 216 runs were required to win in the fourth innings.

Parsons scored 94 out of 121 in under two hours, including three 6s and twelve 4s; Warwickshire won by one wicket.