BY CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
TORBAY and South Devon's cricket community is expected to be out in force on Tuesday (August 26) for the funeral of Devon League umpire Martin Shute.
Martin, who was 60 in April this year, collapsed at home last month and died in hospital nearly three weeks later without regaining consciousness.
During a long playing career spanning three decades, Martin played mostly for South Devon CC as well as Ivybridge, Bishopsteignton and Chudleigh, where he had a spell as 2nd XI captain.
Martin was a qualified club umpire for several seasons prior to joining the Devon League panel in 2024.Older brother Colin is also an umpire and the two officiated together earlier this season when Barton played Hatherleigh.
Steve Lewis, the Barton captain, was one of the first people to share his memories of Martin.
“I built a fantastic relationship with Martin through my captaincy, and was devastated by the news he had,” said Lewis.
“Martin umpired us a lot and he was consistent. He gave me out earlier this season against Hatherleigh, which I thought was rough at the time. We had a pint together in the bar after and a good laugh because it bought the South African we had on loan to the crease ,who ended up taking the game away from them!
“So I went from annoyed to thanking him.
“Last season at Chudleigh, he was stood at square leg when Matt Lipton threw the ball and hit him on the back of the head, causing a terrible wound. Blood through the hat.
“He was desperate to carry on. We said ‘Martin you must go to hospital, get it checked out and buy a new hat on the way’.
“ After the game we came off the pitch to see him on the boundary with a bottle of ale. Refusing the NHS wait time!
“Again, we had some good laughs about it as if it didn't happen, despite the bandage around his head!!
Mark Solway, once a Chudleigh team-mate of Martin’s and now the 1st XI captain, also played in the game when he was hit on the back of the head.
“We encouraged Martin to get it checked over and not drive home,” said Solway. “Typical of Martin he brushed it all aside as if nothing had happened.
"He was always a bubbly character – always greeted you with a smile – and could be very direct at times, showing that out in the middle.
“His punctuality to games was clearly evident even if it was a local rivalry. he will surely be missed. All of us at Chudleigh CC send out condolences to Martin’s family.”
Martin Shute and his twin brother Kevin were born in the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital in April 1965 to parents Dennis and Kathleeen.
“Martin was only 3lbs 7oz – quite a tiddler – and spent quite some time in the special care unit before coming home,” said brother Colin.
He went to school at All Saints Primary in Newton Abbot, followed by Coombeshead College, before embarking on a carpentry apprenticeship.
Other jobs followed, including on as a discount store manager in Newton Abbot, before he found his vocation, which was working in schools with children who had special needs.
“Martin’s first job was at KEVIC in Totnes; later he moved to St Cuthbert Mayne in Torquay in a similar role,” said Colin.
Cricket was Colin’s passion and Martin was soon bitten by the same bug. Despite a 12-year age difference between them, they regularly got the bat and ball out on land outside the family home.
“Martin would have been around eight when we started on a piece of grass right outside our house,” said Colin. “We spent hours out there.”
Colin played most of his career at South Devon, before finishing his playing days at Bovey Tracey.
Martin got around a bit – South Devon, Ivybridge, Bishopsteignton – and for a while was Chudleigh 2nd XI captain.
“We played together for South Devon and there was one game in particular where the two of us put on 60-odd for the last wicket against Torquay,” said Colin.
“When Martin was captain of Chudleigh 2nd XI I was skippering South Devon 2nd XI and had to go out and toss-up together before the match.”
Martin always gravitated back to South Devon CC sooner or later. He played an important role for a number of years in the 2000s getting midweek sides on the field for games against touring sides.
Martin Shute’s other interests included poetry and gardening. He had three brothers, twin Kevin, Colin and eldest Robin.
Martin is survived by wife Marie. The couple had no children.
The funeral will take place at Torquay Crematorium (4.30pm), followed by refreshments at the nearby Engine House pub.
