Tributes paid to former Exmouth captain Richard Hope, who has died aged 72
FORMER Exmouth captain Richard Hope, who was a prolific run scorer in the days before league cricket commenced in Devon, has died aged 72.
Hope skippered Exmouth 1st XI in 1969 and had two stints as vice-captain in 1968 and 1972. He played for Exeter after leaving Exmouth in 1982.
When Exmouth won the Devon Cup for the first time in 1974, they beat North Devon by 91 runs in the final. Hope was a member of the team.
Exmouth played 1st XI games on Saturdays and Sundays from April to September during Hope’s career, giving him the chance to stack up the runs.
Hope regularly topped 600 runs in a season in all games. His best summer was 1971 when he totalled 1,016. Only John Tozer (1,572) scored more runs that year.
Jack Rodgers, Exmouth CC’s late historian, was an admirer of Hope’s. In his 1975 chronicle of the club, entitled Ten Years On, Rodgers said: “Richard was one of the most successful batsman of his period and always gave the crowd full value for money.”
Hope started his senior career at Exeter St Thomas as a teenager then moved to Exmouth in the mid-1960s looking for regular 1stXI cricket. Dad Maurice and mother Marjorie were fixtures and fittings already at the Maer, as club umpire and tea lady respectively, so settling in was not an issue.
Jeff Stanyer, then an opponent at Exeter and later a team-mate at the County Ground, said Hope always tried to impose himself on bowlers.
“I bowled to Richard many times and often got him out stumped as he would run down the wicket, even to a long-hop,” said Stanyer.
Bob Staddon played with Hope at Exeter towards the end of his career.
“Richard was a lovely guy who fitted in well and was capable of playing first-team cricket,” said Staddon.
Hope played social and touring cricket with the Devon Dumplings and the Gentlemen of Devon.
Richard Hope was born, raised and educated in Exeter and left the Vincent Thompson Secondary School at 16. He went into the pension industry with the Prudential and later worked for Friends Provident.
He married Mary in 1973 and the couple celebrated their 46thwedding anniversary the week before he died on October 17. His funeral will take place at The Blessed Sacrament Church, 21 Fore Street, Exeter on October 31 at 11am.
The family have asked for donations in lieu of flowers to be made to Exeter Hospice, where Richard’s wife Mary has been a volunteer for more than 15 years.
James Hope, Richard and Mary’s only child, followed his father into cricket and has played for a number of clubs, including Exmouth, Thorverton and the Devon Dumplings.
