Ushaw Moor Memories

Dickie Hope and Peter Metcalfe – Notable Servants of Ushaw Moor Cricket Club

Although Mr Metcalfe has recently passed away his sterling service to cricket will linger on for a very long time and rightly so. I did not know Peter personally but am fairly well informed about his admirable work in cricket circles. Comparing and contrasting Dickie Hope and Peter Metcalfe are not particularly difficult tasks – first and foremost they were the gel that held the essential administration of the game together during their respective decades within cricket.

Of course they operated in very different periods. In the case of Dickie he was one or more of secretary, player and captain during the 1930s, 40s and early 50s He sits proudly within a photograph on the wall of the cricket club bar to this day. During Dickie’s pomp coalmining dominated the landscape in terms of noise, dirt and injuries. Peter came a little later but for a similar length of time. Unlike Dickie Peter ventured beyond club administration into league work that included the disciplining of players. I am given to understand that he was not always impressed with the style of play of Kimblesworth Cricket Club and that came out at his naturally sad but nevertheless celebratory funeral service. Peter had a sense of humour and that is worth a lot in this world! Humour tends to linger when the man has left.

Dickie tried so hard shortly after WW2 to get Ushaw Moor into the prestigious Durham Senior League and I understand that only the lack of some facilities at the ground thwarted that ambition. They were both sticklers for the rules of cricket but were not so bookish that they could not think on their feet when a tricky decision or comment was needed. I love the comment that Peter, during poor light, was determined for a home match to carry on whilst New Brancepeth could still be seen – absolutely priceless! Dickie had a big fall out one day with a player called Trotter – a school teacher – I suppose Dickie and Peter were adverse to bullshit. They call a spade a spade in Ushaw Moor and always have.

As for their respective wives it might be a case of making the best of it. Both Ethel Hope and Ann Metcalfe were tea ladies at the club for many years. In the case of Ethel her situation in the order of the cricket universe is best seen within a local newspaper report celebrating their Golden Wedding in 1973. Dickie got about 280 words about his life followed by about 20 words that explained that Mrs Hope was tea lady at the cricket club! In the case of Mrs Metcalfe it seems that it was a case of if you cannot beat them join them!

Wilf Bell

Just when I felt on the verge of writer’s block regarding Ushaw Moor here is one more article.

On 23/06/1935 Ushaw Moor Cricket Club had a “bad day at the office”. Chasing Belmont’s score of 93 they collapsed to 39 all out. Scorecard details of the Ushaw Moor innings:

R W Hope bowled N Martin 7

S Pearson bowled Walker 1

P Halpin caught Wright bowled Walker 0

C Seargeant bowled N Martin 15

J J Gibson lbw bowled Walker 0

J F Spikings bowled N Martin 4

F Hildrey caught L Martin bowled Walker 3

R Wilson caught Russell bowled N Martin 2

W Cruddas lbw bowled Walker 0

W Ross caught Wright bowled N Martin 5

W Quinn not out 2

Extras 0

Total 39

If you thought that was bad spare a thought for the Bermuda Women’s team in the match against S Africa Women played on 18/02/2008. The scorecard for the Bermuda innings was as follows:

L Miezer 1

W Woodley 0

S Albouy 0

M Jackson 1

T Paynter 0

R Richardson 0

R Smith 1

N Jones 0

C Furbell not out 0

S Todd 0

Extras 10

Total 13

So only three runs off the bat!

South Africa took four minutes to win [without losing a wicket].

ERIC FERGUSON

I have just learnt the sad news that Eric passed away recently. I recall him from the late 50s as being Norman’s brother. Because of my continued interest in Durham Football I am aware that Eric played for several Northern League club’s - including Bishop Auckland, Crook Town and Ferryhill Athletic. He was also a very talented and loyal Ushaw Moor cricketer. I can recall following the progress of Ushaw Moor CC from afar and became familiar with the names E Ferguson and N Ferguson regularly appearing on the scorecards. Eric was an all round sportsmen and played the game of basketball with some talent.

I wonder whether Eric played against my half brother, the late Colin Albone. I know that one of Colin’s clubs was South Moor and that he played against Ushaw Moor at least three times. Colin played for the South Moor team when it beat Ushaw Moor in a cup semi final before going on to beat Esh Winning in the final tie. Those games against Ushaw Moor would have been in the 70s. As I say it is sad news about Eric.

Wilf Bell

Both Ushaw Moor and Bearpark won on August 30th 1947. The scorecards demonstrate just how easily they achieved their victories:

Ushaw Moor v Willington

Willington:

L Clement bowled Last 10

W Hodgson caught Gillespie bowled Last 2

J Carolan lbw bowled Last 0

W Young caught Robinson bowled Quinn 0

Jack Hutchinson bowled Last 0

R Watson caught Quinn bowled Last 7

Jim Hutchinson bowled Quinn 5

S Howe bowled Last 1

H Hodgson not out 0

B Bennett bowled Quinn 1

H Walker bowled Quinn 0

Extra 1

Total 27

Ushaw Moor:

R W Hope not out 10

A Gillespie bowled Carolan 3

A Smith not out 15

Extras 4

Total for one wicket 32

Ushaw Moor won by nine wickets

Bearpark v Peases West

Bearpark

H Stoker stumped Race bowled Northcoat 5

R Pinkney caught Moses bowled Naisbett 37

J Turnbull bowled Naisbett 6

G Crooks bowled Johnson 29

J J Turnbull caught Richardson bowled Naisbett 4

W Bennett bowled Northcoat 1

J Whyatt hit wicket bowled Northcoat 4

T Pattison not out 77

R Dye run out 21

A Walker caught Collingwood bowled Naisbett 0

Extras 13

Total 197 [nine wickets declared]

Peases West all out 68

J Turnbull 4 wickets for 28 runs J Whyatt three wickets for 7 runs

Bearpark won by 129 runs

So in John Arlott style: Two runs off the over 7 R W Hope 8 A Smith 19 for 1, and after Brian McLoughlin it will be Paul Clough.

Ushaw Moor thank you for having me as a guest these last two years.

W Bell