Harold Shaw in the scorebox at Exmouth

A MINUTE’S silence was held before play resumed at Alderley Edge between Cheshire and Devon this morning in memory of former Devon scorer Harold Shaw.

Shaw, who was 90, died in Torbay Hospital yesterday (Sunday) having been taken ill at his Newton Abbot home over the weekend.

Shaw retired from scorebox duty in 2011, having totted up the figures in 261 county matches spread over nearly 19 seasons. 

No one in the history of the club, which stretches back to 1865, has scored as many games as Shaw. Predecessor Brian Moylan-Jones scored 208 games between 1976-1990. Torquay’s Ralph Haly totted-up 64 games between 1967-1974.

Devon had to find two scorers to replace the dedicated statistician, who stayed in touch maintaining the county archive up in the front room of his home.

Shaw scored for Bovey Tracey over three decades up to 2002. The club made him a life member on his retirement.

Another long-term cricket commitment was as a results secretary for the Devon Cricket League between 1979-1995. The league made Shaw a life member on his retirement from that post.

And Devon appointed Shaw as a life member of the county club in 2018.

Harold Shaw was born in Yorkshire where he first fell in love with cricket at local club Kirkheaton CC.

After completing two years National Service in the Royal Navy, where he picked up a number of blunt expressions, Shaw immersed himself in the clothing trade.

He transferred to Newton Abbot with the company he worked for and ended up owning it.

Harold Shaw married wife Joyce in 1956. They would have celebrated their 63rdwedding anniversary on August 18.

Joyce and Harold had four children – sons Graham, Kevin and Barry and a daughter Angela – who gave them numerous grandchildren.

Barry, who played cricket for Bovey Tracey and Devon CCC, was with his father in hospital before he died.

“The last thing we did was go through the latest cricket scores and when we got to Devon’s, let’s say he wasn’t impressed,” said Barry.

A full tribute to Harold Shaw will appear on devoncricket.co.uk later this week.

To add your tribute to one of the great characters of Devon cricket over the past 40 years, email conradcopy@btinternet.com