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Richard Henry ('Dick') Moore

The record books cannot quite agree about Dick Moore’s birthplace. Some place it in Bournemouth, which, on 14 November 1913, was in Hampshire but others claim it was Charminster in Dorset. While the latter would mean he was not (quite) one of Hampshire’s own it would, at least, identify him as one of the best cricketers to come from their neighbouring county.

We do know that he attended Bournemouth School and was sufficiently successful there and in local cricket that he first went to the county for trials in 1931, although it was three more years before he enjoyed a full first-class season, scoring 1,569 runs at around 30 per innings. The significant moment, however, came in the previous year, 1933, when he was a last minute replacement for the injured and ageing Phil Mead and scored his maiden hundred, 159, against Essex on his ‘home’ ground.

So, at twenty years old, he opened regularly with John Arnold but, poised for some years of success, he was taken ill in May 1935 and missed the rest of the season. Despite this, at 22 he became captain in 1936 and the county enjoyed some rare success until they faded in August. Moore was one of a succession of amateurs deputed to replace Tennyson during the 1930s but it was increasingly difficult in those days for cricketers to be released for a whole season of cricket and, after two years, Moore handed over to Cecil Paris, although he played some county matches until the war intervened, when, just 26 years old, his first-class career ended.

Nonetheless, in his second season as captain came his finest hour. On Wednesday 28 July 1937 he won the toss against Warwickshire, opened the batting and stayed all day, scoring 316 which was then only the second triple century in Hampshire’s history and remains the record score for the county. He was ‘given out’ lbw to Hollies from the last ball of the day, with Hampshire’s score on 509, and there is a view that the umpire had seen enough of him! Nonetheless, Hampshire won the match by an innings on the second day – during the 125th over bowled that day.

Hampshire won both Bournemouth Week matches but then lost to Kent and Surrey – despite another Moore century in the latter match. His season’s record almost exactly replicated that of 1934 but, during the winter, he was required to commit to the family business. Despite that, in 1938, he scored three centuries in just 11 matches, averaging 42.

Having retired, Dick Moore moved to Wales where he became a leading figure at Colwyn Bay Cricket Club. He died there in 2002 but his record remains despite John Crawley’s best efforts a few years ago. It may never be beaten.