Mike Hocking

Grampound Road Cricket Club is deeply saddened to learn of the loss of our former club captain, Mike Hocking who passed away on 10th June, aged 79.

Mike joined the club in 1968 when his previous club, Probus, were relegated from Senior One. He soon became a key member of a batting lineup that was establishing itself as one of the more dangerous in the eastern section. After a season settling into his surroundings, he helped himself to over 500 runs in 1969.

Several seasons of consistent run scoring followed, and Mike was elected captain for three seasons from 1974. This coincided with a successful spell both for Mike personally (with 800 runs in a season twice) and for the club, which won Senior One East for the first time in 1975.

Though the club lost the final fairly convincingly against Penzance by six wickets, Mike became the first batter from the East to score a hundred in the County final with a blistering 103 off 99 balls – the next best score was just 10. That season also saw a run to the quarter-final of the Village Cup. 

1975 also saw a unique highlight in Mike’s career. He captained a team against Geoff Boycott’s touring team, including names such as Boycott himself and David Bairstow, and top-scored with 42.

After stepping down from the captaincy after the 1976 season, he continued to be a regular runscorer – including over 950 runs in 1978 – before retiring in 1980 to spend more time with his family. 

He finished his career with over 7000 runs for the club at an average of 32 and seven hundreds, putting him in the top ten run scorers of all time for the club.  He also effected 74 dismissals behind the stumps.

Our thoughts are with Mike’s family at this sad time.

Chris Willett

Grampound Road CC