A charity cricket match held recently at Hartlepool’s Park Drive has raised a whopping £5,500 for Alice House Hospice.

The 20-over challenge match was between Hartlepool Cricket Club’s Over 40s football team and a Cricket Club Select XI.

The day also celebrated the 40th anniversary (August 1985) since the Hartlepool Cricket Club football team joined the Hartlepool Sunday Morning League.

Nic Smith, Manager of the Hartlepool CC Over 40s football team, said: “We had a brilliant day, and the amount raised was way above our expectations.

“The turnout was amazing, and I cannot thank people enough for helping to raise such a significant sum for our local hospice.

“Such was the success, we are hoping to make it an annual event in the Park Drive calendar.”

The cricket match was a very close affair with the Over 40s football team reaching their target of 143 with just two balls to spare.

It costs £3.7m a year to run Alice House Hospice and 34% of funding is provided by the Government. This means that on average, £6,500 must be raised every single day to meet the shortfall.

Greg Hildreth, of Alice House Hospice, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who played their part in helping to raise £5,500.

“Alice House Hospice is dependent on the amazing support it receives from the Hartlepool community and beyond and without it we simply couldn’t deliver the caring and compassionate service to local people during their time of need.”

Money was raised from a raffle, football cards, a bucket collection, catering and an auction of sporting memorabilia – all of which had been kindly donated.

There was a presentation to Peter Rhoden, who founded the Hartlepool CC football team in 1985.

Peter said: “It was fantastic to get lots of the former footballers together again and the whole day was amazing.”

Umpires for the cricket match were former Hartlepool seam bowler Dennis Skilbeck and North Yorkshire & South Durham League umpire Gavin Spaldin. Both were presented with medals. Scorer for the game was Aimee Scott.

There was also a presentation to Bill and Pam Shurmer in memory of their son Danny who played in goal for Hartlepool CC FC.

Danny Shurmer, who was also a top cricketer at Park Drive, sadly passed away in June 2021, aged just 43.

Alan Jackson, chair of Hartlepool Cricket Club, commented: “Alice House Hospice provides such a valuable service to the local community, and it was great to see everyone pulling together and showing their support.”

Local musicians Brad Frank and Belle Vue 2 ensured that Park Drive was rocking late into the night.