This article written by my son, was reproduced in the Association of Cricket Statisticians Quarterly publication, and the final totesport match programme of the 2005 Cricket season.

VICTOR ISAACS RETIRES AFTER 31 YEARS by Richard Isaacs
- dated 25th September 2005

Today marks the end of an era - an era of a loyal servant to one single club.

In this day and age where moving counties is almost commonplace, Victor Isaacs has remained in his seat with Hampshire for the last 31 years and this totesport match against Nottinghamshire sees him pick up his pen and florescent table tennis bat one final time.

Of German and Polish Jewish descent, Victor did not have time for cricket in his youth. His Saturday's were predominately taken with visits to a North Manchester synagogue while Sunday was a learning day. So, despite some of the great names playing just a few miles down the road at Old Trafford, cricket was not on the agenda.

It was only when he was summonsed by his Sergeant Major during an Army regimental match - his belief that 'A' level maths was good enough to make him able to score - that cricket was thrust upon this young private.

And from there on in, he took a valued interest in a game he knew little about, moving up the ranks to became the British Army scorer within a few years.

On leaving the Army, he moved south to Southampton where he became involved with Romsey Cricket Club and, over the years, became well known locally, so much so that Peter White, the then county scorer, recommended Victor to Desmond Eager in 1974 when he was drafted onto the Football League referees and linesmen's panel.

Taking the post for just the one year - he was looking for more permanent work rather than just a six month position - 1975 became the first of what was to be a long and distinguished career in the box.

Given work in the winter by Atlantic Container Lines in Southampton's dock area and later with the Ordnance Survey, Victor carried on after scoring Hampshire's first Sunday League title in 1975 and he is still there today.

Not only did he become the scorer for Hampshire, but he also took on the mammoth task of revising the outdated clubs statistics and over the years, his roles at the club have widened to public address announcer and webmaster of one of the most popular county sites in the country.

Shortly, he will relinquish the role after 31 years having already become the longest serving scorer in Hampshire history and also the senior face on the county circuit, even though at 61 years of age, he still remains far from one of the oldest.

He has overseen seven trophy-winning sides but the County Championship remained elusive with 1985 and this season the closest he has come to a trip to Buckingham Palace. The much-coveted Lord's prizes in 1988, 1991, 1992 and the C&G Trophy triumph in his final campaign followed Sunday League titles in 1975, 1978 and 1986.

Sadly, over the last few seasons, illness has afflicted Victor's capabilities as diabetes took a hold but he was still regarded as one of the best scorers in the country as well as a hugely respected statistician, not only here in the UK but abroad also.

He travelled to India to give a lecture on cricket scoring, statistics and the Duckworth Lewis system to a group of keen followers, shortly after retiring, and has now moved North with his family.

He will leave a huge gap at Hampshire County Cricket Club and I for one, as his son, will be very sad to see him leave a job that I know he loves.

nb: Vic did get to meet the Queen and Prince Philip when he visited Buckingham Palace as a member of the Kenyan Cricket side, for whom he officiated as Official scorer in the 1999 Cricket World Cup...