Laura was born in Plymouth. She played for Cornwall boys in her youth, and was selected for an England U15 boys trial.
Laura was a talented tall spin-bowling all-rounder. Laura made her England debut, aged 16, in an ODI series versus South Africa. And she played in the ODI World Cup in New Zealand in 2000.
Born in Plymouth, Devon. Jackie was a diminutive but energetic bowler, middle order all-rounder, and an excellent fielder; frequently topping the fielding charts for Somerset.
In 1998 she captained England U17s, and was then selected in the U21 squad to tour South Africa in the same year. She made her England debut in 1999 against the Netherlands.
Her only test match appearance came against India in Lucknow, during 2002.
Born in South Wales. Hannah was selected for the England U17, U21 and U23 sides before making he debut for the full England side against the Netherlands in 1999.
Hannah was a genuine all-rounder, batting in the top order, and more than useful with the ball. She captained Somerset between 2002-08.
Hannah’s father was Barry Lloyd who played for Glamorgan in the 1970/80’s
Fry’s CC may be one of Bristol’s oldest cricket clubs but it is not old by cricketing standards, only having been founded in 1872 as part of the Fry’s Sports and Social Club, as the Cricket section for employees working for the company.
The club was formed under the shade of a Hawthorn Bush in Pembroke Road, Clifton and was called Caracas Cricket Club, something the current team acknowledge on the badge of current Fry’s CC cricket shirts. Caracas was the name of the new cocoa JS Fry was making at the time.
Cricket has been played at The Park, Stourhead from at least the 1880s. There was an active team in Stourton in the 1920s and a successful team in the 1930s (we have several scorebooks from this time) and photos from the 1880s and 1920s. We have no information about what happened in the 1940s and assume that the club may have folded for a few years at this time.
Kath played Cricket for Somerset CCC, Somerset Wanderers CC, Bath CC and West of England. She also gained full International honours playing for England in the European Cup in Denmark in 1999. Kathryn also captained the England U21 squad and represented England ‘A’ in home series against South Africa, Australia, India, New Zealand and Ireland.
In recent years Kath has been involved in coaching the girls’ county age group teams at Somerset and Cricket Wales.
Audio version here
Date of Birth: 17 May 1976.
Where from: Bristol
How you started playing: Played at my local club Congresbury and then joined Somerset Wanderers when I was 14.
Start date- End date at Somerset – I represented the West (which preceded Somerset) from 1991 – 1999, Somerset was then our county and I played 2000 -2003 and was Captain for the first season 2000-2001
International performances – 3 England Caps
Did you Captain? I was the England U21 Captain, Somerset Wanderers Captain, Somerset Captain
Other Counties Played for – none
| Competition | WODI | WFC | WLA |
| Matches | 3 | 2 | 68 |
| Runs scored | 66 | 52 | 1,174 |
| Batting average | 22.00 | 26.00 | 22.15 |
| 100s/50s | 0/0 | 0/0 | 1/5 |
| Top score | 27 | 34* | 111 |
| Balls Bowled | 115 | 108 | 3,146 |
| Wickets | 4 | 0 | 55 |
| Bowling averages | 7.75 | – | 25.67 |
| 5 wickets in innings | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 wickets in match | – | 0 | – |
| Best bowling | 2/4 | – | 6/36 |
| Catches/stumpings | 0/– | 0/– | 23/– |
The Somerset Cricket Museum is very grateful to Mr Pete Lloyd and Mr Ray Usher of the Whitchurch Cricket Club for donating a copy of the history of the Club – 100 Not Out (1922-2022) to the Museum.
Copies are available from the Club.
Whitchurch Cricket Club was formed in 1922 when a group of local people got together to plan the seeds that has grown into the club we know today. Things would have been a lot different then as few people would have had cars so most of their early games would have been local fixtures.
Captains.
Kath Wilkins 2000-01
Hannah Lloyd 2002-08
Steph Davies 2009-10
Moira Comfort 2011
Anya Shrubsole 2012-16
Sophie Luff 2016-22
Emily Edgcombe 2023-24
England Internationals.
Caroline Atkins,
Sarah Collyer,
Steph Davies,
Janet Godman,
Jackie Hawker,
Hannah Lloyd,
Laura Harper,
Anya Shrubsole,
Frances Wilson
Katharine Winks
Lauren Filer
KSL* & Semi-Professional / Professional Player Era
Gwenan Davies
Lauren Filer
Nicole Harvey (nee Richards)
Georgia Hennessy
Niamh Holland
Sophie Luff
Natasha Wraith
Overseas (Registered) Players
Elwyn Campbell (Aus)
Tamara Gould (NZ)
Lizelle Lee (SA)
Magdelena Pokludova (CZE)
Isabelle Westbury (NHL)
Note. The appearance figures, and runs and wickets data identified below, are starting from the 2002 season. I have not currently been able to locate data from earlier years.
Most Appearances
| > 100 Appearances | > 75 Appearances | > 50 Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Sophie Luff (135) | Lorraine Szczepanski (91) | Nicole Harvey (nee Richards) (90) |
| Jackie Hawker (126) | Moira Comfort (86) | Lauren Shrubsole (69) |
| Lorraine Szczepanski (101) | Jenny Withers (82) | Beth Howe (62) |
| Anya Shrubsole (78) | Georgina Adcock (62) | |
| Frances Wilson (76) | Cassie Coombes (60) | |
| Georgia Tulip (53) | ||
| Steph Davies (52) |
Highest Run Scorers
| >4000 runs | >2000 runs | >1000 runs |
|---|---|---|
| Sophie Luff | Frances Wilson | Anya Shrubsol |
| Hannah Lloyd | ||
| Elwyn Campbell | ||
| Nicole Harvey (nee Richards) |
Most Wickets
| >100 wkts | >75 wkts | >50 wkts |
|---|---|---|
| Lorraine Szczepanski | Jackie Hawker | Moira Comfort |
| Nicole Harvey (nee Richards | Anya Shrubsole | Lauren Shrubsole |
| Nicole Harvey | Kate Randall | |
| Jenny Withers |
All Somerset Women Players 2000 – 2024
| Georgina Adcock |
| Lucy Allison |
| Coleen Ashbee |
| Lucy Ashman |
| Caroline Atkins |
| Vicky Ball |
| Emily Bayliss |
| Alice Bird |
| Pauline Black |
| Tilly Bond |
| Lauren Bowen-Jones |
| Sally Bradbury |
| Florence Broderick |
| Elwyn Campbell |
| Zoey Cape |
| Hannah Capes |
| Olivia Churcher |
| Carmen Clements |
| Sarah Collyer |
| Moira Comfort |
| Cassie Coombes |
| GwenanDavies |
| Helen Davies |
| Emily Dibble |
| Steph Davies |
| Harriet Dimdore-Miles |
| Emily Divine |
| Evie Dixon |
| Emily Edgecombe |
| Morgan Edwards |
| Jodie Filer |
| Lauren Filer |
| Bernadette Forge |
| Emily Geach |
| Laura Gladman |
| Emma Godman |
| Tamara Gould |
| Emma Hadfield |
| Sophie Hamilton |
| Olivia Hamilton |
| Laura Harper |
| Lola Harris |
| Nicole Harvey (Richards) |
| Jackie Hawker |
| Poppy Hawker |
| Lily Hawkins |
| Jess Hazell |
| Georgia Hennessy |
| Megan Hodkinson |
| Niamh Holland |
| Beth Howe |
| Izzy Imlach |
| Daisy Jeanes |
| Neve Kennedy |
| Emily Knight |
| Annabel Lamb |
| Lizelle Lee |
| Sophie Le Marchand |
| Phillipa Letchford |
| Hannah Lloyd |
| Sophie Luff |
| Ellie Mitchell |
| Laila Moledina |
| Rebecca Odgers |
| Ava Ojomoh |
| India Rose Owen |
| Lisa Pagett |
| Anna Parkinson |
| Emma Phillipson |
| Sophie Pickering |
| Magdalena Pokludova |
| Jennifer Poole |
| Kiri Purssy |
| Kate Randall |
| Annie Riccio |
| Jess Rice |
| Gill Richards |
| Joleigh Roberts |
| Emily Robinson |
| Karla Rose |
| Katie Rowe |
| Anya Shrubsole |
| Lauren Shrubsole |
| Chloe Skelton |
| Jess Smith |
| Lesley Smith |
| Hannah Sparks |
| Ella Stewart |
| Lorraine Szczepanski |
| Hannah Thompson |
| Liz Tilley |
| Becky Travers |
| Georgia Tulip |
| Lucy Turner |
| Charlotte Voden |
| Jenny Wallace |
| Gwyn West |
| Izzy Westbury |
| Sophia Westbury |
| Brooke Whittaker |
| Kathryn Wilkins |
| Becky Williams |
| Hannah Williams |
| Judy Wilmot |
| France’s Wilson |
| Katharine Winks |
| Jenny Withers |
| Natasha Wraith |
Grateful thanks to Mark Gladman for his research and provision of the above statistics
Rollo John Oliver (Jack) Meyer (15 March 1905 – 9 March 1991) founded Millfield School (1935) and was also an all-round sportsman who played cricket at first-class level in both England and in India. He died in Bristol on 9th March 1991.
The later stage of Meyer’s cricket career began after his return to England to set up Millfield School in Somerset. From the 1936 season, he played for Somerset, almost always those in the second half of the season when the school term had ended and, with rare exceptions, those played at home. In these games, he played as an all-rounder, his batting having improved significantly since his Cambridge days. Against Lancashire at Taunton in the last match of the 1936 season, he scored his maiden century, an undefeated 202, scored in 225 minutes. As a bowler, he managed at least one five-wicket innings haul in each of the four seasons running up to the Second World War.
Jan Godman took over from Nicky Tranter (Boss) as Honorary Secretary of Somerset Wanderers Ladies Cricket Club (SWLLCC) in 1998. She was handed a 30 year legacy, which seemed to be a very daunting prospect as SWLCC, was a team renowned nationally.
As with most Women’s cricket teams then, the team ran on a shoe string, fundraising and applying for grants where possible. They played at various grounds including a few in Wiltshire. They were then given use of the Corsham Barracks pitch as a more permanent pitch to play their home games on.
Jan moved to Somerset in 1993, after being part of the women’s England team that won the World Cup and when my her Husband got a job at Westland Helicopters in Yeovil.
Whilst starting a family, she continued to coach and still play club cricket for Somerset Wanderers Ladies C.C.
West Country cricket is mourning the loss of Terry Willetts who played cricket for both Somerset and Cornwall who sadly passed away on October 24th at the age of 82.
Terry was born in Birmingham and on leaving school joined Avery’s who were known world wide for their weighing scales.
He was a talented all round sportsman excelling at both football and cricket. He appeared for Bristol Rovers Reserves, but turned idown the chance of a contract playing instead as a part timer with both Minehead and Bath City FC.
Terry played cricket for Weston super Mare where his talents were quickly recognised by Bill Andrews who recommended him to Somerset, who offered him a contract which he duly signed.
He made his debut for Somerset Second XI against Gloucestershire in June 1960 at Clarence Park in Weston. Terry made two further appearances for the Second XI that year and played once more in 1961.
There has been a cricket club in Langport since at least 1838, although it has had a chequered history. At some periods it was joined with Somerton, as the Langport & Somerton Cricket Club; at others with Curry Rivel, as the Curry Rivel & Langport Cricket Club, and since 1946 it has been known as the Huish & Langport Cricket Club. (Reference Langport Heritage).
It is believed the club was founded around 1851, although the exact date remains a mystery. There are some recollections and a few records of matches played on the field across the Migh Bridge on the River Chew.
Bicknoller was his village, Harold Gimblett was his name
Farming was his working day, but cricket was his game.
When he was but twenty and first played for Somerset
He played the mighty innings that we remember yet.
Stogumber is the village where Jack White used to live;
But for cricketers in Somerset, that’s the name they give
To the fierce cross-batted stroke they will use for evermore,
Swinging it right off the stumps and past long leg for four…….
We are very grateful to Mr Garry Merrifield from Bristol and Mr Lloyd Shattock for their kind donations of bats to the Museum. Garry has sent us a bat (in memory of his Auntie Pat who took him to Taunton to watch cricket matches), autographed by the 1984 West Indies Touring Team including some Somerset CCC favourites and Lloyd has given us an SS Jumbo bat, once owned / used by Viv Richards.
“Stadium tours at Somerset County Cricket Club with families enjoying not only a superb look behind the scenes with our expert tour guide, but a chance to explore the best cricket museum in the country – Somerset Cricket Museum as well, and see some of the best historical cricketing items in the world including the bat used by Lord Ian Botham in the 1981 Ashes series. If you’re in the Taunton area it’s absolutely a museum you’ve got to visit.”
“Just one of the many highlights on our Rexel Family Fun Day yesterday”.
Snippet and Video courtesy of Sean Owens – Rexel.
Courtesy of the Hoskyns family, North Perrott has been privileged to play cricket at Willis Lane since 1946.
In October 1987, Julian Millichamp and Jonathan Hall sent 100 clefts of willow, their faces pressed, and handles fitted, to Perth, Australia. There they found enough space on a workbench in an existing sports goods repair shop to shape the pressed and fitted clefts into bats.
Contributed by Richard Walsh (Journalist and Museum Trustee)
The Somerset Cricket Museum has recently linked up with South Somerset based Newsline which has enabled a whole new audience to access the contents.
Continue reading “Somerset Cricket Museum and the South Somerset based Newsline “Contributed by Chris Clapham
After careful planning, Sutton Cricket Club embarked on their first tour in England for 15 years with four matches in Somerset and Devon.
Somerset VI CC became the Blind Cricket England & Wales (BCEW) David Townley Memorial Twenty20 Cup Winners for the third time this year, thanks to two sensational performances during Finals Day on Saturday 17th September 2022 at Wolverhampton CC.
Continue reading “Sublime Somerset VI CC Secure Twenty20 Cup Treble”We have recently acquired two framed commemorative prints donated by Somerset County Cricket Club, A list of Somerset Stragglers members who presented a silver bowl to the Revd. E.P. Spurway in 1912 and a list of SCCC Supporters who donated to the 1991 Centenary Appeal.
The distinction of leading the first Kidmore End cricket team on to a field here fell to Henry Hamilton Palairet Esquire, who then lived at Kidmore House and was a member of an old West of England family renowned for its sportsmen. Fortunately for the cricket public of the country, he extended his love of cricket untiringly to the tuition of his two sons, Lionel and Richard, as soon as they could hold a bat. Both became great cricketers and all round sportsmen. Both played for Somerset and, to this day, Lionel still holds (with H. T. Hewitt) the record opening wicket partnership for that county, 346 against Yorkshire at Taunton in 1892.
Continue reading “Kidmore End Cricket Club and its unique relationship with Somerset County Cricket Club”1863 – 1900
It was in June 1863 that it was decided to found a cricket club in Kidmore End, or inKidmore as it was then known. The first meeting ever to be convened was held at the Schoolroom on 19th July of that year for the purpose of framing the club rules. Either the weather was kinder in those days or cricketers cared less about muddy wickets, but one of these rules laid down that the season should commence on the first Monday in April and end on the first Monday in October. A record exists of games having been played as late as 13th October. Practice was to be held on Monday and Friday evenings and the Club started its career with “4 bats, 2 balls and stumps, etc.” presented by the Vicar (the Revd J. W. Cobb).
Continue reading “Kidmore End Cricket Club – 150 Not Out”Not all clubs have 100 year plus histories, the Shaftesbury Road Cricket Club was founded in the summer of 2015, when a spontaneous game of cricket broke out between friends at 71, Shaftesbury Road in Milton, Weston-super-Mare.
The home of the Palairet Family – an appreciation written by Michael Hill (Somerset County Cricket Club) – July 1994.
The village of Kidmore End, a few miles north of Reading may seem an unlikely place to have a close connection with Somerset County Cricket Club. However the first captain of its cricket club, founded in 1863, was one Henry Hamilton Palairet, a talented all round sportsman, five times archery captain of All England and useful cricketer
Article contributed by Paul Baker aka Farmer White
My father was a musician and a good one by the account of those who knew about such things. The consequence was that his entire sense of timing was applied to his music. He had none left for anything else. As a result we were late everywhere we went and for everything we did. Cricket was not spared. Not even Somerset cricket.
Continue reading “The ‘League of Nations’ and the Battle of the Shilling Ticket’”James Hildreth has been a permanent fixture near the top of the Somerset batting order for almost 20 years, but sadly he has played his last innings for the Cidermen.
Even though he wasn’t born in the county the fans have loved Hildy from the very first time he pulled on a Somerset shirt back in 2002 since when he has provided us with so many entertaining innings, but sadly there will be no more after he pulled up with a hamstring injury which has brought a premature end to his retirement season.
Continue reading “James Hildreth – a personal appreciation by Richard Walsh”On the 2nd September 1973 Ian Botham made his Somerset debut against Sussex at Hove.
Twenty one years ago on September 1st 2001, it seemed like the whole of Somerset were making their ways up the M5 and along the M4 to Lord’s Cricket Ground to watch the Cidermen take on Leicestershire in the final of the Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Trophy.
Continue reading “21 years ago Somerset lifted C & G Trophy at Lord’s on that never to be forgotten day”We are very grateful to Mr. Harry Everrett for the donation of a small bat autographed by the Somerset Stragglers team following their match v Ramblers July 2022, continuing their long history. The bat pictured below has been added to the Stragglers collection.
We are very grateful to Mr. I Stone, pictured here with Richard Johnson, for loaning this autographed cricket shirt (from the 2005 season) to the Somerset Cricket Museum.
The booklet published in 1991 containing the poem Harold Gimblett’s Hundred by John Arlott has kindly been loaned to the Museum by Mr D, Harrison.
The poem has also been recorded and the audio version can be found here.
A famous story is told of Sir Richards’ days, playing with Lord Botham, at Somerset when Glamorgan seamer Greg Thomas beat Viv thrice in three balls. Thomas, being cheeky, reiterated a description of the ball to Viv: “THAT’S CALLED THE BALL – IT’S RED, IT’S ROUND, AND WEIGHS ABOUT FIVE OUNCES; YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO HIT IT, IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING”.
Viv was fired up. He came down the track and smashed the next ball out of the park, some say it it went into the sea. He leisurely strolled down the pitch and threw a reply to Thomas: “GREG, YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, NOW GO FIND IT.
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