The Somerset Women cricket team is the women’s cricket team for the county of Somerset. They play their home games at various grounds across Somerset, most often in Taunton, and are partnered with the regional team Western Storm.
First published in the Somerset County Gazette June 2022
LORD Archer of Weston-super-Mare has followed the fortunes of Somerset for over 75 years during which he has enjoyed the high spots and enduring the not such good times.
The Cricket Club was formed in 1920 when a number of employees who worked at ‘Clark Son & Morland Ltd’ (sheepskin tanners of Glastonbury) set up a side to represent the Company.
Formed in 1892 we believe, after 130 years of competitive cricket, Spaxton Cricket Club to be one of Somerset’s longest standing village cricket clubs. The Club is fully affiliated to the Somerset Cricket Foundation and play in the Monmouth Scientific League.
Founded in 1860, Ilminster Cricket Club has been a central part of the local community for over 150 years.With recent refurbishments to our beloved bar area (aptly nicknamed ‘the shed’) and recently renamed the Tony Rice Bar after one of the clubs longest and most devoted servants- Tony Rice- the club is continually looking towards the future.
Taunton School was founded in 1847 as Independent College, a boys-only school for dissenters – those who were not members of the Church of England. In the 1870s, the school’s governors purchased a site at the northern end of Taunton, on Staplegrove Road.
Clevedon Cricket Club was established in 1874 and is one of the leading clubs around the Bristol and Somerset area. The club is located at the top of one of the 7 hills in Clevedon and delivers beautiful picturesque views of the Mendips and Bristol Channel from its ground at Dial Hill.
The Club was founded on 4th October, 1929 at The Old School Room, East Horrington, Near Wells, Somerset. Situated on the edge of the Mendip Hills, Horrington is one of the smallest village clubs in Somerset. The Club first played in the 1930 season before being disbanded in 1950.
Following on from an earlier email contact related to the use of audio for the articles published on the museum website, for people with visual impairments, Discussions have taken place with a local Talking Newspapers Group, who will record the articles and make them available to both their own listeners and to ourselves. We will keep you posted regarding the progress we make.
Bridgwater Cricket Club was formed in 1839 by a group of local worthies who wanted to partake in this Gentlemanly pastime.
Founded in 1920, Wemdon Cricket Club is based at The Green, in the heart of Wembdon village, 1 mile west of Bridgwater. The club boasts 5 Saturday XI’s, a Sunday XI, Ladies cricket section and a thriving junior section. There is a pathway in place for all ages through to Under 19’s and in to adult cricket.
Full Article to follow.
The wonderfully named Vernon Tickell Hill was an amateur who played mainly for Somerset before WW1 – in 121 matches he scored 3842 runs at 19.21 with one hundred, believing almost every ball was there to hit. He also had one of the longest throws in the game
There are no accurate records as to the actual date St Andrews Cricket Club was formed, other than it was in the mid 1930s. In 1962, when I started playing, there were players who had played “pre war”.
Agricultural Showgrounds is the home venue of Frome Cricket Club who play in the Somerset Division of the West of England Premier League. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1882, when Frome played United Eleven
In 1859, a small group of members from the Bath YMCA decided that they wished to play the relatively new sport of cricket more seriously, and formed a new club, the Bath Association Cricket Club, playing for the next few years on top of Claverton Down, on the southern outskirts of the city
Cricket was relatively slow to come to Somerset, but by the early 19th century it was being played in a haphazard fashion, mainly on gentlemen’s country-house grounds. (See also the history of Watts House). Founded in 1825 Lansdown Cricket Club is one of the oldest in England.
Weston-super-Mare Cricket Club is an amateur cricket club based in Weston-super-Mare. Since the club’s formation in 1845, they have nurtured a number of players who have gone on to play for Somerset County Cricket Club and a select few who have gone on to play for the England Cricket Team.
Article to be added. The complete history of Weston-super-Mare Cricket Club can be found here.
Beckington is amongst the oldest surviving cricket clubs in the county with records dating back as far as 1884, and held in the possession of the club is an actual scorebook from that year.
by Steve Tancock with thanks to Stephen Hill and Barry Phillips, authors of “Somerset Cricketers ….“ and Mike Tarr for permitting the use his beautiful portrait of Somerset’s legendary post-war groundsman (first published on Somerset North Blog May 2022).
Continue reading “Cecil Buttle – Groundsman Supreme, Mentor Par Excellence”Watts House (Cedar Falls near Bishops Lydeard) features greatly in the history of cricket with the County of Somerset and staged much ‘country house’ cricket rather than club or ‘Gents Players matches. There was never this distinction in country house matches (see Barry Phillips’s book on HT Stanley & Quantock lodge cricket).
To the lady (PH) who kindly emailed us regarding the use of Audio. We are looking at this and hope to be able to provide this facility in the near future. Unfortunately you email box is full so i cannot reply formally.
Records show a cricket match played at Knowle between “12 of Knowle against 12 of Norton “in 1859. According to Arthur Waugh’s book – One Mans Road – “in 1878 some sportsmen conceived the idea of a Cricket Club in a field across the meadow on the skirts of Withies Lane”.
Hampset was founded by two old boys of City of Bath Boys’ School – Brian Martin, who supported HAMPshire, and Ken Saunders, who was supported SomerSET. Their aim was to provide club cricket at an affordable price for school leavers wanting to continue playing. The first match was on 27 July 1940 against Odd Down at Odd Down Playing Fields.
The Tetton Park estate, Kingston St Mary is the former home of career diplomat and Somerset batsman Mervyn Herbert.
Herbert scored 854 runs in 42 matches, top scoring with a score of 78 at a batting average of 12.02 in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Marvin Herbert was born in 1882 at Highclere Castle, which was used as the set of Downton Abbey.
If you know of any place in Somerset connected to the history of Somerset cricket, you are more than welcome to let us know
Somerset Stragglers Cricket Club are a long established Nomadic cricket club playing on perfect Somerset & Devon pitches. This year (2022) will see us playing 15 midweek friendly fixtures, including a short tour to North Devon/Cornwall!
An audio version of the article can be listened to below.
On this day May 4th 1957 Bill Alley made his debut for Somerset v Lancashire. His best season was his testimonial season in 1961 when, at the age of forty-two, he scored over 3,000 runs for Somerset.
A distinctly underwhelmed Ian Botham wad presented with a cake on his 22nd birthday by England tour manager Ken Barrington. Botham was at the airport ready to leave for that winter’s tour of Pakistan and New Zealand
Ten Test cricketers played in this match watched by 11,000 spectators in searing heat. Somerset won by 59 runs, Brian Rose 128, Joel Garner 5/30
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That year Somerset played Middlesex at Lords in the final and it rained 3 days and they played a 15 over game late on the Friday lost toss batted first and lost game . Brian Close again feeling everything was against Somerset in his last year as captain.
http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1977/ENG_LOCAL/GLTE/MIDDX_SOMERSET_GLTE_26AUG1977.html
Great support for Anthony Gibson, the voice of Somerset Cricket on BBC Radio and a Museum Trustee from Vic Marks in Wisden 2022
I just saw your memory of Bill Andrews, who was my Great Uncle, by Mr. Mike Tarr, and thought I would drop you a line.
I have heard many stories about him and read his book about being a Professional Cricketer.
He played Cricket with me in about 1958 in Highbridge, I think. It was in his back garden and I was a 5 year old. He told me that if I wanted to play cricket I would have to face his type of bowling. He gave me his bat that was over the Fire Place and practiced with me. I was scared stiff and it felt real when he bowled. Then he put the bat away and got some bottles in his wall and started shooting at them with a pellet gun.
I did not realise that he was showing me an important lesson in life and even at 5 years of age I remember thinking what a great bloke. My Dad never did anything like that with me?
I never saw him play but, my Dad told me about him and I read his book. I heard in latter life that he was influential in Ian Botham’s development at Millfield School
As a Cricketer, not as a Scholar, Ahhhhhh
Is that true, or just wishful thinking. I remember he had huge hands and was a big guy.
We lived in Wiltshire so I did not see him too often. His brother was my Grandad who moved to Wiltshire to work in the Railways.
Gary later added: His book was interesting because, I think, Cricket was a bit of a Gentleman’s game and he was a rough diamond.
He had to fight to become a Professional Cricketer and then the Second World War probably stopped him from playing for England. There was another cricketer at Somerset who was very good but my Uncle Bill clashed with due to his background. This may be sour grapes, but my dad told me he was a tough cookie and could be argumentative and confrontational.
Ian Botham had a strong character, maybe Uncle Bill instilled that into him Ahhh.
We are very grateful to Brigid Riddell for two donations from her fathers cricket collection. An autographed salver commemorating the SCCC wins in the Gillette Cup and John Player League in 1979 and tankard presented to her father for his role as President of the Somerset Wyverns between 1984 and 1986.
Scorecard detailing Derbyshire’s then record score of 707-7 at Taunton in 2005 – the record was broken two years later when they made 801-8 on the same ground…Even James Hildreth had 4 overs.
John Challen was a classic schoomaster amateur who popularised the game, playing most of his 52 matches for Somerset in the summer holidays when the professionals had to step to one side. He scored 1656 runs at 19.71 as well as taking 16 wickets
He played between 1884 and 1899 but never more than 11 times in any season. A good footballer, he turned out four times for the Wales national side.
by Harry Everett (Journalist and Broadcaster)
I had the privilege to commentate on Sonny Baker’s first ball and first over in professional cricket, v Derbyshire in July 2021 and I cannot remember being more impressed by an 18-year-old on debut. I had already heard lots about this young man from Devon Dumplings teammates who played with him at Kings College and how he ripped through school cricket with in-swinging yorkers. Of course, many had seen the clip that went viral of him doing just that. But there is more to his game than that super strength. It is a travesty injury ceased him from showcasing his skills on the World Stage at the U19 World Cup alongside James Rew and George Thomas. But that 3-46 on debut is one I have watched back on the Somerset YouTube Channel multiple times since-time very well spent. Ned Leonard and Kasey Aldridge will both get further chances in the 2022 season, having been mostly used in the Royal London Cup (RLC) last summer.
Continue reading “The successes of the Somerset Academy (the last 5-6 years) – Part 2”A lovely shot of Somerset’s Wally Luckes running out Middlesex’s Tom Enthoven at Lord’s in June 1928. Luckes was Somerset’s keeper either side of WW2, playing 365 times for them between 1924 and 1949.
By Martin Chandler first published August 2021
Somerset County Cricket Club was formed in 1875, and first competed in the County Championship in 1891, the second summer of the formally organised competition. There have been a number of histories of the club, the first being Ron Roberts’ Sixty Years of Somerset Cricket, a comprehensive look back at the county’s years in the Championship, published in 1952.
Continue reading “Somerset in Print by Martin Chandler”On this day in 1980…
Cricketing legend Ian Botham made his debut as a footballer for Scunthorpe United, coming on as a sub in the Division 4 match at Bournemouth.
On the 26 September 2019 I stood bereft on a damp outfield watching Marcus Trescothick, cap in hand, leaving the field for the very last time. An emotional crowd aware that a departing wave saw the end of a 26 year playing career that had embedded itself in the very fabric of the Somerset stands. Not only was there no fairy tale end but Somerset had to once again watch as the trophy, fingertip width from their grasp, was presented to a jubilant Essex and to add insult to injury it looked likely that the quality of the pitch would be called into question. This, I thought, was as difficult a day to stomach as I was likely to have to face in my Somerset support.
By Harry Everett (Journalist and Broadcaster)
In a two-part article I will review the great success of some key names who have come through the Somerset Academy into the first team to play county cricket.
First team regulars for a while now: Ben Green, Tom Lammonby, Lewis Goldsworthy, George Bartlett, Max Waller, Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory, Jack Leach.
More recently: Ned Leonard, Kasey Aldridge and even the much-maligned-by-injury Ollie Sale. And the three current England U19 lads get a mention later on and those who have moved on: Nathan Gilchrist, Eddie Byrom, Dom Bess, Jamie Overton
Continue reading “The successes of the Somerset Academy (the last 5-6 years) – Part 1.”Stragglers Coffee House to re-open on Wednesdays from March 23rd
by Mike Tarr (Artist and Museum Trustee)
This is a story about Bill Andrews, the great Somerset bowler (all-rounder?) who was the manager of the Somerset 2nd XI when I played for the club.
I was very fond of Bill and regret that through no fault of his own, he comes out of this on the wrong side of events, which I am sure may have happened a few times in his working days for Somerset CCC.
Continue reading “Bill Andrews (1908-1989)”By Anthony Gibson (Broadcaster, Writer and Museum Trustee)
When I look back on Somerset’s season from the commentary box of my mind, I see Tom Abell standing defiant, like the boy on the burning deck, amidst the wreckage of the top order batting; I see Craig Overton pounding in for over after relentless over; I see Ben Green leading out his young team in the One Day Cup; and I see all three of our captains explaining honestly, manfully and sometimes almost tearfully what, in the final analysis, went wrong.
Continue reading “The view from the commentary box 2021 (by A.Gibson)”Somerset v Hampshire in 1978, with Mike Taylor batting for the visitors and his twin, Derek, keeping wicket and Vic Marks, bowling
Sir Viv Richards, playing for Somerset in the 1970s at Weston super Mare (Photos courtesy Stephen Hope).
Text from ESPCricinfo
Words echoed around the stand ‘I can hardly believe it!’, ‘ Great to be back’, ‘It’s been a long time!’, ‘It’s nice to be here again’. There’s a buzz around the ground again and it is palpable.
10:30 and the Toss is being held – Tom Abell and James Vince shake hands – Hampshire win the toss and elect to have a bowl.
Josh Davey, Lewis Gregory, Jack Brooks and Marchand de Langer are warming up in front of us after the traditional game of football, the anticipation of play is starting to rise amongst the assembled members.
11:00 Play Commences – Cricket and the Somerset Supporters are back at the CACG.
Hampshire were admitted to the County Championship for the first time in 1895. Just like this year, their first match of the season was against Somerset (although unlike 2022 it was at Taunton). Here is the 1895 side, with Russell Bencraft (centre) captain.
The scorecard from one of the most remarkable Derbyshire CCC games at the Queen’s Park in 1947. All over in a day, Derbyshire win by an innings, George Pope 13-50.
Photo and stats courtesy of @dgriffinpix
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