Katharine Victoria Winks (born 16 March 1978) is a former international cricketer who represented England in seven One Day Internationals and played for the West of England and Somerset. She was a right-arm medium bowler and left-handed batter.
Katherine played for West of England in the Women’s Area Championship and latterly the Women’s County Championship between 1992 and 1999. After West of England were abolished, she played for Somerset in 2000. She also made four appearances for Midwest Women, including three in the Women’s Territorial Tournament and one tourist match against New Zealand.
The Somerset Team features both Steph Davies and Anya Shrubsole, both went on to be England players. Steph would have been aged 14, and Anya probably only aged 10.
Some notes re the above: Anya Shrubsole didn’t play that often for the U15’s. She was playing boys cricket at the time, and she often played u17’s as it was more challenging.
Also included are a couple of 4-fers, but no 5-fers. One U17 game has been included. The U17’s were short of players, so four U15s were called-up.
In terms of opposition: Beth Langston played for Essex, she was probably quite young then. She went on to make the England squad. Alex MacDonald played for Glos. She was an England academy player, and still plays for Yorkshire based Regional team(s). Lauren Onojaife (Essex) was also England Academy.
Nicole Richards played for Cornwall. She also played for Somerset Women at a later stage, and still plays for Western Storm and Welsh Fire. She married and became Nicole Harvey. Emma Plush and Karen Baker, both Kent, also made the England Academy set-up.
The photograph below was taken at the England players (Men & Women) cap presentation set up by Andrew Strauss, believed to be in 2017.The players below are 7 out of the 10 Bath/Somerset players who attended.
L-R Fran Wilson, Jackie Hawker, Kathryn Wilkins, Jan Godman, Hannah Knight, Katharine Winks and Anya Shrubsole. Sarah Collyer, Laura Harper, Steph Davies didn’t attend.
Taken in 2002 at the u15 County Championship semi-final against Kent. Jan Godman’s mother, Pat, is on the left. The others are. Back row, left to right; Jenny Withers, Bethan Smith, Annie Riccio (capt), Charlotte King, Katherine Feather, Hannah Williams, Lucy Allison (coach). Front row; Suzanne Powell, Anya Shrubsole, Liz Tilley, Laura Gladman, Kiri Purssy, Kayleigh Smart (12th).
Taken in 2004 a photo of the Somerset Girls U15 team, having won a trophy at a week long, residential County Development Tournament, in Hampshire.
It was a young side. Left of picture in maroon top is Lisa Pagett. Current Director of Western Storm. The then England player presenting the trophy, and in her England kit ( 4th from right) is Beth Morgan. Team manager/coach on the right is Lucy Allison. In the shadow somewhat next to Lisa is Frances Wilson (aged 12 or 13).
Taken c.2005, possibly 2006 the photo below features Tamara Gould ( back row, second from left) – she only played for these two seasons.
Back Row: Lucy Allison (manager & player), Tamara Gould (wk), Helen Davies, Laura Harper, Hannah Lloyd (c), Anya Shrubsole, Steph Davies, Richard Askew (coach)
It is believed that these are the correct names (at that time, as some have subsequently married and changed names). Anya was the youngest, probably around aged 13, Beth was 16, Jenny 17, Liz, Steph & Tamara 18, Coleen 19.
In the two photos below Laura Gladman is bowling in the nets against the Australia women’s team, in 2005 during a County U15s tournament/festival at Christ’s Hospital School in Sussex. The Aussie team were in the UK preparing for the Ashes series that summer, and training at the school. Is the foreground is Aussie fast bowler Kathryn Fitzpatrick (still regarded as the fastest female bowler of all time).
In the second photo, Laura Gladman (in Somerset whites), is preparing for the same nets session against the Aussie women. Four bowlers were selected from the Counties playing at the Tournament. Two others in the picture, in blue tops and caps, were Devon players. The player in the centre is Heather Knight. The one missing from the photo was Daisy Gardner (Hampshire player, we think).
From 2007. An U19 Somerset girls team (though mostly younger and in one case much younger.) This team includes Frances Wilson. She would have been aged 15 at that time.
Anya Shrubsoles’ younger sister, Lauren, is featured. She must have been 13 or so then, and the youngest in this team. Both Frances and Lauren went on to play many times for Somerset Women.
Weather was a problem in 2007. They were supposed to play 4x 50 over matches, but only one was completed, against Essex. Frances scored a half century, and Laura Gladman’s bowling figures were 9 overs 2 for 20. They also played a T20 game against Cornwall.
Notice the kit differences: Typically, the girls teams did not wear sponsored kit. And Sophie is wearing their usual kit. However, in 2007 the women’s team were wearing the Marston sponsored kit. The Pegasus sponsored kit was in the process of taking precedent, maybe the men were wearing this kit?
Stephen Cox Newton (21 April 1853 – 16 August 1916) was an English cricketer who represented, and captained, Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.
Newton assisted Somerset from 1876 until 1890. The county cricket club had only been formally set-up the previous year, and was seeking first-class status. The majority of matches played by Newton for the county between 1876 and 1878 are recorded by CricketArchive as being for the ‘Gentlemen of Somerset’, and are not categorised as first-class cricket, and although those from 1879 onwards are recorded as being for ‘Somerset’, they are generally regarded as remaining a ‘second-class’ of cricket.
Somerset gained first-class status in 1882, and retained it for four seasons. Newton was the club captain for the first three of these seasons, becoming the county’s first official captain.
He did not, however, appear in Somerset’s first three matches: as a schoolmaster in London, he only played for the county in late-July and August. In his first match as a first-class cricket captain, he top-scored in both innings, with 57 and 67, as Somerset lost to MCC by one wicket.
In his three years of first-class cricket for Somerset, he scored no centuries, five half-centuries, and averaged 24.56 with the bat, higher than he finished with any other first-class cricket side.
Newton returned to play three further matches for Somerset in 1887 and 1890, when they did not hold first-class status. He opened the innings for the county twice in 1887, passing 20 on three out of four occasions. During Somerset’s successful 1890 season, when they remained unbeaten against other county opposition, Newton batted at number four, scoring 3 and 0, his final recorded appearance for Somerset.
Thomas Benjamin Abell (born 5 March 1994) is an English first-class cricketer who plays for Somerset County Cricket Club.
Primarily a right-handed batter, he also bowls right-arm medium pace. Abell enjoyed a prolific cricket record while at Taunton School, where in 2012 he accumulated seven centuries and passed 50 in every innings he played at an average of 193, and he was named 2013 Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year. He made his Somerset first-class debut against Warwickshire in August 2014, scoring 95 in his first innings. He was appointed Somerset’s County Championship skipper for the 2017 season and is now the longest serving captain in the history of the Club
Christopher John Llewellyn Rogers (born 31 August 1977) is a former Australian cricketer who played for the Australian national team. Rogers is a left-handed opening batsman. He spent ten years playing for Western Australia, before moving to play for Victoria in 2008. He played county cricket in England for ten years representing five first-class teams: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex and Somerset.
In 2010, after relinquishing the Derbyshire captaincy to Greg Smith, Rogers joined Middlesex for the 2011 season, and was appointed captain of the first-class County Championship side in 2014.
In 2016 he joined Somerset, being appointed captain of the Championship side on his arrival. Rogers retired from first-class cricket at the end of the 2016 season; in his final match for Somerset he made twin hundreds in their 325-run victory over Nottinghamshire.
Marcus Edward Trescothick MBE (born 25 December 1975) is an English former cricketer who played for Somerset and represented England in 76 Test matches and 123 One Day Internationals. He was Somerset captain from 2010-16 and temporary England captain for several Tests and ODIs. Since retirement he has commentated and coached at both county and international level.
Justin Lee Langer (21 November 1970) is an Australian cricket coach and former cricketer. He is the former coach of the Australia men’s national team, having been appointed to the role in May 2018 and leaving in February 2022. A left-handed batsman, Langer is best known for his partnership with Matthew Hayden as Australia’s test opening batsmen during the early and mid-2000s, considered one of the most successful ever. Representing Western Australia domestically, Langer played English county cricket for Middlesex and also Somerset.
Despite his retirement from international cricket, Langer opted to continue to play first-class cricket, with Somerset announcing on the same day that he had agreed to return in 2007 as captain. Langer had said during his retirement announcement that he was relishing returning to Somerset: “There’s an amazing challenge at Somerset. They’re at the bottom of everything, and I’ve got a great regard for the coach over there and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”
On 20 July 2006, he made his highest first-class score of 342 playing for Somerset in a County Championship match against Surrey at the Woodbridge Road ground in Guildford. This was also the highest score ever by a Somerset batsman, breaking the record of Sir Viv Richards who made 322 against Warwickshire at Taunton in 1985, and is the 10th highest score in a first-class match in England. During his six-week spell at the club, Langer also enjoyed particular success in the Twenty20 competition, topping the batting charts along with fellow Australian Cameron White.
On 20 April 2007 he became the first Somerset player to score two triple centuries in the County Championship when he hit 315 against Middlesex in a match noted for its batting. Responding to a Middlesex first innings of 600, Somerset set a new ground record at the County Ground, Taunton with 850–7 declared. On 19 September 2007 it was announced that Langer would stay with Somerset (as captain) for the 2008 season. In 15 first-class matches for the county in 2007, Langer scored 1215 runs at 57.85 and a further 764 in one-day competitions.
Ian Blackwell, was born in Chesterfield and started off his playing career at Derbyshire, before moving to Somerset in 2000 following a dispute with Derbyshire captain Dominic Cork. He was appointed captain of Somerset for the last part of the 2005 season after the departure of Graeme Smith. Having been appointed official captain for 2006, he had shoulder surgery and missed almost all of the season.
After the 2008 season, Ian Blackwell left Somerset and joined Durham. Blackwell’s struggles with fitness and disagreements with the captain, Justin Langer, were also factors in his departure from Somerset.
Ian Blackwell made his Umpiring debut in First-class cricket in April 2015 in a match between Somerset and Durham MCC University at Taunton. He umpired his first match in the County Championship in April 2016.
Graeme Smith played county cricket for Somerset in the 2005 English cricket season, captaining the club for part of the 2005 season, and he scored a century in a tour match against the Australians in preparation for the 2005 Ashes series. Against Leicestershire at Taunton he scored his maiden first-class triple hundred (311 off 255 balls). He also hit 105 in the Twenty20 Cup match against Northamptonshire, which is currently the 15th highest score in the domestic Twenty20 Cup competition. Smith also captained the team to victory on finals day to secure the Twenty20 Cup trophy, making 64 not out from 47 balls in the final.
Michael Burns (born 6 February 1969) is an English first-class list cricket umpire and former first-class cricketer who played county cricket for Warwickshire and Somerset in a first-class career which spanned from 1992 until 2005. He also played Minor Counties cricket for Cumberland and Cornwall. An adaptable cricketer, he appeared for Cumberland and Warwickshire as a wicket-keeper, but when he moved to Somerset he developed into an aggressive batsman who bowled at medium-pace when needed.
For Somerset, Burns passed 1,000 first-class runs in a season twice, and was part of the team which won the 2001 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.
Mike provided Somerset with a batting all-rounder, particularly in one-day cricket in which he averaged 27 with the bat and 30 with the ball for the county. He took over as Somerset captain in 2003, primarily due to the lack of other suitable candidates. He continued in the role in the following year, though he was criticised throughout due to poor results, which at one stage resulted in a number of Somerset’s players being threatened with being sacked. He was replaced as captain in 2005 by Graeme Smith, and retired from first-class cricket at the end of that year.
Jamie Cox (born 15 October 1969) was an Australian cricketer and former opening batsman for Tasmania in Australia’s domestic competitions.
He then played county cricket in England where he captained Somerset. In 2001, and was playing county cricket for Somerset when the Australian tourists played.
At the end of the 2004 season with Somerset, Jamie Cox was dropped from the county team. Approaching retirement, as Tasmania failed to select him, after playing the occasional game in the next season, he announced his retirement from first-class cricket in March 2006.
Peter Duncan Bowler (born 30 July 1963) is a former English-born Australian cricketer who played for Leicestershire in 1986, Tasmania in 1986/87, Derbyshire from 1988 to 1994 and for Somerset from 1995 to 2004.
His top score in first-class cricket was 241 not out. Even in 1992, when he possessed his highest season average, of nearly 66 runs, he failed to get a call-up by the England selectors, particularly at a time when Derbyshire’s wickets were more suspect to being felled by clever seam bowlers.
However, come 1994, he had a very poor season, playing for Somerset, soon following this up with a 1997 and 1998 season where his problems were only exacerbated. He made something of a comeback in Derbyshire’s second placing of 2001, before they were relegated the following season. He spent two years in Division Two before retiring from the game.
During a twelve-year first-class career, Andy Hayhurst played for Lancashire, Somerset and Derbyshire. An effective all-rounder, he was unable to provide the necessary push to put him up for possible international candidacy. Highlights included helping Lancashire to win the 1988 Refuge Assurance Cup, taking 4-46 in the final, and helping Lancashire to win the 1989 Refuge Assurance League. With an average nearing 58 in 1990, in his first season for Somerset, he did not make such figures for the team until 1994, when he became captain of the team for the following three years.
Hayhurst left Somerset in 1996, and in the same year he was to become the assistant coach of Derbyshire.
Chris Tavaré moved to Somerset as captain in 1989, following a successful benefit in 1988. Tavaré put himself back in the selectors’ thoughts with an impressive televised unbeaten century, for which he was again made man of the match in a losing cause, in a Benson & Hedges Cup semi-final against Essex. Eventually he was recalled for one Test Match, the Third Test against Australia at Birmingham in the 1989 Ashes series. At this time Terry Alderman was enjoying rampant success against English batsman. Tavaré was unable to repeat his earlier success at frustrating Australian bowlers and was dismissed for two in what proved to be his final test innings.
Tamara was born in Timaru, Canterbury in New Zealand (south of Christchurch).
Tamara played for Canterbury Women, and as a schoolgirl was opening the batting for Canterbury alongside then England International Claire Taylor. Tamara came to the UK in 2005 as part of her cricket development. She played for Bath Cricket Club in the Women’s National League, and Somerset during this period.
During here spell with Somerset, Tamara was an enthusiastic and industrious wicketkeeper, and top-order batter.
After returning to New Zealand she played for Northern Districts, and New Zealand Women’s A Team. Tamara played for NZ A Team against an England Touring Team during 2008 that featured a Somerset team-mate Steph Davies. The NZ side that day included Rachel Priest and Holly Huddlestone.
Tamara returned to England for a few seasons to coach and play club Cricket at Weston-s-Mare.
Somerset Playing Statistics
Playing Period:
2005-06
Batting:
RHB
Appearances:
12
Bowling:
RA-LB (occasional)
Runs:
<200
Wickets:
N/a
Other Clubs: New Zealand A, Northern Districts, Canterbury
She played 70 games for Western Australia, and was selected for the Australian U23 side in 1998, and again in 2000, before moving to the UK
During her time the UK, Elwyn was a consistent and reliable top-order/opening batter. She played for Bath Cricket Club in the Women’s National League, and for Somerset where she was regularly in the runs.
Her top score for Somerset was 125 [against Surrey, in 2011], and she achieved a respectable batting average in the mid 30’s.
Somerset Playing Statistics
Playing Period:
2007-2013
Batting:
RHB
Appearances:
>45
Bowling:
N/a
Runs:
>1,450
Wickets:
N/a
Other Teams: Australia Academy & U23, Western Australia,
Fran was born in Surrey, but was living in Wiltshire when she first picked-up a cricket bat.
Fran excelled in the Somerset Youth teams, and hence earned her place in the Somerset Women’s County 1st team in 2006. Fran is a technically adept middle order bat, and an excellent fielder.
Following a fantastic season with the bat in the County Championships in 2010 for Somerset, she was selected for the England Squad in 2011. However a difficult start in International Cricket led to a period in the England Academy, before being selected again as a regular for the England team in 2015.
Fran left Somerset in 2015 to play for Middlesex in the County Championship Div 1, and then moved onto play for Kent in 2020
Fran was a member of the England World Cup (ODI) winning team in 2017, and was also a fixture in the Western Storm team that reached every final’s day during the KIA Super League period, and won the KSL title on two occasions. Fran was also part of the Oval Invincible’s team that won the inaugural Hundred trophy in 2021.
Fran retired from international cricket during 2021, and has since returned to professional domestic cricket to play for the Western Storm, and the Welsh Fire.
Other Teams: England Academy, Western Storm (2016-2019, 2022), Oval Invincibles (2021), Welsh Fire (2022), Middlesex CCC (2015-2020), Kent CCC (2020/21)
Born in Sussex. Caroline played most of her County Cricket for Sussex (1996-2012), and briefly joined Somerset in 2013.
In the longer forms of cricket Caroline was a solid and consistent opening bat, but often played a middle-order stabilising and finisher-role in T20s.
Caroline was a member of the England team to retain the Ashes in 2008. That same year she shared in a partnership of 268 with Sarah Taylor, which at that time was an ODI record; Caroline scored 145 in that partnership, her best international score. Caroline was also part of the England squad that did the double in 2009 when victorious in the Women’s ODI and T20i World Cups.
Caroline also played for South Australia in the period 2003-05
In 2013 she joined Somerset in a player/coach role. And in more recent years she has turned her hand solely to Coaching, and was the Coach of the Western Storm super league team in 2016.
Born in Bath, Somerset, Anya showed prodigious talent at youth level with bat and ball, although latterly has become best known for her swing bowling.
Anya was the first girl to join the Somerset Cricket Academy, at aged 13. She was called into the England Academy squad in 2007. She swiftly made her England International debut the following season, aged 16.
Anya was the first girl to join the Somerset Cricket Academy, at aged 13. She was called into the England Academy squad in 2007. She swiftly made her England International debut the following season, aged 16.
Anya was named Player of the Tournament in the 2014 T20i World Cup, and was also part of the successful England ODI World Cup winning sides of 2009 and 2017. And was on the cover of the 2018 Wisden, following her bowling success in the 2017 World Cup Final at Lords.
She became a constant in the England team, and became vice-captain for a period. Anya retired from international cricket in early 2022.
Anya is now a Player and Bowling Coach at the Southern Vipers and Southern Brave; and has captained the Southern Brave to two successive finals appearances.
IanTerence Botham. Hailed as one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of the game, Ian Botham represented England in both Test and One-Day International cricket. He played most of his first-class cricket for Somerset, and has been chairman of Durham County Cricket Club since 2017.
Brian Charles Rose (born 4 June 1950) was educated at Weston-super-Mare Grammar School for Boys and trained as a teacher before pursuing a successful county career with Somerset. He succeeded Brian Close as captain in 1978, and he led the county to their first ever trophies, the Gillette Cup and the John Player League, in 1979. The include world-class match winners in Ian Botham, Viv Richards and Joel Garner, county professionals and keen youngsters.
Brian made that infamous decision to declare Somerset’s innings closed in a 1979 Benson and Hedges Cup zonal match after one over, to ensure their progress through the group on run-rate. While within the rules, Somerset were ejected from the competition for bringing the game into disrepute, and Rose was condemned in the press.
In 270 first-class matches he scored 13,236 runs at 33.25 with a career best of 205. He resumed teaching after retiring from the first-class game, but maintained his involvement with Somerset. A past Chairman of Cricket, he became the Director of Cricket at Taunton, but stood down at the end of the 2012 season.
Dennis Brian Close, CBE (24 February 1931 – 13 September 2015) was the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked to play against New Zealand in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England, captaining them seven times to six wins and one drawn test. Close also captained Yorkshire and I later went on to captain Somerset, where he is widely credited with developing the county into a hard-playing team, and helping to mould Viv Richards and Ian Botham into the successful players they became.
After being sacked by Yorkshire, the 39-year-old Close received offers from many other counties but preferred to accept a non-captain’s role at Somerset.
The rest from the captaincy did Close good; he went through the 1971 season without injury, and scored 1,389 runs, including a century in his first game for Somerset and a century in the game against Yorkshire.
In 1972. he was awarded the CBE by the Queen for his services to cricket. Close was also promoted to Somerset captain.
During his time at Somerset Viv Richards and Ian Botham joined the county squad, and Close’s leadership and discipline helped them become great cricketers. Botham said of Close, “There was a genuine enthusiasm for cricket which rubbed off on all those playing alongside him. You couldn’t help but get excited by the game.”
Brian Close retired from county cricket at the end of the 1977 season.
Roy Cosmo Kerslake (born 26 December 1942, Paignton, Devon) is a former English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and Somerset and captained Somerset for one season in 1968. More recently he has served as president of Somerset County Cricket Club from 2004 to 2015.
In 1961, he played for Somerset’s second eleven in the Minor Counties that season, being part of the team that won the Minor Counties Championship for the first time.
In August 1962, he played for six times for Somerset’s first team, batting middle-order batsman, but did not bowl.
Roy played for Cambridge in the first half of the 1964 season and in the second half of the season, he again played regularly for Somerset. His best bowling figures, six for 83 were against Hampshire at Bournemouth.
After the 1964 season, Roy went into legal practice and did not play first-class cricket at all in the following three seasons. In 1968, however, following the retirement as Somerset captain of Colin Atkinson, he reappeared as captain of the side, but an injury before the start of the season meant that he was able to play in only one of the opening six matches.
At the end of that season, he returned to the law and did not play first-class cricket for the county side again.
Photo from SCCC Players, Photographs and Statistics – available in the Museum and Library
Colin Ronald Michael Atkinson CBE (23 July 1931 – 25 June 1991) was an English first-class cricketer, schoolmaster and the headmaster of Millfield School.
He played from 1951 to 1958 for Northumberland and Durham, then also a Minor County, and appeared for the Minor Counties representative side in the first-class match against the Indian touring side, his first first-class appearance.
Having joined the staff at Millfield, he was approached to join Somerset for the 1960 season, the new captain at Somerset that season being, like Atkinson, a Teessider, Harold Stephenson. In 1960, He only appeared in the school holidays, and took his first five-wicket haul, five for 56, against Kent at Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare.
In the following two seasons, released from his school duties for the summer terms, he played almost all matches for Somerset. He was awarded his county cap in 1961 and made his first half-centuries in 1962. His seven wickets for 54 runs against Gloucestershire at the County Ground, Taunton in 1962 remained his best bowling performance.
Then, at the end of the 1964 season, Harold Stephenson, stepped down from the Somerset captaincy and Atkinson was released from school duties to take the job for 1965. He was an instant success: Somerset led the County Championship table in June 1965, eventuality finishing seventh and third in 1966, equalling their then highest-ever placing in the Championship. His final duty in 1967, was to lead Somerset in the Gillette Cup knock-out final at Lord’s, but the game was a disappointment, and Kent won the match. (See the article The Forgotten Final by Richard Walsh).
Photo from SCCC Players, Photographs and Statistics – available in the Museum and Library
Harold William Stephenson (18 July 1920 – 23 April 2008) was an English first class cricketer who played for Somerset, who captained Somerset from 1960 until his retirement in 1964.
Harold Stephenson is the most successful wicket-keeper in history for Somerset, and is the county’s only cricketer to have taken 1000 dismissals. He also holds the county record for the most stumpings in a season as well as most catches in a season.
He joined Somerset for the 1948 season, but played in only eight matches. He kept wicket in only two of them, and was used mostly as an opening batsman, not with any great success.
The following season, however, he succeeded the long-serving Wally Luckes as the regular wicketkeeper and, despite missing half a dozen matches, he set a new county record for dismissals, with 39 catches and 44 stumpings.
The 1949 season set the pattern for Stephenson, he was at or near the top of the wicketkeepers’ lists for dismissals for the next decade, setting the Somerset record with 86 dismissals in 1954.
At end of the 1959 season, Maurice Tremlett, who had been Somerset’s captain since 1956, the first professional to hold the job in modern times, stood down from the job and Stephenson, at 39, was chosen to replace him.
He stayed in the captain’s job for five seasons and was successful: in 1963 he led the side to third place in the County Championship, equalling the best-ever position.
Stephenson retired from first-class cricket, apparently with some reluctance and continued to live in Taunton, but from 1965 to 1968 played regular Minor Counties cricket for Dorset. Apparently he didn’t return too often to the County Ground!
Photo from SCCC Players, Photographs and Statistics – available in the Museum and Library
Stuart Scott Rogers (18 March 1923 – 6 November 1969) played first-class cricket for Somerset and captained the side from 1950 to 1952.
After one first-class appearance in India in 1946–47, he joined Somerset as an amateur player in 1948, appearing in seven matches but making little impact.
At the end of the 1949 season, George Woodhouse, the Somerset captain, retired to the family brewery business. Somerset, who had struggled through 1948 under a series of temporary captains, were not keen to repeat the experience. Rogers was the only available amateur willing to commit to a full season, and was duly appointed captain for 1950.
Rogers captained Somerset for three seasons of mixed fortunes. The 1950 season saw the side finish equal seventh in the Championship, and eight victories were exceeded by only three teams
Rogers’ second season as Somerset captain, 1951, was more difficult than the first. Rogers made only 784 runs in Championship games with a top score of 58, although his season average and total was improved by an unbeaten 107 in 160 minutes against the South African touring team.This was to prove his highest score in first-class cricket. With both batting and bowling inadequacies, Somerset dropped back to 14th in the Championship, with only five victories and 15 defeats.
Worse followed in 1952 and Somerset fell to the bottom of the Championship table for the first time since 1913. At the end of the season he stood down from the captaincy, and though he appeared again in nine matches in 1953, he was not successful and left first-class cricket.
Photo from SCCC Players, Photographs and Statistics – available in the Museum and Library
George Edward Sealy Woodhouse (15 February 1924 – 19 January 1988) had two careers: one as a cricketer for Somerset and Dorset, the second as the chairman from 1962 to his death of the family brewing company Hall and Woodhouse. As a cricketer, he was known as George Woodhouse; as a businessman, he was known as Edward Woodhouse.
Woodhouse was a right-handed middle-order batsman, a very occasional medium-pace bowler and, once in his first-class career, a wicketkeeper. He played a couple of times for Somerset in 1946, and then fairly regularly in both 1947 and 1948, winning his county cap in 1947 after an innings of 109 against Leicestershire which proved to be his only first-class century.
In 1948, Somerset struggled to find a full-time captain, and Woodhouse officially shared the job with Mandy Mitchell-Innes and Jake Seamer, though at least two other players captained the side for occasional matches. In 1949, Woodhouse took over the captaincy full-time and played his only full season of cricket: he made 849 runs, though his highest score was only 59, at an average just below 20 runs an innings. He led the team to equal ninth in the County Championship table, and only three matches all season were drawn. But at the end of the season he stepped down to go into the family business, and he played only a few more times in first-class cricket, finally finishing in 1953.
John Wemyss “Jake” Seamer (23 June 1913 – 16 April 2006) was a right-handed batsman who played for Oxford University and Somerset either side of the Second World War.
Seamer joined the Sudan Political Service, which limited his first-class cricket appearances to periods of leave. He was named as one of three amateurs to captain Somerset in 1948, leading the team during June and July. That season was his last for Somerset, and he made only one further first-class appearance.
During his time at Oxford, Seamer had become good friends with Mitchell-Innes; the pair both attended the same college, and played together for both the university and Somerset.
Seamer did not appear again for Somerset after his period as captain in 1948. In total for the county, he scored 1,405 runs at an average of 15.61. He made his final first-class appearance the following season, appearing for the Free Foresters against Oxford University.
Photo from SCCC Players, Photographs and Statistics – available in the Museum and Library
Norman Stewart “Mandy” Mitchell-Innes (7 September 1914 – 28 December 2006) was an amateur cricketer for Somerset, who played in one Test match for England in 1935. Between 1931 and 1949 Mitchell-Innes played 132 first-class matches, appearing 69 times for Somerset, and 43 times for Oxford University. He made his debut for Somerset while he was still a schoolboy at the now, Lancashire CCC, out ground Sedbergh School in 1931.
Mitchell-Innes was named as one of three captains of Somerset in 1948. Jack Meyer had reluctantly captained the side in 1947, but stepped down at the end of the season: he was having problems with his sight, and required daily painkillers for lumbago. There was no obvious replacement for Meyer; like many counties Somerset would not consider having a professional captain, and finding an amateur with the time and money to lead the side was proving troublesome.
When Mitchell-Innes left the team for the Sudan, they were bottom of the County Championship with no points; they finished the season 12th of 17 after collecting 92 points, including five wins. Batting was identified as Somerset’s weakest area in both 1947 and 1948; Mitchell-Innes’ batting average of 22.20 placed him sixth in the county averages in 1948.
1949 was his last season of first-class cricket, and he played his final match in May 1949 against Hampshire and died on 28th December 2006.
Photo from SCCC Players, Photographs and Statistics – available in the Museum and Library
How you started playing: I grew up playing cricket in the garden with my brothers, and then had the opportunity to start at school too
Start date: I began at the age of 12 in the U13’s team
Successes: Playing at the Somerset County ground was a great experience for everyone
2022 players player.
Club: Loughborough University and Broadway & Horton Cricket Club Batting style: Right handed batter Bowling style: Right arm medium Occupation: Student at Loughborough university – biological sciences Best cricket achievement: Playing England ladies for a warm up match prior to the 2017 home World Cup
Daisy Jeanes playing at the Coopers Associates County Ground, Taunton
Born in South Wales. Steph was a gifted batter, and all-rounder. She was a prolific runs scorer when playing for Girls Somerset youth teams. She progressed seamlessly into the England Academy set-up, and was selected in the England Academy squad that were to participate in the European Championships, in 2005. Teammates in that squad were Laura Marsh, Holly Colvin and Sarah Taylor.
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
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
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 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.
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