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
I was lucky enough to be at the Cooper Associates County Ground for the last game of the 2019 season. Memories of Tom Abell scoring 45, Roelof van der Merwe 60 and, on that pulsating final day, Jack Leach’s 5 wickets fleetingly giving Somerset an outside chance of beating both Essex and the weather and as a consequence clinching the first-ever Championship for my county.
A bittersweet day in so many ways. Not just the sight of Essex lifting the trophy on our hallowed turf but a day that belonged in so many ways to Marcus Trescothick. Yes, I was there when Marcus joined the slip cordon for the final overs with it seemed, every Somerset fielder clustered around the bat and I was there when Tom Abell realised it was to no avail and offered Essex the draw. I stood there, drained of emotion, politely clapping the 2019 champions.
As I slowly left the County Ground that evening I said to the gentleman in the ticket office ‘See you next Year’ to which he replied ‘Winter Well’. Prophetic? Such memories, such poignant moments.
Rosie Dyke: It would be impossible to pick just 1. My grandma bowling to me and my brother on the outfield, John Abrahams (Lancashire) asking me to look after his cricket jumper whilst he fielded on the boundary, sitting with my Mum as the new T20 format unfolded, years of tears and smiles and frustration and elation. Introducing the wonderful club and game to my little boy, the next generation. The 5th generation of our family to be a member.
Mike Unwin: We used to travel by train from Montacute and arrive at the County Ground just in time for play to start – Fare 1/0d Return
If I recollect the first match that I attended would have been in August 1956 v Northamptonshire.
by Richard Walsh (Journalist and Museum Trustee)
Whenever people talk about Somerset’s success in one day cricket most refer to the period in the club’s history known as the `Glory Years, when between 1979 and 1983 the team won five one day trophies- four of which came in finals at Lord’s.
Many folk overlook the fact that Somerset had played in two finals before they enjoyed success – in 1978 when they lost to Sussex in what was the precursor to their run of success, and in 1967 when they lost to Kent. The match against Kent in 1967 is often the forgotten final because it was only the fifth year of the Gillette Cup and one day cricket was very much still in its infancy.
This summer marks the 55th anniversary of the match against Kent and recently I was lucky enough to be able to spend time in the company of Somerset stalwarts Ken Palmer and Peter Robinson who were members of the team on that long ago early autumn day.
Continue reading “The Forgotten Final – Somerset V Kent at Lord’s, September 1967”Following a presentation and demonstration of the refreshed website, the Museum Trustees have given their approval to move to the pre-production stage of the project.
It is planned to move the new website into a live environment before the start of the season.
By Chris Rew (Father of James Rew)
The 2022 Under 19 World Cup was eagerly anticipated after nearly two years of disruption to youth international cricket fixtures caused by the pandemic. Luckily, the tournament, held in the West Indies in January / February 2022 was relatively unaffected by Covid, although several teams lost a few players to isolation and Canada had to leave the plate tournament early when nine of their squad tested positive. The ICC, however, did a magnificent job of organisation in testing circumstances.
Continue reading “My reflections on the 2022 Under 19 World Cup”
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