Somerset County Cricket Club in 1948

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Somerset County Cricket Club
1948 season
Captain Mandy Mitchell-Innes ,
Jake Seamer,
George Woodhouse
County Championship 12th (of 17)
Most runs Harold Gimblett (1,741) [1]
Most wickets Horace Hazell (92) [2]
Most catches Maurice Tremlett (26) [1]
Most wicket-keeping dismissals Wally Luckes (55) [1]
← 1947 1949 →

In the 1948 season, Somerset County Cricket Club competed in the County Championship, finishing twelfth out of seventeen teams. They were officially captained by three amateurs through the season; initially by Mandy Mitchell-Innes; then by Jake Seamer; and finally by George Woodhouse. The strains on consistent leadership were reflected in Somerset's variable form: after failing to win their first eight matches. Somerset did not win, lose or draw twice in consecutive matches in their following eight matches. In all, they won five times that season, and depended heavily upon the batting of Harold Gimblett, who scored 1,741 runs, and was Somerset's only player to score a century.

Contents

Other than Gimblett, only two Somerset batsmen scored over 1,000 runs in the County Championship, Bertie Buse and Miles Coope, but both players did so at a significantly lower average. The team's bowling was led Horace Hazell, who claimed 92 wickets in the Championship. Maurice Tremlett, who had been highly praised for his performance on debut in 1947 continued to show promise, scoring over 1,000 first-class runs in all first-class matches and claiming 86 wickets, positioning himself as the county's leading all-rounder.

Background

County cricket had sojourned during the Second World War, and only returned in 1946. Most of the players had seen war service in some form or another, and very few of them had played much cricket of any form, which resulted in a temporary drop in quality. As most of the players were the same as those from before the war, it also meant that the average age of a county cricketer was higher than usual. [3] The social change that was occurring all around Great Britain also had an effect on county cricket, and at Somerset it resulted in their professional players gathering together to ask for better playing conditions and greater pay. Despite these changes, and the relative weakness of amateur players in comparison to the professionals, Somerset, as like many other counties, insisted on naming amateurs as captains. [3] In 1946, Bunty Longrigg, who had captained Somerset before the war had resumed his duties, but he retired at the end of the season as was replaced by Jack Meyer for 1947. Meyer had reluctantly agreed to captain the side in the absence of any other candidates, but stepped down at the end of his single season, citing his fading eyesight and lumbago. [4]

Somersetshire will be captained by three amateurs in rotation, N. S. Mitchell-Innes in May, J. W. Seamer in June and part of July and G. E. S. Woodhouse for the rest of the season.

— Manchester Guardian, 1948 [5]

As a result of Meyer's resignation, the Somerset committee was once more required to recruit a captain for the following season. Still limiting themselves by requiring an amateur to take on the role—Somerset would not appoint a professional captain until 1956— [6] the committee found that there was no player "of a suitable pedigree who could make himself available for the whole summer." [7] So, with no single candidate suitable, the Somerset committee announced that the club would be captained by three players; first by Mandy Mitchell-Innes and then by Jake Seamer during their respective periods of leave from the Sudan Political Service. Once both of these had returned to their duties, George Woodhouse would take over. [5] In his history of Somerset County Cricket Club, Peter Roebuck describes the situation as a "remarkable state of affairs", [5] while David Foot suggests that the true number of captains was closer to seven. [7]

Squad

The following players made at least one appearance for Somerset in first-class matches. Age given is at the start of Somerset's first match of the season (5 May 1948).

Key
NameNationalityBirth dateBatting styleBowling styleAppsRef
Les Angell Flag of England.svg England 29 June 1922 (aged 25)Right-handed—2 [8]
John Barnwell Flag of England.svg England 23 June 1914 (aged 33)Right-handedRight-arm medium1 [9]
Paddy Bucklan Flag of England.svg England 24 September 1916 (aged 31)Left-handedLeft-arm fast-medium 1 [10]
Bertie Buse Flag of England.svg England 5 August 1910 (aged 37)Right-handedRight-arm medium28 [11]
Fred Castle Flag of England.svg England 8 April 1909 (aged 39)Right-handedRight-arm leg break 5 [12]
Miles Coope Flag of England.svg England 28 November 1916 (aged 31)Right-handedRight-arm leg break 29 [13]
Harold Gimblett Flag of England.svg England 19 October 1914 (aged 33)Right-handedRight-arm medium23 [14]
Peter Graham Flag of England.svg England 27 December 1920 (aged 27)Right-handedRight-arm fast 6 [15]
Horace Hazell Flag of England.svg England 30 September 1909 (aged 38)Left-handed Left-arm orthodox spin 29 [16]
Eric Hill Flag of England.svg England 9 July 1923 (aged 24)Right-handed—22 [17]
Trevor Jones Flag of England.svg England 9 April 1920 (aged 28)Right-handedRight-arm leg break 2 [18]
George Langdale Flag of England.svg England 11 March 1916 (aged 32)Left-handedRight-arm off break 4 [19]
Johnny Lawrence Flag of England.svg England 29 March 1911 (aged 37)Right-handedRight-arm leg break and googly 24 [20]
Wally Luckes  †Flag of England.svg England 1 January 1901 (aged 47)Right-handed—27 [21]
Jack Meyer Flag of England.svg England 15 March 1905 (aged 43)Right-handedRight-arm slow-medium2 [22]
Mandy Mitchell-Innes  (captain)Flag of England.svg England 7 September 1914 (aged 33)Right-handedRight-arm medium5 [23]
Jim Redman Flag of England.svg England 1 March 1926 (aged 22)Right-handedRight-arm fast-medium 2 [24]
Stuart Rogers Flag of England.svg England 18 March 1923 (aged 25)Right-handed—7 [25]
Jake Seamer  (captain)Flag of England.svg England 23 June 1913 (aged 34)Right-handedRight-arm leg break and googly 11 [26]
Harold Stephenson  †Flag of England.svg England 18 July 1920 (aged 27)Right-handed—8 [27]
Michael Sutton Flag of England.svg England 29 March 1921 (aged 27)Right-handedRight-arm off break 1 [28]
Maurice Tremlett Flag of England.svg England 5 July 1923 (aged 24)Right-handedRight-arm fast-medium 28 [29]
Tony Vickery Flag of England.svg England 26 August 1925 (aged 22)Right-handed—3 [30]
Micky Walford Flag of England.svg England 27 November 1915 (aged 32)Right-handed Left-arm orthodox spin 4 [31]
Hugh Watts Flag of England.svg England 4 March 1922 (aged 26)Left-handedRight-arm leg break 10 [32]
Arthur Wellard Flag of England.svg England 8 April 1902 (aged 46)Right-handedRight-arm off break, Right-arm fast-medium 21 [33]
George Woodhouse  (captain)Flag of England.svg England 15 February 1924 (aged 24)Right-handedRight-arm medium14 [34]
Compiled from County Championship batting statistics, [1] and three other matches, against Glamorgan, [35] Oxford University, [36] and the Australians. [37]

County Championship

Season standings

Note: Pld = Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, LWF = Lost but won on 1st innings, DW1 = Won on 1st innings in drawn match played under 1-day rules, DL1 = Lost on 1st innings in drawn match played under 1-day rules, DWF = Won on 1st innings in drawn match, DLF = Lost on 1st innings in drawn match, ND = No Decision on 1st innings, Pts = Points, (C) = Champions.

TeamPldWLLWFDW1DL1DWFDLFNDPts
Glamorgan (C)26134100332172
Surrey 26128110310168
Middlesex 26134000171160
Yorkshire 26111300371156
Lancashire 26820001411152
Derbyshire 26116000432148
Warwickshire 2696100532132
Gloucestershire 2695101451128
Hampshire 2696200171120
Worcestershire 2667100741104
Leicestershire 2661010053196
Somerset2651040042192
Essex 265620047284
Nottinghamshire 265910045280
Kent 2641100073176
Sussex 2641010055172
Northamptonshire 2638100311052
Source: CricketArchive [38]

Match log

No.DateOpponentsVenueResultRef
18–11 May Derbyshire County Ground, Taunton Lost by 4 wickets [39]
215–18 May Gloucestershire County Ground, TauntonLost by an innings and 58 runs [40]
319–21 May Middlesex Lord's, London Lost by 10 wickets [41]
422–25 May Glamorgan St. Helen's, Swansea Lost by 137 runs [42]
529 May–1 June Warwickshire Rowdens Road, Wells Drawn [43]
62–3 June Essex County Ground, TauntonLost by 9 wickets [44]
75–7 June Derbyshire Rutland Recreation Ground, Ilkeston Lost by 11 runs [45]
89–11 June Yorkshire St George's Road, Harrogate Drawn [46]
912–15 June Worcestershire New Road, Worcester Won by 3 wickets [47]
1019–22 June Hampshire Recreation Ground, Bath Lost by 36 runs [48]
1126–29 June Nottinghamshire Recreation Ground, BathWon by an innings and 25 runs [49]
1230 June–1 July Lancashire Aigburth, Liverpool Lost by an innings and 1 run [50]
133–6 July Northamptonshire Town Ground, Kettering Drawn [51]
147–9 June Lancashire County Ground, TauntonLost by 9 wickets [52]
1510–13 July Warwickshire Courtaulds Ground, Coventry Drawn [53]
1617–20 July Leicestershire Agricultural Showgrounds, Frome Won by 166 runs [54]
1721–23 July Kent Mote Park, Maidstone Lost by 10 wickets [55]
1824–27 July Worcestershire County Ground, TauntonLost by 174 runs [56]
1928–30 July Hampshire Dean Park, Bournemouth Won by 212 runs [57]
2031 July–3 August Gloucestershire Ashley Down Ground, Bristol Drawn [58]
214–6 August Sussex Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare Lost by 6 wickets [59]
227–10 August Glamorgan Clarence Park, Weston-super-MareLost by 8 runs [60]
2311–13 August Surrey Clarence Park, Weston-super-MareLost by 8 wickets [61]
2414–17 August Essex County Ground, Chelmsford Won by 6 wickets [62]
2518–20 August Sussex The Saffrons, Eastbourne Drawn [63]
2621–24 August Yorkshire County Ground, TauntonDrawn [64]

Batting averages

PlayerMatches Innings Runs Average Highest score 100s 50s
Harold Gimblett 20371,74148.36310410
Bertie Buse 25451,20828.0998*08
Miles Coope 26481,10723.558908
George Woodhouse 132448423.047503
Maurice Tremlett 264692422.0096*03
Arthur Wellard 183148018.466001
Eric Hill 214067016.758503
Johnny Lawrence 233960416.327304
Qualification: 400 runs. Source: CricketArchive [1]

Bowling averages

PlayerMatches Balls Wickets Average BBI 5wi 10wm
Horace Hazell 265,1799219.457/3570
Johnny Lawrence 233,3277621.576/2961
Maurice Tremlett 264,2368024.828/3140
Arthur Wellard 183,6435030.086/8010
Bertie Buse 252,8513437.323/2100
Qualification: 30 wickets. Source: CricketArchive [2]

Other first-class

Match log

No.DateOpponentsVenueResultRef
15–7 May Glamorgan Rodney Parade, Newport Lost by 98 runs [65]
223–25 June Oxford University Recreation Ground, Bath Lost by 125 runs [66]
328–30 August Australians County Ground, Taunton Lost by an innings and 374 runs [67]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Batting and Fielding for Somerset: County Championship 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Bowling for Somerset: County Championship 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  3. 1 2 Foot (1986), pp. 147–148.
  4. ↑ Roebuck (1991), p. 232.
  5. 1 2 3 Roebuck (1991), p. 242.
  6. ↑ Roebuck (1991), pp. 271–272.
  7. 1 2 Foot (1986), p. 155.
  8. ↑ "Player Profile: Les Angell". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  9. ↑ "Player Profile: John Barnwell". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  10. ↑ "Player Profile: Joe Buckland". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  11. ↑ "Player Profile: Bertie Buse". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  12. ↑ "Player Profile: Fred Castle". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  13. ↑ "Player Profile: Miles Coope". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  14. ↑ "Player Profile: Harold Gimblett". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  15. ↑ "Player Profile: Peter Graham". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  16. ↑ "Player Profile: Horace Hazell". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  17. ↑ "Player Profile: Eric Hill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  18. ↑ "Player Profile: Trevor Jones". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  19. ↑ "Player Profile: George Langdale". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  20. ↑ "Player Profile: Johnny Lawrence". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  21. ↑ "Player Profile: Wally Luckes". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  22. ↑ "Player Profile: Jack Meyer". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  23. ↑ "Player Profile: Norman Mitchell-Innes". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  24. ↑ "Player Profile: Jim Redman". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  25. ↑ "Player Profile: Stuart Rogers". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  26. ↑ "Player Profile: Jake Seamer". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  27. ↑ "Player Profile: Harold Stephenson". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  28. ↑ "Player Profile: Michael Sutton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  29. ↑ "Player Profile: Maurice Tremlett". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  30. ↑ "Player Profile: Alan Vickery". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  31. ↑ "Player Profile: Micky Walford". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  32. ↑ "Player Profile: Hugh Watts". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  33. ↑ "Player Profile: Arthur Wellard". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  34. ↑ "Player Profile: George Woodhouse". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  35. ↑ "Glamorgan v Somerset: Other First-Class matches in England 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  36. ↑ "Somerset v Oxford University: University Match 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  37. ↑ "Somerset v Australians: Australia in British Isles 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  38. ↑ "County Championship 1948 Table". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  39. ↑ "Somerset v Derbyshire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  40. ↑ "Somerset v Gloucestershire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  41. ↑ "Middlesex v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  42. ↑ "Glamorgan v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  43. ↑ "Somerset v Warwickshire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  44. ↑ "Somerset v Essex". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  45. ↑ "Derbyshire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  46. ↑ "Yorkshire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  47. ↑ "Worcestershire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  48. ↑ "Somerset v Hampshire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  49. ↑ "Somerset v Nottinghamshire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  50. ↑ "Lancashire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  51. ↑ "Northamptonshire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  52. ↑ "Somerset v Lancashire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  53. ↑ "Warwickshire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  54. ↑ "Somerset v Leicestershire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  55. ↑ "Kent v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  56. ↑ "Somerset v Worcestershire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  57. ↑ "Hampshire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  58. ↑ "Gloucestershire v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  59. ↑ "Somerset v Sussex". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  60. ↑ "Somerset v Glamorgan". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  61. ↑ "Somerset v Surrey". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  62. ↑ "Essex v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  63. ↑ "Sussex v Somerset". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  64. ↑ "Somerset v Yorkshire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  65. ↑ "Glamorgan v Somerset: Other First-Class matches in England 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  66. ↑ "Somerset v Oxford University: University Match 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  67. ↑ "Somerset v Australians: Australia in British Isles 1948". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 June 2011.

Bibliography

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