Somerset County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Somerset. Founded in 1875,Somerset was initially regarded as a minor county until official first-class status was acquired in 1895. Somerset has competed in the County Championship since 1891 and has subsequently played in every top-level domestic cricket competition in England. The club's limited overs team was formerly named the Somerset Sabres,but is now known only as Somerset.
William Eric Bowes was an English professional cricketer active from 1929 to 1947 who played in 372 first-class matches as a right arm fast bowler and a right-handed tail end batsman. He took 1,639 wickets with a best performance of nine for 121 and completed ten wickets in a match 27 times. He scored 1,531 runs with a highest score of 43* and is one of very few major players whose career total of wickets taken exceeded his career total of runs scored. He did not rate himself as a fielder but he nevertheless held 138 catches.
Frederick Edward Rumsey is an English former cricketer who founded the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) in 1967. He played five Test matches for England against Australia,South Africa &New Zealand in the mid-1960s. Rumsey played county cricket for Worcestershire,Somerset and Derbyshire.
Lionel Charles Hamilton Palairet was an English amateur cricketer who played for Somerset and Oxford University. A graceful right-handed batsman,he was selected to play Test cricket for England twice in 1902. Contemporaries judged Palairet to have one of the most attractive batting styles of the period. His obituary in The Times described him as "the most beautiful batsman of all time". An unwillingness to tour during the English winter limited Palairet's Test appearances;contemporaries believed he deserved more Test caps.
Roy Kilner was an English professional cricketer who played nine Test matches for England between 1924 and 1926. An all-rounder,he played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1911 and 1927. In all first-class matches,he scored 14,707 runs at an average of 30.01 and took 1,003 wickets at an average of 18.45. Kilner scored 1,000 runs in a season ten times and took 100 wickets in a season five times. On four occasions,he completed the double:scoring 1,000 runs and taking 100 wickets in the same season,recognised as a sign of a quality all-rounder.
Joe Ambler was an English professional first-class cricketer who made eight appearances in county cricket during the 1880s,playing for both Yorkshire and Somerset. A right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium paced bowler,Ambler also kept wicket on occasion.
Leonard Charles Braund was a cricketer who played for Surrey,Somerset and England.
George Gibson Macaulay was a professional English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1920 and 1935. He played in eight Test matches for England from 1923 to 1933,achieving the rare feat of taking a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket. One of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1924,he took 1,838 first-class wickets at an average of 17.64 including four hat-tricks.
Wilfred Barber was a professional first-class cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1926 to 1947. He played two Test matches for England in 1935 against South Africa. An opening batsman with an excellent batting technique,Barber often batted in the middle order. He scored 16,402 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 34.28 with 29 centuries. Barber made his debut in 1926 and made several appearances over the next few seasons. Despite a sound defence,Barber did not secure a regular first team place until 1932. He scored a thousand runs for the first time that season,a feat he was to achieve eight times,while he scored over 2,000 runs in 1935. Until the Second World War broke out,Barber continued as a regular member of the Yorkshire side. After the war,he played one more full season before retiring in 1947. His career continued in club cricket and he went on to coach local sides before his death in 1968.
Thomas Francis Smailes was an English cricketer,who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club,and one Test match for England. He was one of Yorkshire's main players in the club's outstanding years,when they won eight County Championships out of ten.
Cedric Nigel Boyns is an English former cricketer who played at first-class level for a few years in the late 1970s.
Michael Burns 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.
Jeremy David Batty is an English former professional cricketer,who played for Yorkshire and Somerset as a right-handed batsman,and off spin bowler.
Ian James Houseman is an English first-class cricketer,who played five matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1989 and 1991.
Melville Ryan was an English professional cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1954 to 1965. He was born in Huddersfield,and died in the Kirkland Hospice at Dalton in Huddersfield.
Graham Atkinson was a cricketer who played first-class and List A cricket for Somerset and Lancashire. He was born in Lofthouse,Wakefield,Yorkshire,England.
Edward Sainsbury was an English cricketer who represented,and captained,Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. During a 10-year first-class cricket career,he also represented Gloucestershire and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
John Lawrence was a diminutive Yorkshire-born cricketing all-rounder whose middle or lower order batting and leg-break and googly bowling were of great importance to Somerset in the 10 cricket seasons immediately after the Second World War.
Thomas Gregg was an English professional cricket player who played 35 first-class matches for Gloucestershire and Somerset in the 1880s. He was born in Nottinghamshire,where he had trials to play cricket,but he moved south after failing to make the county team. He was misused in his solitary match for Somerset in 1883,but his ability as a fast bowler was identified by Gloucestershire,and he played regularly there from 1884 until 1886. He made his final first-class appearance in 1889,finishing his career with 55 wickets. He died at the age of 36 after suffering general paralysis.
Harry "Joe" Griffin played first-class county cricket for Somerset in 1898 and 1899. As a slow left-arm bowler,he was employed as a professional by Todmorden Cricket Club in the Lancashire League before being recruited by Somerset. He played four matches for the county,but his bowling action was questioned,with suggestions that he was guilty of throwing. He continued to play club cricket for Street for many years after.
