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An Evening with Joel Garner a Great Success

Joel Garner, one of Somerset’s most successful bowlers of all time, was back in town this week and on Wednesday he spent the evening in the County Room regaling the packed room with stories from his life and cricketing career.

‘An Evening with Joel Garner’ more than lived up to all expectations with more than 150 guests enjoying an outstanding curry buffet before the man himself arrived to a standing ovation.

The first part of the evening saw the record breaking bowler engaging in conversation about his humble upbringing on Barbados, how he started out on his cricketing journey and how he ended up in England playing for Littleborough.

Talk then turned to his incredible career at Somerset, where he was an integral member of the Glory Years side of the late 70s and early 80s.

The second part of the evening involved a watch-along of the BBC TV highlights of the 1979 Gillette Cup and 1981 Benson and Hedges Cup finals. Pete Trego and Joel discussed the finals as the footage played.

Joel then answered questions from the floor, during which it was obvious the affection that those present had for this mild mannered polite giant of a man, who obviously loves Somerset as much as Somerset loves him.

The final part of the evening saw the West Indian legend name is ultimate cricketing XI based on those he had played with and against.

Joels XI was- Gordon Greenidge, Sunil Gavaskar, Viv Richards, Alvin Kallicharan, Lawrence Rowe, Greg Chappell, Deryck Murray or Derek Taylor (wkt), Ian Botham, Garfield Sobers, Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts and Dennis Lillee. Asked to nominate a 12th man Joel came up with Dennis Breakwell who would lift the spirits of everyone whatever was happening out on the field.

All too soon it was time to go home but not before Big Bird received another standing ovation and told everyone that if he had his time all over again he would come to Somerset to play cricket, a place where he still had so many friends.

Afterwards many of those who had been enthralled by the Joel’s memories stayed behind to chat, asked for autographs and took selfies.

Among those in the audience was long time Somerset supporter David Holmes who had one of Joel Garners cricket boots that had been tossed into the crowd after the John Player League victory in 1979. Joel talked about how he had all his cricket boots specially made and wondered where the other one had gone to!

Also present was Roy Kerslake, who was Chairman of Cricket during the Glory Years, who Joel spoke so highly of during the course of the evening.

This was a very special Somerset cricketing occasion that was enjoyed by everyone who attended – especially Joel Garner!