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Somerset v Australia: A brief history – Part Two – The Interwar years
With the latest Ashes series set to get underway later this week, we thought we would take a look back on matches between Somerset and England’s old enemy.
The history of encounters between England and Australia and how the famous urn came into being are well documented, but the history of matches between Somerset and The Baggy Greens is less well known.
Let’s take a look back through the archives and look at some of the fixtures played between the two sides.
The advent of the First World War meant that Somerset had to wait until 1921 to welcome the Australians back to Taunton.
The tourists won the toss, elected to bat and dominated the opening day, finishing on 331 all out at stumps. Jack Ryder top scored with 124 whilst Jim Bridges was the pick of the Somerset attack, claiming five for 111.
Australia were on top on day two as well, bowling their hosts out twice to win by an innings and 58 runs with a day to spare. Tom Lowry was the only Somerset batter to make 50, with Ted McDonald taking seven for 31 in the host’s first innings and Warwick Armstrong claiming seven for 55 in the second innings.
Australia returned to Taunton five years later and once again came out on top, but this time it was a much closer affair. The tourists winning by 56 runs.
After winning the toss and batting first, Australia slipped to 87 for six, but 59 from tail-ender Sam Everett saw the tourists dismissed for 225. Raymond Robertson-Glasgow took five for 78 for the hosts who had reached 42 without loss in reply by the end of the opening day.
Unfortunately, Somerset’s strong position at the start of day two fell away as 42 without loss quickly became 96 for six. The home side were eventually dismissed for 153.
Batting for a second time, Australia declared on 229 for four, Johnny Taylor top scoring with 75.
Dar Lyon was the leading light of the Somerset run chase. He scored 136 to keep Somerset in the game but received little support as Somerset were all out for 245.
Australia returned to Taunton in 1930 and claimed an emphatic victory by an innings and 158 runs.
Somerset Captain, Jack White won the toss and elected to bat first, but the home side fell to 10 for four and never recovered, eventually being dismissed for 121.
Archie Jackson (118) and Don Bradman (117) helped their side to 360 all out to put the tourists very much in the driving seat.
Clarrie Grimmett then claimed seven for 33 to finish with 10 wickets in the match as Somerset were all out for just 81 second time around.
Four years passed before Australia visited the West County again, but the class of ’34 claimed another comprehensive innings victory in Taunton.
Somerset won the toss and elected to bowl but were all out for 116 from 53 overs despite 59 not out from Frank Lee. Bill O’Reilly blew the hosts away, claiming career best figures of nine for 38.
Half centuries from Bill Woodfall (84), Len Darling (79) and Ben Barnett (51) ensured that Australia claimed a large fist innings advantage despite the best efforts of Arthur Wellard, who too six for 111 as the tourists were all out for 309.
Somerset were swept aside in their second innings, Chuck Fleetwood-Smith taking six wickets as the home side were all out for 116.
Australia’s domination of Somerset continued in 1938 as Bradman’s team won by an innings and 218 runs.
Somerset skipper, Bunty Longrigg won the toss and elected to bat first. Unfortunately, only two batters reached the 20-mark as Somerset were all out for 110 inside 47 overs.
By the close of play on the opening day, Australia’s openers, Charlie Walker and Jack Badcock, had taken their side to 106 without loss. They only added a further two runs to the score on the second morning but Badcock would go on to make 110 before being run out. Bradman then took command, scoring a superb double century as the Baggy Greens declared on 464 for six.
Somerset were then bowled out for 136 to give the tourists another comprehensive win.
