Gloucestershire’s lead was only 64 but a masterly innings by Hammond (140 not out), aided by Lyon (88) enabled Allen to leave Somerset 283. When their seventh wicket fell they still needed 112 but Bertie Buse stayed three hours for 79, Wellard lashed 68 in 40 minutes (six sixes and five fours) and the wicket-keeper Wally Luckes hit two fours in the last over of the day, bowled by Sinfield, to get his side home by one wicket. Somerset’s followers who made the journey to Bristol for the August return were given another treat. Frank Lee and Gimblett gave them a good start but Sinfield took three wickets without conceding a run before Bunty Longrigg stopped the rot. Longrigg, a solicitor, was a hard-hitting left-hand batsman who succeeded Reggie Ingle as captain in 1938. In partnerships with Dickie Burrough and Bill Andrews, he saw the total ascend to 358 for seven, at which point he was joined by an old Reptonian John Barnwell. They flayed the bowling to the tune of 143 in 90 minutes, the last 50 in 12 minutes. Longrigg, who was on 189, then suddenly told Barnwell he was going to declare at the end of the over. Barnwell (45) wanted to reach his half-century and asked Sinfield for a half-volley. “My smite landed a foot inside the boundary. Four instead of six – and I finished on 49,” said Barnwell, the declaration coming at 501 for seven. Wellard’s pace then troubled everybody except Hammond and Allen and his seven for 80 enabled Longrigg to enforce the follow-on. Somerset tried hard to force a victory but Hammond made an unbeaten hundred, Barnett got 55 and the young left-hander Jack Crapp stayed while 103 were added. Gimblett made a hundred in an inconclusive match at Taunton in 1939 but Goddard dominated the return at Bristol. Gloucestershire now had a side of perfect balance, with Hammond and Barnett joined by a younger generation of George Emmett, Crapp and Neale. Andy Wilson was a useful wicket-keeper-batsman, Sinfield one of the best allrounders in the country and in George Lambert and Colin Scott the county discovered a pair of 20-year-old opening bowlers who were rich in promise. Above all, however, there was the Bristol pitch which turned almost from the start and was fully exploited by Goddard. Gloucestershire mounted a strong challenge for the title in 1939, twice defeating Yorkshire, but they faded in the closing stages. In the August Bank Holiday game, Emmett made 96 but nine wickets were down for 228 when Goddard joined Wilson. They added 101 for the last wicket in 70 minutes before Wilson was out for 64, Goddard remaining undefeated with 56. Somerset were then caught on a drying pitch and went down by an innings and 109 runs, Goddard taking five for 15 and nine for 44 to return a match analysis of 14-59. This was Gloucestershire’s 13th victory in the holiday matches, Somerset winning six with 11 drawn. Of the 12 games played outside the holidays, Gloucestershire had a 4-2 advantage including a victory at Bristol during the second half of the 1935 Whit week when Hammond scored his 100th hundred. In the West 95