Lives in Cricket No 44 - LCH Palairet

‘Of all the great batsman I have been privileged to watch and admire, none has ever given me quite the sense of confident and ecstatic elation as Palairet. A perfect stance, an absolutely orthodox method, power in driving that few have equalled and withal, a classic grace and poise, unruffled even in adversity.’ High praise indeed; I think a fitting way to sum up him up as a player of immense grace and ability. He was pleasant on the eye to all who watched him and left his mark on the game. David Foot states ‘he was probably the most stylish batsman to play for the county’, a statement that I think Lionel merits. He had a fine career as a fine graceful batsman but also as a useful lob bowler, good outfielder, and stand-in wicketkeeper who although lost too early to business left a fine record for Somerset. He duly deserves to be remembered as one of the best cricketers to have played for the county; he really was a cricketer ‘par excellence’. His cricketing legacy 126 *