Lives in Cricket No 44 - LCH Palairet

faultless. This innings ensured that he would now open regularly for Somerset and for a while he would have a constant opening partner in Hewett. The pair became probably the most attractive playing county cricket at that time. Somerset went unbeaten during the season, finishing with 12 wins and a tie (against Middlesex). Lionel played in ten games scoring 408 runs at 29.14, his only other innings of note being 50 against Glamorgan at Bath, although he would often get a start. Somerset’s main successes that year were the bowling of Ted Tyler and George Nichols and in latter games Sam Woods, who game after game disposed of the opposition cheaply. The main batsmen were Hewett, Nichols and Lionel. Six games were won by more than an innings. By September, Lionel was starting his second year at Oxford. He was at weekends still travelling back to Somerset to play football. He played in the Somerset trial match, appearing for Somerset Rovers versus Central Somerset at Wells. His team lost 4-3 but the match report in the Wells Journal shows that Lionel scored the first and made a good impression throughout. A week later at the end of September he played for Somerset Rovers against London Casuals, losing 10-0, though the Bath Chronicle commented that ‘he had a couple of good chances to get his team on the scoresheet’. Lionel attended Somerset’s annual general meeting in October in Taunton; his father and brother were also in attendance. The club was in high spirits as it had gone undefeated during the season. It held a celebratory dinner for all the players and officials at the club, the Mayor of Taunton also attending. Under the captaincy of Hewett and administration of HE Murray-Anderdon it was made clear that the county intended to apply to join the County Championship for 1891. County secretaries at their meeting at Lord’s in December decided that Somerset would be admitted to the competition, the county having secured the minimum of 12 fixtures needed. Back at Oxford, Lionel had now been joined by his brother Richard. Their football talents had been noticed by the Oxford authorities. Richard as well as playing in many club games in Somerset was also appearing for the top amateur club The University and plenty of sport 22