Lives in Cricket No 44 - LCH Palairet

72. Lionel made his eagerly awaited return to county cricket against Hampshire at Bath, on May 24. Somerset won by seven wickets. Lionel failed in each innings, the game being dominated by Ted Tyler who took 13 for 135 in the match and in the first innings hit a lusty 51. After an innings defeat against Gloucestershire the side travelled to Lord’s to play Middlesex, who won easily. In the second innings Lionel made his first notable innings of the season making 52. However the match will be remembered for Len Braund making his first Somerset appearance. Braund was a Surrey man who had been brought through the colts; he had made several centuries and taken some wickets for the second team. Despite making his debut in 1896 for the Surrey first team, he had been unable to hold a place down and his bowling had hardly been used. By the close of 1898 the Somerset committee had persuaded him to qualify for them as a professional. He used his qualifying period well, playing for London County and other scratch sides and the odd non-Championship for Somerset. During this time he improved as a batsman and developed his leg spin, so that by the time he played against Middlesex he was already a noted all-rounder of immense ability. Sadly after the game with Middlesex, the authorities deemed that he was not qualified until the end of 1900. Had he been an amateur, this may have been overlooked (Ranjitsinjhi for a start was never qualified for Sussex when he first played – he didn’t even reside in the county). Braund therefore had to go back to the London County and wait another year. Somerset badly needed him. Once qualified he would stay until 1920 and be a solid batsman, brilliant fielder and for a while a world-class all- rounder. He would play 23 Tests for England; more importantly for Somerset, he would form an excellent opening partnership with Lionel, by far the best since Hewett left in 1893. Somerset’s next game was against Sussex at Hove and thanks to 222 from Ranjitsinjhi the county was well beaten by ten wickets. Sam Woods hit a brilliant 148 in the first innings, but as so often in the second innings the batting broke down badly. Lionel was going well in the first innings making 45 but then was beaten by a good ball from Cyril Bland. Better luck followed at the Oval; A new century and 1901 63