Lives in Cricket No 44 - LCH Palairet

Chapter six 1902 and one more good season After an entertaining season (though disappointing from the team’s perspective), Somerset held its annual general meeting at the London Hotel in Taunton. Gerald Fowler, the honorary treasurer since 1896, yet again announced losses. It was agreed the club guarantors would pay for the shortfall. A club guarantor was a wealthy individual (there were about 30 to 40) who agreed to share any losses made by the club (which it often did) and they would pick up the shortfall; sometimes an element was made up by fund-raising and fetes around the county. The club praised Lionel’s and Len Braund’s fine performances; Lionel was also elected as a Vice-President of Somerset. The meeting also agreed that it might take more games away from Taunton as games at Bath were well supported; as it turned out this would not happen for a number of years, other than at Weston super Mare just before the Great War. In February it was mentioned again that Lionel was a possible candidate for the forthcoming series against Australia. The summer of 1902 would be very wet; however it did not seem to bother the great batsman Victor Trumper who was to score 2,570 runs at 48.49 including 12 centuries. The Western Times added: ‘With the additions of Henry Martyn and Peter Johnson, the outlook for Somerset this year looks most promising.’ The season began well for Lionel with an innings of 85, as he guested for the Somerset Stragglers against Taunton, Somerset professional Lewis making a hundred for Taunton. It seemed Lionel might carry on where he left off. Sadly after making a useful 34 in the opening game against Oxford University, Lionel was to make a run of low scores. The first county game was won in exciting fashion by one wicket as fine fifties from Lewis, Robson and a match-winning unbeaten 88 from Sam Woods brought off a fine win at Lord’s against Middlesex. Lionel made 27 and three, falling in each innings to Albert Trott. Although havingmade a poor start to the season, he was included in the MCC side to play the Australians at Lord’s starting on May 26, his only first-class game for the club. Clearly he was still in 79