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Somerset CCC v Australia

Somerset County Cricket Club hosts the Australians in a three-day match

News 1961 1 mins Silent

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Overview

The Somerset XI or Cidermen include wicket-keeper and captain Harold Stephenson, Geoff Lomax, Brian Roe, Peter Wight, Bill Alley, Chris Greetham, Mervyn Kitchen, Colin Atkinson and Brian Langford. Australian and Victorian opening batsmen, Colin or CC McDonald and Bill Lawry walk out to face the bowling of Ken Palmer and Ken Biddulph. The Australians declare on 440-3. Somerset scores 298, Australia declares on 202-4 and Somerset finishes on 230-9 with the match drawn.

Australia draws in the first Test match against England at Edgbaston on Lawry’s Test debut and wins in the second Test at Lord’s before playing at Somerset. At this time, CC McDonald is world cricket’s number one ranked batsman, making back-to-back centuries against England in the 1958-59 Ashes Series. The Australians are captained by much-loved cricketer and commentator Richie Benaud (1930-2015) who spins Australia to Ashes victory over England at Old Trafford in the Fourth Test, in this Australia’s 22nd tour of England and one hundred years after their first ever tour. This is also the last time the Australian cricket team travels by boat to England and back.